Michael Collins
Cork South-West · Independent Ireland · Ireland
“This matter has been raised twice already this morning, but it is hugely important. I will make a personal appeal to the Taoiseach regarding Skyclarys and the further delay that has now arisen. Yesterday, Emma O'Shea came to Leinster House from west Cork with her mother, father and brother.”
“Another huge problem which normally arises in August is that relating to school buses. Parents have no way to get their children to school because of the nearest school rule. The current and previous programmes for Government contain promises that this will be done away with, but nothing has happened. The rule needs to be abolished.”
“Every parent knows that September has become one of the most expensive months of the year. While free schoolbooks are welcome, many families now face growing costs for other items. Parents are being asked to purchase laptops that cost €400 or more, make increased payments for school transport and pay charges to cover examination fees.”
“Either 25 children are left without a school place this September, or two senior infants classes are merged into one class of 34 children. Does the Minister of State agree that schools should not be punished for helping to solve an enrolment crisis? Will he immediately sanction the additional teaching posts required for St.”
“Education should not be measured by means of the distance someone lives from school, and school transport should not be measured on that basis either. I want to raise a matter that Councillor Bill Clear brought to my attention. It is a very serious issue regarding St. Corban’s National School in Naas in County Kildare.”
“I was chairperson of a board of management and know the difficulties that schools face just because they are one or two children short. That can be made up as the year goes on but it is a crisis that Councillor Clear finds unacceptable.”
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“Bus Éireann could not bother its arse acknowledging any message. It is above us as public representatives, and above parents and everybody. Everybody is above everyone here but no one is taking accountability for what is going on. The bottom line is this is a scandalous situation that the Government is standing over year after year. Throughout this debacle, I have made repeated representations to Bus Éireann, to the Oireachtas team, to the Cork contact and to the Minister of State's office. All I have received in return are acknowledgements. It is an absolute disgrace that in 2025 we have to come to the Dáil to demand basic school transport for eligible children. Will the Minister of State rectify this situation immediately and ensure these families get the service they were promised? This is not an isolated case.”
“Of course, when we contact Bus Éireann, as Deputy Gould and others said, it is hidden behind a shield because the Government is sparing its blushes. The Government is backing it, as is the Minister of State, if he will not stand up here tonight to say they will make it answerable. Once the Minister of State does that, things will move. If he fails to do that, he is failing in his duty, as his predecessors have failed. This is a scandalous situation. A proper message was not even sent out to these parents until yesterday afternoon. Imagine having your children at the side of the road waiting for a bus they were promised that never turned up. I was promised it as a public representative. I cannot deal with anybody any more. The Minister of State is only acknowledging a bare message.”
“Once again, we are back here discussing the ongoing circus that is the school bus system. Year after year, we are promised change, especially regarding the closest-school rule, yet here we are facing the same issues. In Ballinadee, 20 to 30 children who are eligible - not concessionary - have been left without school transport. These families were told at the start of the school year that a bus would be provided. Days before school began, they were informed that there would be no bus and they would have to make their own arrangements. Last week, Bus Éireann did a U-turn on this. Last Thursday or Friday, it communicated to parents that the service would resume. They received that confirmation, but yesterday morning no bus arrived. It is an absolute farce. You could not believe it. I have seen it. I was sent the messages from Bus Éireann.”
“I pleaded at a meeting of the Business Committee recently, maybe two weeks ago, for this debate to take place. I thank the Chief Whip for accommodating it and the Minister of State for attending today. Deputy Gogarty asked who is going to be fired. There has to be significant movement from the Minister of State's end on resolving the crisis. I plead with him in this regard. He is not long in his position, so he can take only take a very small fraction of the blame here – let us be honest – but unfortunately I have been nine years asking the same questions. Others who are here longer are not getting answers. It is time for clear answers to come into play here. Everybody is pointing the finger when it comes to the over-70s. I will touch on that in a minute.”
“Independent Ireland met the Irish Hairdressers Federation today. The federation is in a crisis or, as it put it, a chronic situation. There is a stark future for many hair salons if they do not get a VAT reduction to 9% in January. Hair salons employ thousands of people and apprentices in this country. Suppliers are now refusing to credit many of these salons. There is a huge crisis. Can we bring the relevant Minister before the Dáil to talk about VAT reliefs and other such reliefs to save these salons?”
“They cannot be left carrying the can, dealing with these types of crime. I also welcome the call for clearer laws on self-defence. Ordinary people must know where they stand. If someone threatens them, their family or their property, they should not be left wondering if they will be dragged through the courts for defending themselves. That needs to be clarified once and for all. Again, I support restorative justice but not instead of people facing penalties for crimes. It has to be in tandem, especially for repeat offenders. That is prevention in action. When a young person has to look at a victim in the eye and give something back to the community they have damaged, they will stop what they are doing.”
“On paperwork, I do like the proposals to streamline statements and declarations. This is exactly the sort of thing we have been calling for. Let gardaí police. Let them do their jobs, not spend half the day filling in forms that could be simplified or digitalised. The seizure on a permanent basis of high-value items such as scooters, squads and scramblers involved in antisocial activities and the paying-back of any damages is meaningful justice for victims of crime and a stance that Independent Ireland would like to see actioned. The motion also touches on protecting shopkeepers. Our party has raised this issue again and again. Shoplifting is rampant. Small businesses are being hammered and in rural Ireland farmers are seeing livestock stolen. Yes, we must give shopkeepers backup with the proper Garda support.”
“Some communities in west Cork are lucky to have it and they feel safe with it, but it is scandalous to think that it is switched off in those areas and no answer has been given to me after three or four months asking the same question, namely, why it was switched off and who has the controls to put it back on again. Let us talk about Garda numbers. The motion says what we all know. The numbers are far too low, but saying it is not enough. Independent Ireland has hammered home this point. You cannot police on the cheap. Recruitment matters, but retention is just as critical. We are losing good gardaí because morale is on the floor. Paperwork is crushing them and they do not feel supported. They feel that changes will keep bleeding numbers. A motion in this House will not fix it.”
“It shows anyone that their concerns and those of others are not being listened to. What do I tell the people of Drimoleague, whose Garda station is closed due to a lack of gardaí? Is it just "Sorry, hard luck"? That will not work and it will not be the answer for them when I go back there. The fact that we can now see clearly that this Government will not appoint gardaí to west Cork shows we will have to defend ourselves more and more with CCTV, though again we come unstuck there. I told the Minister already that the towns of Clonakilty, Skibbereen and Dunmanway have had their CCTV switched off for no good apparent reason. No matter who I write to, no one is taking responsibility. It is surely under the Department of justice to see that CCTV works in every town in the country where it exists.”
“We need to put the money into schools, youth clubs, sports facilities and half of this problem will be prevented before it even begins. That is very often what is missing in the thinking. Second, there is community policing. Time and time again, I have stood here and stated that the strength of policing is gardaí on the ground, not behind a desk. A garda who knows the name of a young fella can nip something in the bud before it escalates. That is the model that works. The motion should put that at the core, where it belongs. I look at the recent allocation of gardaí announced recently. Only one was announced for west Cork. That is an astonishing situation in which we find ourselves. There was one new garda for the whole of west Cork. That is scandalous. What message is that sending to existing Garda authority in west Cork?”
“We all know the shortcomings in policing in this country and we are serious about resolving them. We need to be honest. First, the motion rightly points to the root causes of antisocial behaviour. If we do not put real investment into prevention, youth diversion and giving young people better outlets, then we are just talking to ourselves. I look at those in west Cork who set up the Garda youth awards and what a huge success it has been to show this country what so many young people can do, and so well. The things they do are absolutely brilliant. So many of them receive awards on the night but it sets something in place for their CVs going forward. It is an incredible event and it needs to be commended and copied throughout the country. Independent Ireland has said it plainly: early intervention is the only way forward.”
“I welcome this debate and thank Deputy Gogarty and his staff for bringing it forward. It is a conversation that is long overdue. Antisocial behaviour is not some abstract issue or statistic on the pages of reports. It is happening in our towns and villages every day of the week. It is happening to shopkeepers who have to watch their shelves while being threatened, elderly people who feel unsafe while walking to the shop and families who see their local parks or playgrounds wrecked. It is even happening to teenagers themselves, many of whom are just trying to go about their business and get caught up in a culture of intimidation and fear. Let me be clear. I support this motion because but is better to have this debate than to let things slide and continue as they are.”
“We need transparency on occupancy levels, the categories of residents housed, the services provided, staffing numbers and the total cost to the State over the past four years. I also ask for details on the recent expression of interest process, how many responses were received and whether these sites were referenced and what areas were proposed. Contracts governing these facilities must be published, including clauses ensuring compliance with planning, fire safety and building control laws. Has the Department verified these requirements? If the use of Citywest is to become permanent, we need to know the intended use of the surrounding land and whether further development is planned. These are legitimate questions that should have been resolved in the local community before anything ever started, but they were not.”
“Communities are concerned. These are not racist people but people who have legitimate concerns in their communities. The European Union cannot dictate how many people can come to this small island. Independent Ireland Councillor Linda de Courcy pleaded for answers from this Government, through me, about Citywest a number of months ago. No matter what I asked, I never got an answer until the deal was signed. The concerns people had were legitimate. These facilities in Citywest have been central to Ireland’s response, but questions remain unanswered. I am calling on the Minister to clarify who consulted the community groups, elected representatives and NGOs, and when those engagements took place.”
“A public meeting last week in Naas with the Minister for agriculture did not yield any clear indication of whether a rescue package is being brought forward by the Government. What hope can the Tánaiste give today to tillage farmers of a much-needed compensation package for them?”
“I join with my colleagues here today in condemning any threats to the Tánaiste and his family that he has had to put up with which, to say the least, were shocking and sickening. I hope the full rigours of the law will be applied. Independent Ireland will do anything it can on this side of the political divide to help to support him in that regard. I presume the Tánaiste was at the very successful ploughing championships in recent days, as I was. We were in our tent with Ciaran Mullooly, MEP. A huge number of tillage farmers spoke of the severe stress they are going through as prices have dropped to 1985 levels, with costs rocketing. If immediate aid of up to €250 a hectare is not forthcoming, tillage farmers will have to walk away, which will result in a further crisis down the road.”
“I know this is a slightly different issue than the transport service for schoolchildren, but it is connected in its own right. I refer to the right for children to get to school in Kilcoe and Ballinadee. We have a fight to get just the basic rights. They had a bus last year, but they are not going to have it this year. I am astonished by how this can happen without some kind of an explanation to parents out there, and they deserve that right, surely be to God. People have to go to work. This is a tough country to make a living in and the parents of Ballinadee and Kilcoe have been terribly wronged. The over-70s issue is something the Minister of State really needs to sit up and look at to understand that drivers aged over 70 are well capable of driving and taking children to school.”
“For far too many families, the school places they fought tooth and nail to secure are miles away. Children with additional needs are being forced into punishing daily journeys. That is not fair on the child. It is not fair on the family, and it is something Independent Ireland has called out. We need a proper transport service so that no child is left exhausted before they even step into the classroom. We have that situation. I know the situation from Coomhola, Bantry, down into Schull was resolved, but that took nearly two years. There were exhaustive efforts by some parents out there, which was very unfair. We also had the situation of the Ballinadee bus, which I think may be resolved tomorrow, but there are problems and a crisis.”
“The reality on the ground is that too many parents and teachers find them unhelpful and sometimes even obstructive. Families are sick of battling bureaucracy. They want support and not red tape. A review might help but only if it actually changes the culture from blocking to supporting. Independent Ireland has been clear about where it stands. We more SNAs. We want smaller class sizes. We want schools given the resources upfront so they can actually meet the needs of children instead of begging for crumbs from the Department. We have said time and again that principals and teachers know their pupils best. They know better than an official in an office who never set foot in the classroom. That is why we support a needs-based model that puts trust back into the hands of school and parents. Let us not forget transport.”
“This motion calls for the publication of county by county figures, and that is right because we need transparency. However, the Minister of State should not need to be dragged into publishing this. Parents deserve honesty upfront. If you cannot even tell families the truth about the numbers, how can you ever solve the problem? The motion also calls for a task force to deliver school buildings. That sounds good but let us not kid ourselves. We have seen task forces come and go. Parents do not want more committees and reviews. They want bricks and mortar. They want schools delivered on time. They want classrooms ready for their children when September comes, not promises that fall flat by Christmas. There is then the NCSE and the SENOs.”
“We were told in June that there were 260 children with additional needs who had no offer of a school place. Another 168 had an offer but could not take it up because the building work was not finished. What good is an offer on paper when the classroom does not exist? That is not education. That is the Government spin. What is worse is that we know these numbers do not tell the full story. They do not include the children being homeschooled because there is no proper place for them. They do not include the children travelling hours every day to access a school miles from their community. They do not include the children dumped into inappropriate settings waiting for special classes or a special school. This is the hidden crisis, and it has been ignored for far too long.”
“I am glad to be able to speak on this motion. Let me start by saying clearly that I welcome it. I welcome it because every child in this country has the right to an education. That right is not something that should be up for debate. It is in our Constitution. It is in international law, and it is in the heart of every parent who wants the best for their son or daughter. However, what we have seen from Government is delay, excuses and an attitude that parents should be grateful for whatever crumbs are thrown their way. I am telling the Minister of State now that parents are not grateful. Parents are angry, and rightly so. They should not have to drag the State through the courts just to get their child a school place. That is a disgrace.”
“It means fixing the broken mobility schemes, upgrading buses and trains so they are fully accessible and, crucially, rural transport links because equality is not just for Dublin. If a person cannot get from a rural parish to a hospital appointment or a job, then all the fine words in the strategy mean nothing. On accountability, people with disability and carers are sick to death of reports and reviews that go nowhere. Committees and glossy action plans mean nothing if nothing changes on the ground. We want hard targets which are costed and measured and timelines to be published in plain English. Progress should be measured not in press releases but in reduced waiting lists and better services. We support giving disabled persons organisations a real seat at the table and not token consultation but instead genuine power to shape delivery.”
“The strategy is tied to the national housing plan, but housing for disabled people has been kicked down the road for years. Our policies are clear, namely, modular homes, cuts to VAT on building materials and bringing derelict houses back into use. If we marry those measures with universal design standards, we would see disabled people living independently in every parish in Ireland. Housing not a favour; it is a right to dignity and independence. Transport and mobility are the keys to inclusion. Without them, equality is a false promise. Accessibility is not just a line in the strategy; it is the difference between being able to take up a job or not and being able to meet friends or being stuck at home. The strategy refers to accessible door-to-door journeys. We welcome that, but let us see what happens in practice.”
“Employment is another area where the words do not match the reality. Too many people are trapped. They want to work, but they are terrified of losing their disability allowance or secondary benefits. The strategy states it will tackle benefit traps, which is welcome. We will hold the Government to account on that. The Independent Ireland Party believes in simple and flexible welfare rules. If a person takes up a job and it does not work out, they must be able to receive their payment again without months of bureaucracy. While targets in the Civil Service are well and good, the real challenge is creating jobs in every town and village and helping small local businesses to employ disabled people with real support. Housing is central to dignity.”
“We would build the residential and respite facilities that families have been begging for and expand training for occupational and speech and language therapists so that children are not left languishing on lists. Families do not want more pillars or promises. They want services they can see. Education is another area where the plan must deliver. The Government talks about roadmaps and transitions, but where are the dates, resources and extra therapists in schools? Where are the supports for children moving into apprenticeships and college? We support inclusive education. The Independent Ireland Party backs apprenticeships, fairer access to grants and proper training for SNAs. Inclusion must mean that no parent has to fight every step of the way just to get their child a place, assessment or fair chance.”
“Rather, they will measure it by whether their son finally gets his spinal surgery, their daughter finally gets access to a speech and language therapist or a parent caring for a child with profound needs finally gets the respite that has been promised time and again. This is the test and on that test the Government has failed too often. The strategy refers to health and well-being, which is welcome. However, let us face the elephant in room, namely, the disgrace of children waiting for surgery and the scandal of children waiting two and three years to be assessed for basic supports. That is where the Government's credibility will be judged. The Independent Ireland Party has been clear. We would abolish means testing for carers. We would pay carers properly and give them the training they deserve.”
“It is appropriate that we are talking about disabilities as Patrick was in a wheelchair for many years. He fought that bravely and never in any way let his people down. He always worked hard for those people. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for giving me the chance to pay tribute to him. I welcome the publication of the national human rights strategy for disabled people. It is long overdue. Too many of our citizens and families in every parish in this country have been left waiting for basic dignity and fairness. The strategy is a step in the right direction and we should say that clearly. People in rural parishes and urban estates will not measure this plan by the glossy brochure launched in the Mansion House.”
“I beg the indulgence of the Leas-Cheann Comhairle to pay tribute to Fianna Fáil Councillor Patrick Gerard Murphy, who represented Bantry, Castletownbere and Skull electoral area and whose untimely death took place last Friday. His funeral is taking place as I speak this evening. Patrick was a councillor decades ahead of time. He had a great ability to bring people from right across the political divide with him. He was hugely intelligent and well spoken in politics but also in community. I am so sorry I cannot be with the people of Castletownbere and Eyeries tonight and tomorrow for the funeral of their greatest son, but Patrick Gerard would know that I have to be here. He would say that the show must go on. My sincere sympathies to him and family.”
“Government policy is to mainly use State-owned land for greenway walks, but in the Cork to Kinsale case, 90% is being put on privately-owned farms and land, destroying in particular many farms, splitting them in two and making them unworkable. Will the Taoiseach stand with these landowners and force TII to drop CPO for any greenway negotiations going forward?”
“This summer has been one of huge discontent and serious upset for farmers and landowners on the proposed greenway walk from Cork to Kinsale. I begin by saying that a walkway anywhere in our country has to be welcome, but with peaceful negotiations as was done in the world-renowned Sheep's Head and Beara Way. That is the model to do this, not the TII model with its sword over the head called CPO. CPO has its used for infrastructural projects as a last resort, but to use CPO to grab land from farmers and landowners for recreational purposes is one step too far. This peaceful campaign in west Cork has opened up similar nightmares for landowners throughout the country who had or will have their lands taken from them from by TII with CPO for walkways in counties Mayo and Kerry and other parts of the country.”
“We ask for this not alone for Charlie Kirk but for every person or politician who has been attacked or threatened in any way while carrying out their duty. We ask to unite against the threat by standing here together with a minute's silence.”
“I want to raise the issue of the Minister with responsibility for school transport to come before the Dáil to answer questions on the shambles of school transport all over the country. Regarding other events all over the world and indeed in our own country, we as politicians, must unite against them, no matter where we come from in the political spectrum. Independent Ireland has written to the Ceann Comhairle asking for a minute's silence here today for Charlie Kirk, who was brutally assassinated last week.”
“The insurance company was not genuine in this case and left somebody in a bad way. Thankfully, the matter was resolved but it should not have happened.”
“I would appreciate if Cancer Connect were to become an issue, especially in west Cork and we looked at delivery there. In fairness, the Taoiseach came down to Bantry last year and spoke very highly of the service. That is hugely important. The insurance companies cannot get away with the stunt they are trying to pull here by telling people they have comprehensive cover when they do not have it. That is not good enough, especially when it comes to cancer. People have enough worries on their minds when they are diagnosed with something. The last thing they want is to find out the company that promised them something, and which they spent years handing over their money to, tried to pull a scam on them. That is the way I look at it and I cannot see how any other person could see it otherwise.”
“They deserve better than bureaucratic suspicion and financial punishment. This is a small legislative change but a huge change in the lives of those affected. Independent Ireland welcomes the Bill with open arms because it embodies our values. We call on all Deputies to set aside party lines and support this fair, necessary and overdue Bill. Let us ensure that survivors are celebrated, not penalised. Let us pass this Bill and send a clear message in Ireland that cancer survivors have the right not to be always remembered but to be remembered by lawmakers as citizens worthy of fairness, dignity and respect. In my last speech in the Dáil before the summer break, I thank the Ceann Comhairle, the Leas-Cheann Comhairle, the ushers and all the staff in Dáil Éireann who have been most kind to us as individuals, and all TDs. I wish them the best.”
“This is an area that should be looked into going forward because Cancer Connect requires full funding, with €100,000 desperately required to deliver a cancer service for people. The service has gone to Kerry and it is now being copied around the country. It is a voluntary service that deserves funding. I am proud to see Ireland moving in step with leading European countries with this Bill, but this is about Irish people first, not Europe. We do this because it is right for Ireland. That said, harmonising with best practice strengthens our reputation for fairness and decency. Behind every statistic are people with names, families and futures, survivors trying to secure homes for their families, parents seeking life insurance for peace of mind and workers trying to rebuild their financial security after illness.”
“If it is the case that it is a rare type of cancer and you have to be careful that it might spread, there is a car service. I extend a huge thank you to Helen, the working team and the car drivers. Each car driver is voluntary. Most of them are retired people who have decided to give up their time free of charge to take people to Cork for their chemotherapy and drop them home in the evening. That is great relief for people. I know the State was never asked until recently, because it is growing and growing. There is a huge number of cars on the road. Last year there was an initial promise of €50,000 under the budget and they got €50,000. They gratefully accept €50,000 and they are not complaining.”
“If not, they should be honest and say it is only 50% or 60% cover or whatever and name the types of cancers covered so people know when they pay that they will not be out of pocket essentially. I commend Cancer Connect in west Cork. I have often raised the efforts of Cancer Connect and the amount of people working there under the guidance of Helen and a fantastic team in the offices in west Cork. They deliver cancer care. They deliver a free transport service in west Cork. I was part of the organisation that was set up maybe 25 years ago. Everybody gets picked up in the community who wants to go for their chemotherapy, radiotherapy or whatever treatment they need to get. They are taken by bus from the door to the door free of charge so at least it alleviates that.”
“He was told he did not and to move on, and I was told to move on, but I did not. We brought it here to the floor of Dáil Éireann and the company decided to step back and to cover the gentleman, and rightly so. Imagine the unimaginable upset for that family to think these were the lengths they had to go to for their rights. How many more have been treated like that? How many more did not have a voice? How many more politicians decided to ignore the plea from their constituents? Is this happening on a regular basis? I hope in this Bill going forward, which we will be supporting, that the Minister of State will look into that area too, so when they say comprehensive cancer cover, it means 100% cover.”
“I cannot remember the exact name of the medical treatment that gentleman needed, it was pharma something - I have it in the office - but Lord God the fight started for his very survival; fighting for your survival and fighting for your rights. He had health insurance. If one company is doing it, the whole lot of them are doing it and selling it. If I have comprehensive car insurance, I expect if I went outside the gate and God forbid I hit another car, that I would have full cover. I do not understand how you can have comprehensive cover and it is not comprehensive. That is what we were led to believe all of our lives anyway. That is what this gentleman thought. He was 100% sure in a terrible time of need that he had cover, and he had that bit of relief behind him.”
“I will not bother naming the health insurance company now because it got resolved, but it should not have had to go the way it went. This has to be looked into at the highest level. You and I take out health insurance, which this person did in my constituency. I think he was paying €1,470 every year, thankfully without ever having to make a drawback. He got cancer and needed a special type of treatment for cancer. He was told that under his cover from the health company he had comprehensive cover. However, when he knocked on the door after many years of paying €1,470, he was told it was not that type of cover.”
“The law should serve people, especially those who have already suffered. This is the State standing by them. We know too well how faceless corporations can wield disproportionate powers. The Bill restores balance with a clear legal definition of what constitutes discrimination in this context. These are concrete protections after five years post-treatment, clear, understandable and enforceable. It gives legal recognition to cancer survivors' right to financial inclusion and privacy, it provides for practical enforcement through fines and penalties with no room for evasion and it gives future Ministers flexibility to issue regulations ensuring these protections keep pace with developments. I raised a serious issue in the Dáil approximately a month ago about health insurance.”
“People who have survived cancer should not have to carry that label like a financial scarlet letter for the rest of their lives. After five years, post-treatment survivors deserve the right to move forward free from unfair discrimination. The Bill will ensure they cannot be penalised or excluded from financial services solely due to past illness. Their privacy is protected and there is no need to disclose what should no longer be relevant. There are penalties for financial institutions that refuse to respect these new standards. This is about putting an end to unnecessary punishment. If medicine says they are clear, the law should say the same. It is about sovereignty and common sense regulations. We should not need Brussels to tell us how to treat our citizens with fairness. We should make our own laws.”
“This is not acceptable in a modern, fair and compassionate Republic. Ireland's cancer survival rate has improved dramatically in recent decades thanks to advances in medicine and better healthcare. More than 220,000 people are living with or beyond cancer in Ireland today. These are not statistics. These are families, communities and lives that are reclaimed. Despite this medical progress our financial system remains stuck in the past. Ireland lags behind countries like France, Belgium and the Netherlands where this right is already protected in law. Insurance Ireland's voluntary code is welcome, but voluntary is not enough. Voluntary codes do not deliver certainty, accountability or enforceability. Why does this Bill matter? This is not a technical or financial issue. It is a question of dignity, fairness and equality.”
“Independent Ireland is proud to speak in strong support of this Bill today. This Bill speaks to the very core of fairness, common sense and compassion in public policy. It is a simple but powerful measure that will make a real difference in the lives of thousands of our people who have already been through hell and back. The financial discrimination faced by cancer survivors in Ireland is an ongoing quiet injustice. Survivors, who are ordinary men and women, mothers and fathers, workers and neighbours are being punished financially for something they have already overcome with unimaginable courage. These are people who have beaten the odds, endured the hardest years of their lives and yet face fresh barriers when they try to move forward, like higher insurance premiums, denied mortgages and repeated invasive questions about their past.”
“They really know how to help a community to make sure things get sorted and usually it irons itself out. That is the type of garda we need in the force and that we need to be promoting in our communities and we need more of them. We do not have that many of them. They are not there because they are not adequately resourced and I would appreciate the Minister working on that going forward.”
“I would appreciate if the Minister would look into the areas I mentioned, especially CCTV, which is a huge issue. The Minister should consider how he can further support Garda Youth Awards and our gardaí, be they in west Cork, Galway or wherever else. There should be more gardaí on the beat. I will pick out one garda in west Cork, Jonathan McCarthy, who lives in the area. He nips crime in the bud. He knows where it is going wrong before it goes wrong. I have seen young people going wrong and I have seen him putting them right, because he is living in Ballydehob. That is difficult because the locals go to his door to call him and tell him he is needed somewhere. That is not fair and it is difficult for a garda but he is an example of the great type of garda we have.”
“I will pick one party, the Social Democrats, whose mission statement says the party believes: "that in line with international best-practice, a policy of decriminalisation should be pursued in respect of the possession of drugs for personal consumption." I do not agree with that, because if we are going to accept it in the back door, we may as well accept it in the front door. That is a crazy system. They cannot come in here afterwards and say that the country has gone mad in relation to drugs' crime if they are saying that in a small way it is fine. It is not; drugs are drugs and that is the bottom line. The only time I ever stood up here for any type of drugs was for medicinal cannabis for a very ill child. That type of set-up is totally different.”
“Independent Ireland was very clear that we need stricter sentences. Often, when I look at sentences, I scratch my head, because some very serious crimes get very light sentences. On the other hand, someone might steal something - which is not a good thing to do and they must be apprehended - and might have even given back the money and they still get a jail sentence. I wonder if there could be a better balance because we see a lot of heavy crimes being walked around. I listened to some of the parties here today who said they support this and that there is concern in their communities about it.”