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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“At least they are trying their best to deliver an honest and free media that cannot ever be tied up, as such, when it comes to delivering what is the honest story.”
“We often find that we are victims when it comes to Virgin Media and RTÉ. We feel that sometimes we are not represented in a fair manner. I do not know when Virgin Media last made any kind of contact with us. We have a voice. The electorate gave Independent Ireland a very strong mandate. It is fine to try to ignore that if you want to, but there is a reason for it being ignored. That has to be brought to task here. No media outlet at any level has a right to rule somebody in or out or to favour certain people. I wish to praise the Southern Star and reporters like Kieran O'Mahony, who try to be as fair as possible. They are not favourable at times. At times they are angered and they say the wrong things, but that is quite understandable.”
“We must get the balance right between protection of our media landscape and preserving the freedoms that underpin it. If we fail to do so, we may well solve one problem, only to create a far worse one. I take this opportunity to pay tribute to what we have in my constituency. I refer to our local radio station, C103 FM, in west Cork, and 96 FM and Red FM for that matter too, which have given a very fair account of themselves down through the years. You would hear politicians giving arguments from all sides on those stations. They deserve to be commended on their focus on delivering a clear message to people. Members of the public want to hear the honest facts. It does not matter what side the facts come from, as long as they are delivered. Sometimes, the waters in that regard become muddied when it comes to the bigger stations.”
“It depends on the ability of citizens to hear competing arguments, to weigh them and to make up their own minds. If decisions about what constitutes acceptable disclosures are shifted away from the public sphere and into the hands of the regulator, however well-intentioned, we risk undermining that very foundation. This is not an argument against regulation, nor is it an argument against this Bill in its entirety. It is, however, a call for caution. If we are to proceed, we must ensure that there are clear limits on the powers being transferred, that there is robust oversight and transparency in how those powers are exercised and ,above all, that the principles of free expression and democratic accountability are protected at every stage. Once powers of this nature are handed over, they are not easily reclaimed.”
“They may be contested, and they should be examined carefully and objectively, but they cannot simply be dismissed out of hand. At the heart of this issue lies a fundamental question, namely who decides what information the public is allowed to see? We are told that this Bill is about tackling misinformation but, increasingly, we see examples across Europe where perfectly legitimate political opinions on migration, energy policy and social issues have been labelled as harmful or unacceptable. When statements that reflect mainstream viewpoints are treated as violations, we are no longer dealing with a neutral regulation; we are entering the territory of subjective judgement and, potentially, ideological filtering. That is where the danger lays. Democracy depends not on unanimity, but on open disagreement.”
“That in itself gives rise to legitimate questions, but people's concerns are sharpened further when we look beyond our shores. In recent weeks, a report from the United States Congress has raised serious allegations regarding the role of European regulators, including engagement involving Coimisiún na Meán, in the period leading up to elections across Europe, including here in Ireland. According to that report, there was co-operation between regulators, major technology platforms and what has been described as partisan or ideologically aligned fact-checking organisations. The claim is that this co-ordination influenced how content was moderated, particularly during sensitive electoral periods. These are serious claims.”
“Equally, the move to establish a clear picture of media ownership is a step towards openness that should be broadly supported. While we can acknowledge the positives, we cannot ignore the broader implications of what is being proposed. This Bill represents a significant transfer of power from an elected Minister accountable to this House and to the people, to one unelected regulatory body in the form of Coimisiún na Meán. Independence in regulation has its place, but independence must never come at the expense of accountability. We are being asked to place considerable authority over media mergers, definitions of editorial independence and the broader shaping of our media landscape in the hands of a body that is not directly answerable to the electorate.”
“There are elements of this Bill that deserve recognition and support. At its core, it seeks to strengthen something that is fundamental to any healthy democracy, namely plurality in our media. In an era when media ownership is increasingly concentrated and when global platforms hold unprecedented influence over what people see, read and hear, it is right that we take steps to ensure diversity of voices and opinions and the protection of editorial independence. The intention behind this legislation to prevent undue concentration of media power and promote transparency is reasonable. The requirement for greater transparency in State advertising is also welcome. The public has a right to know how and where public money is being spent, particularly in the media space.”
“This has cost us extremely dearly. I have put my speech that day up on my Facebook page if anybody has any interest in watching it. In 2022, the Taoiseach told me I was wrong. Today, we are right.”
“To go back to 2022, I had a conversation with the Taoiseach on fossil fuels. I dug out my speech. Everybody around the world knew we needed fossil fuels. We are all trying to move away in a different direction. I fully understand that. Unfortunately, the Taoiseach at that time was brainwashed by the Greens. All the Deputies on that side were brainwashed by the Greens. I could not get them to understand that they would need fossil fuel going forward. They did not want to be knocking on the door of Moffat in Scotland for our fuel and we were to have independence in terms of fuel, wind energy and solar, but we did not. Nothing happened. We seem to be brain-blocked. Barryroe field was there to be explored. Not at all, we could not touch it. We could bring it in no problem, but we were not to have energy independence.”
“People are anxious to turn to solar, but if you want to run a home on solar energy - I listened to a person recently who is getting solar energy – you are talking about a cost of €17,000 to €20,000. The grant is €1,800. That is paltry. In the name of God. That was the Green Party. Deputy O’Gorman does not want to agree with this motion because it might mean we would have to lower the carbon tax and help people. The Green Party does not help people. When it was in government, it could have delivered a grant aid that would have encouraged homes to go solar. A grant of €1,800 when it will cost €20,000 is a pittance of a grant to encourage people. That is where there was a massive lost opportunity. When the Green Party was in government, it failed to deliver for the ordinary people who maybe would have turned around.”
“I am told that the office is being called constantly by people who feel they have been hit hard, robbed, this and that because they are paying through the nose for oil. I am very concerned about the price of food, and the price of fertiliser is going to go mad. If the price of fertiliser is going to go mad, the price of food on the table is going to go crazy and people will not be able to afford it. That is another crisis in itself. I listened to the Green Party, which promised the world and spent four to five years in government but delivered absolutely nothing save for more taxes. People would like to turn to solar energy. There is no point in anyone saying we should not have solar energy; that is only nonsensical rubbish.”
“I am calling for immediate relief at the pumps because every €10 or €15 spent filling a tank is a €10 or €15 cut to a worker’s income, a family's budget or a small business’ future. I met representatives of the Irish Road Haulage Association here today and it is in dire crisis. Unless there is an immediate announcement, some serious decisions are going to have to be made. People are left deciding between either heating or eating. For many of the elderly, it has got to a choice of eating only. People might think that is not true, but many elderly people tell me that they are sat with duvets and blankets. That is very unfair. It is still cold and nasty weather out there for an elderly person. A bit of heat is worth the world. I get phone calls every day of the week; my phone is on fire.”
“Many can no longer absorb these hikes. For them, the weekly fuel bill has become a crisis. The Irish Petrol Retailers Association has been crystal clear in its asks: reduce excise duty on petrol and diesel; pause carbon tax increases until the real impact is assessed; review the layering of the levies and the practice of taxing taxes; and establish a proper, consultative forum so that these decisions are not made over the heads of the people most affected by them. This is not about avoiding climate action. It is about fairness and balance. The current approach is regressive and hits rural Ireland hardest. No Government committed to regional equality can stand over it.”
“Meanwhile, the State takes 60% to 65% of the cost of every litre in taxes and levies - excise, carbon taxes, a National Oil Reserves Agency, NORA, levy and VAT on top of everything else. The list goes on. We are told that international instability is pushing up prices but the reality is clear, in that Ireland's pre-tax fuel prices are around the EU average, yet once taxes are added, we shoot to the top of the European price table. That is not caused by retailers or the ordinary motorist. It is caused by Government policy. Who pays the highest price for that? It is the rural communities where a car is not a luxury, but a necessity. It is lower and middle-income families who cannot afford an electric vehicle. It is tradespeople such as fishers, farmers, carers and haulage operators who keep the shelves stocked.”
“They have now run out of oil. For elderly people, that is very difficult. Across all of the country, but especially in rural Ireland, people are crippled by the price of petrol, diesel and home heating oil. Families, workers, small businesses and the independent forecourts that keep our communities going are all being pushed to the brink. The facts are laid out very clearly by the Irish Petrol Retailers Association. Retailers are operating on margins as low as 1%, with underground tanks holding just a few days’ worth of stock, meaning they must pay rising wholesale prices immediately or go without supply. They cannot absorb these increases. They are price-takers, not price setters.”
“The most important thing to come from this debate, which I thank Sinn Féin for arranging, is that people might see some hope that something is going to happen. Listening to the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, during Leaders’ Questions today, he kept saying that we would not have a knee-jerk reaction. It is 19 days since the war started, but outside of the real, horrible war going on, there was a war going on anyway in people's homes. They could not pay their previous bills and now we are in a crisis situation. I meet many constituents and some of them have told me – I presume it is the same in the Tánaiste’s constituency – that they had not filled the oil tank on the basis that the weather would turn fine in early March and they would not have to. They could put it off until the end of the year and have one less bill.”
“Will the Minister of State intervene to ensure the HSE concludes reimbursement talks for Skyclarys? Do these delays reflect the access promised in the new rare diseases strategy? Emma and the FA community cannot be left behind while the rest of Europe moves on. I have written to the Minister of State about this and have also submitted parliamentary questions, so I would appreciate it if she could come back to me on this. While talking about women we must not forget the carers of the country, predominantly women, who give up so much of their lives to care for their loved ones. The Government has raised the means test for the carer’s allowance but the test must be abolished in total. Carers must be recognised financially for all they do.”
“These women have already been through enough and should not have to battle waiting lists on top of everything else. I also raise a serious issue affecting a young woman from my constituency. Emma O’Shea is just 26 years old and is living with Friedreich's ataxia. This is a cruel, fast-moving disease and every month that passes Emma loses more of her independence. There is a treatment called Skyclarys which is approved across Europe and in the USA. Patients elsewhere are already benefitting but in Ireland Emma and others cannot access it despite it being approved over a year ago. That delay is simply not acceptable. Ireland approves only a fraction of orphan drugs and people with FA do not have years to wait. Time for them means a decline. I am asking for two simple things.”
“It affects mobility daily as well as activity, appearance, confidence and even a woman’s ability to stay connected socially. Through no fault of their own many women feel embarrassed and isolated. Specialist lymphoedema clinics provide compression garments, exercise programmes, skincare guidance and manual lymphatic drainage. These supports are essential for recovery yet in Cork University Hospital women are waiting 12 to 18 months just to be seen. A constituent of ours has already waited over a year and is now being told it could be another six months before she gets an appointment. Her consultant has repeatedly sought help for her but still she waits. This is not acceptable. Early access to lymphoedema care is not a luxury but a vital part of a woman’s physical and emotional recovery after breast cancer treatment.”
“We salute them and every woman in Ireland who keeps pushing boundaries and proudly carrying our flag. I wish to speak about health issues for women. While there have been improvements in women's healthcare in recent years and great care is provided to our female constituents there is still plenty of room for improvement. An area that urgently needs attention is early access to a lymphoedema clinic in Cork University Hospital. When a woman undergoes a mastectomy she is already dealing with trauma, her fear and the loss of a part of her body, but many women then face post-mastectomy lymphoedema, which is a painful, chronic swelling caused by lymph fluid building up in the arms, hands, chest and legs after lymph node removal or radiation.”
“As she is from our neighbouring county of Kerry, we are extremely proud of her. Katie Taylor is a legend of Irish sport. At 39 she has confirmed her final professional fight will take place in Dublin this summer, likely in July or August. Croke Park is still her dream venue and it should be the venue. After 20 years at the top, including Olympic gold, undisputed titles and being an inspiration to millions, she wants to finish where her journey began, which is right here at home. That upcoming fight will not be just a sporting event but a national celebration. Katie McCabe is a great ambassador for Ireland and her club Arsenal. She has been playing at the top level for the past number of years. She, Jessie Buckley and Katie Taylor show the very best of Irish womanhood: courage, talent, humility and heart.”
“I echo the sentiments of Deputy Lawless on Dolores Keane. She was a truly great singer and my sympathies go to her family on her passing, which is a great loss to the country. I also pay tribute to three extraordinary Irish women who continue to lift the country's spirits, namely, Jessie Buckley, Katie Taylor and Katie McCabe. Jessie Buckley made history just days ago by becoming the first Irishwoman ever to win the Best Actress Oscar for her powerful performance in "Hamnet". She stood proudly on that world stage, spoke from the heart and did it without ever needing to change who she is, including keeping her Irish accent which she has long defended publicly. Her win was not just an award but a moment of pride for every community in Ireland who has watched her rise.”
“There is absolutely no public transport service but still there are planned billions being announced month after month in other parts of the country. Can the Minister find out why the Clonakilty-Timoleague route is once again being put off and why the Kealkill route that was promised to the people is now not going ahead in spite of a public outcry for these services?”
“The proposed transport projects in Dublin and Cork cities, with the Swords-to-Dublin city route and Ballincollig to Mahon, will cost billions of euro when completed. Of course these projects are to be welcomed, but not if they mean that Local Link services will not now go ahead or will be withdrawn. Last week, I found out that a route already tendered for months and months ago for Dunmanway, Clonakilty and Timoleague via Grange in west Cork cannot now go ahead as the National Transport Authority, NTA, says it has no funding available. Last Friday night, I attended a meeting in Kealkill where the people told me that they did not have even one public transport service passing their door to Bantry or Macroom on either side of them. It is the same for our communities in Drinagh and Caheragh in west Cork.”
“We have a deep energy crisis in this country with the price of fuel skyrocketing. We need a debate. We need the Ministers for energy and Finance before the Dáil. The seriousness of it surely evident in everybody's constituency. It surely is in mine. People are in desperate situations. The Government seems to be kicking the can down the road as if it is an issue that can be sorted down the road. Measures are urgently needed now. We have farmers who use fertilisers which is going to drive food prices and haulage companies mad.”
“They did the same thing last year and there was no surge, so why are they doing it again and disrupting the great service that Pathfinder delivers? Will the Tánaiste ask the Minister to explain how this makes any sense and to please leave Pathfinder doing this vital service uninterrupted for the month of March?”
“Pathfinder in Galway is made of six members who are therapists and advanced paramedics. This group is at the front line of emergency calls for our elderly. When a 999 call comes in for an elderly person who has fallen, Pathfinder is dispatched first to access and treat, if possible, the elderly person in their own home. Councillor Noel Thomas tells me that for over 80% of its callouts, it can treat the person where they are. This eliminates the stressful ordeal for the elderly person of having to be brought by ambulance to a crowded accident and emergency department. The HSE and the Minister are ordering this group to cease its operations for the month of March and to instead work in the accident and emergency department of Galway hospital in case there is a surge in patients.”
“The person who is incapacitated had a say while the family, who are getting older and need the care and attention for that person, did not have any say even though they are the people who are caring for this individual. I can understand where this comes in. I can understand why we should support many aspects of it. However, I would like to know from the Minister of State how soon it is going to be implemented. Is it going to deliver for those who need it to be delivered? Maybe the Minister of State can clarify that as time goes on.”
“It looked to me like the person who was incapacitated and not able to make that decision was being listened to and the family were not being listened to. That is really along the link of this as well. The groups also said that the removal of the previous one-off supports I was talking about a while ago has left disabled people choosing between heating and eating. Anyone who has ever dealt with real hardship knows that this is not an exaggeration; it is the lived reality of thousands of households today. As I said, we could talk a lot about what we will do in caring for people. In fairness, I found the situation I mentioned a while ago astonishing.”
“The groups that are advocating for these people are calling very clearly for a €400 emergency disability payment because many cannot make ends meet under the current pressure. This is not coming from one group or one organisation. It is coming from a coalition that includes the Irish Wheelchair Association, the Disability Federation of Ireland and Access for All Ireland. I was talking about the assisted decision-making Bill. I sat in with a family member recently who was anxious to get some help. The family member for whom this person was looking for help is severely incapacitated. When this person asked the body I was sitting before why the family member had not gotten the help, the body said that the family member did not want it.”
“This Chamber fully appreciates that over the past months, we have seen major protests in Dublin with hundreds of disabled people, carers, families and supporters marching to demand fairness. In one demonstration, held on 28 February, we saw up to 400 people gathering to highlight the devastating blow delivered by budget 2026, which has left disabled people up to €1,400 worse off. I would link that to the situation we are in now. These people need help. They desperately need someone to mind them in many cases. They need someone to make a decision for them, in many cases, but they are suffering themselves. We should not have left them in that situation, and the budget should not have left them in that situation.”
“I welcome the chance to speak on the legislation. We are dealing with a Bill that aims to make sure vulnerable people are not left in limbo because the State itself cannot process cases on time. While I will not go into technicalities that others have covered, the heart of this Bill is simple. It is to ensure that no person who depends on the courts for capacity-related decisions ends up caught in a gap created by missed deadlines or slow administration. If the scheme fails to meet its own schedules, people should not pay the price. That is a principle I will always stand over. When we talk about protecting vulnerable people, we cannot ignore another crisis that is happening right now, which is hitting disabled people and their families far harder than most.”
“I hope there is movement and that the families will find some ease going forward because it is certainly something that I advocated for. I put the family first always. Ahead of my political career on this one, I put the family first. I could easily have done the easy thing of voting for the no-confidence motion, which would provide a great Facebook caption, but that is not what I do. I wanted to put the family first because I wanted their needs first. I would appreciate if the Minister would deliver on that.”
“In fairness, we have to show them the respect they deserve. It looks as if what was promised has not been delivered. If certain people can look into this report and others cannot, there is something wrong somewhere and it is going to cause a lot of upset. There has been a lot of upset at this matter already. It has been a huge crisis in this country. A wrong has been done to a lot of parents with children who needed help and were ignored. Unfortunately, I am worried that this might go on and further concern and upset might be ongoing. We have spoken at length here. A very open and clear inquiry was promised. I would like to see an open and clear outcome so that the parents can have some ease of mind. Some have lost children and others are in a dire situation as we speak.”
“They are asking for openness, for access to documents, for proper legal representation and for an inquiry that is genuinely child centred. This is not an unreasonable demand; it is the minimum that justice demands. We have spoken about this at length. Because of the fallout from one of these cases, we had a vote of no-confidence. At that time, I wanted to have the focus on this report, not on the no-confidence vote. That is what the family asked for. They did not ask for a vote of no-confidence. I was inside in the room. I was listening and talking to them. They did not ask for that. They wanted the full report to be open and transparent. I have not been at the very root of this and in fairness the Minister has. It looks to me that this is not open and transparent. The families are not happy with this.”
“We are being asked to sign up to an inquiry process without full transparency. How can any counsel meaningfully agree on the scope of an inquiry without being given the documents necessary to assess the scope? Both sides must be able to review the relevant reports. If legal representatives can examine them, there can be no credible argument against transparency; otherwise, we risk a situation where halfway through the inquiry fundamental issues emerge that could and should have been addressed from the outset. Most importantly, harm is not historical alone. Families are telling us that harm is still occurring. Improvements may have been promised but confidence will not be restored without accountability. These children are victims. Their families are not asking for the impossible.”
“I acknowledge the representatives of the spina bifida paediatric advocacy group and the Scoliosis Advocacy Network, in particular the mothers who have carried this fight with dignity and determination. After our engagement with these parents, we know these concerns are rooted in the experience of children whose health has been affected by systemic failure. The very least those families deserve now is an open and public inquiry, not one conducted behind closed doors, not one limited in scope and certainly not one where key reports remain unpublished. From our point of view, it is deeply troubling that unpublished reports have been reviewed at ministerial level, that a facilitator has been permitted to have sight of them and yet the very families affected and their legal counsel do not have access.”
“I am lucky I have Ballydehob and Schull with Bridie Roycroft and Wendy Briscoe, and Toby Campbell in Bantry and the O'Mahony family in Kilcrohane. They are keeping the doors open under immense pressures. We need to look at where the problem is. Churches, pubs and Garda stations are in trouble. I saw in the local newspaper the other day that Lisavaird co-op is contemplating closing. I mention Reenascreena, Ardfield and Rosscarbery creameries. Where is it going to stop? The root of all evil, and people do not talk about it half enough here, is the county development plans. We are continuously pushing people out of rural communities and into the cities, refusing planning and refusing to zone ground. We need to make changes. If we do not, all the post offices in this country will close.”
“For the two to three weeks before it closed the door, An Post did not help me. I found out it was not communicating the information it promised me it would communicate. It intended to close this post office. This is what is going on. It gives you this false impression, saying it is a terrible thing and that if it closes, it will make sure it reopens it again. It is mocking me to my bloody eyeballs. I had people in Durrus who wanted to keep that post office open. The first thing that went up on Facebook was that the local politician could not keep the post office open, asking what good is he. That should not come back on us. I broke my butt to keep that open and worked with somebody who was willing to do that but An Post was not there to help us. It has to be held accountable. An independent body has to come on board to do that.”
“That means An Post is trying to close post offices by stealth. This is how you do it; it is clever. There is no problem doing that. Goleen post office, which was close to my heart, was closed. It broke my bloody heart as it was in my backyard. We tried hard. There were advertisements by politicians. Everybody would love to live in Goleen but that is pure nonsense. To live in Goleen, you must work. It is a six-days-a-week job, whether we like it or not. The money is not there to do that, so when the person retires, nobody wants to take it over. Deputy Barry Ward from Dublin said the same thing. We had the same situation in Durrus couple of weeks ago. I worked with An Post tirelessly and had somebody willing to open that post office. It needed a little bit of work.”
“Since I came into Dáil Éireann, I have been lobbying here for post offices. I did not hear it but somebody told me the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, said if we do not use it, we will lose it, and I respect that. I am 50 to 60 miles west of Kinsale but it is part of my constituency. I was in the Kinsale post office recently and they told me they were moving into new premises. I am delighted with that because it was in shook condition. I pay tribute to the postmen, postwomen and postmasters of this country who have worked extremely hard. The bottom line is they are not getting any help from the State. The Government can say it provided further moneys recently but I was talking to a postmaster who told me they are working under immense pressure. They use Windows 2008.”
“They know that as part of the full water replacement works, temporary pipes are to be put in place most likely on a ditch, as happens in other communities - there is no problem there - while the main replacement works continue. The people in Adrigole are pleading for the temporary water pipe to be put in place immediately. They should not need to wait until the job commences in three or four months' time. Uisce Éireann should put the temporary pipe in place immediately and then let it get the other approvals it needs in a couple of months. The temporary pipe needs to be put in now so that people have a water supply and then do the main works in a few months.”
“I have raised Adrigole's public water crisis over 15 times in the last few months. There have been 22 mains water bursts since last July, with three alone last week, leaving local people and businesses without water, including the local crèche. Some were without water for ten days and the crèche had to close. Uisce Éireann is involved in a juggling game with the people of Adrigole, telling me a few weeks ago that works would commence in mid-April but telling other representatives last weekend it will be the end of May. However, an email from Uisce Éireann to me yesterday stated that Adrigole is on schedule for construction to commence in mid-April. The game is constantly juggling around. The local community in Adrigole want the Government's help.”
“Here is the point. Without online platforms and without the ability to share honest information among ourselves and to pass on updates, warnings and bits of advice, these people would be completely on their own. The only lifeline they have right now is the information we can give them online and the information they can send back to us. Yes, online spaces can be dangerous and toxic - we know that too well - but they can also be a lifeline. They can be the one thing keeping an Irish citizen thousands of miles away connected to home, connected to help and connected to hope, and that is why we have to get this right. We have to protect people from the harm that happens online while also making sure we can still use the platforms to help those who need it most. I got there.”
“Yes. I know that too. That is tomorrow evening. We have done that through our Business Committee, but this is very relevant to online platforms as well. I set up groups and I talk to them day and night, trying to keep some of them informed and reassured. Thank God they are finally getting on flights tonight and making their way home, but others are still trapped. I have people stuck in the Philippines being absolutely taken advantage of. The airline is trying to charge €10,000 per person just to get them as far as London. Families cannot afford €10,000. Nobody can. Then I have others in Sri Lanka who have no clear way of getting home at all. They are frightened, isolated and unsure where to turn.”
“We have people stuck all over the Middle East, terrified of what is going on around them, and all we as public representatives can do is point them towards the Irish embassies in their area and urge them to register. It is the only official channel available to them and to us. That is the reality. I am in constant contact with groups of people through WhatsApp. I set up groups-----”
“Everyone who benefits from putting content online, including newspapers, has to accept some responsibility for keeping that space safe because when they turn a blind eye, the damage does not disappear. It lands on real people in real communities trying to do their best. While we are talking about the online world, I want to turn to something weighing heavily on many families across the country: the situation in the Middle East. The truth is that without social media platforms and online communication, we would not have a hope of keeping up with the updates we need for our constituents. People are scared, they are stranded and they are trying to get home safely.”
“It is never just once; the same characters pop up again and again leaving nasty comments under every newspaper post, pouring poison into public discussion and trying to tear people down for sport. We all recognise them. The newspapers recognise them too. They know well when an account is not legitimate or when someone is clearly nuts. Yet nothing is done. That is not good enough any more. These platforms, including the newspapers that host the comment sections, carry a responsibility. When they stand back and do nothing and when they let the same trolls run wild day after day, they play a part in the harm and they allow abuse to continue, knowing full well what is happening right under their noses. All we are saying is simple.”
“The Bill says that if a platform knows someone is under 18, or even if it is not sure of their age, it cannot use these personalised recommender systems on them. It puts the responsibility back on big tech companies, where it belongs. In every community, be it urban or rural, be it west Cork or Dublin city centre, parents want to know that their children are not being steered by hidden online forces. This Bill is one step towards making the online world a bit safer, a bit fairer and a bit more honest. We all know, as public representatives and as ordinary people, just how dangerous online activity can be. Every one of us has seen it. Many of us have been on the receiving end of it. The minute you stand up and say anything, suddenly the online trolls come crawling out of the woodwork.”