Naoise Ó Cearúil
Kildare North · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“It was an excellent evening in the French Embassy last night, particularly with Michel Barnier, the Taoiseach and the ambassador. Notwithstanding that, further to the Taoiseach's meeting with Prime Minister Sánchez, it is exciting that there will be an Ireland-Spain joint action plan. When does the Taoiseach plan on finalising this?”
“Europe's task is not simply to embrace AI blindly; it is to shape AI in a way that serves its citizens in their best interests. That means investing in skills, digital literacy, worker protection and innovation. It means ensuring that creative workers, journalists, young people and ordinary citizens are not left behind.”
“A trusted European AI capability could support SMEs, public administration, translation across European languages, healthcare, education, research and democratic resilience. It does not need to be the biggest model in the world to be useful.”
“I will focus on the competitiveness element of the European Council and Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union because this may become one of the most important parts of our Presidency. Europe is at a crossroads.”
“Europe needs to think more seriously and strategically about sovereign AI capability. That does not mean trying to build an EU version of every major American or Chinese model. That is simply not realistic or within our means. However, Europe should not be wholly dependent on models built, controlled and governed elsewhere.”
“Ireland has always understood that the European Union is more than a market; it is a community of values. However, if those values are to endure, Europe must be strong, innovative and competitive.”
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“There is no public swimming pool for families in Maynooth, Leixlip, Celbridge, Clane and throughout the north west of the county, even though there has been commitment after commitment. There are issues with energy and water, and outages of both, time and time again, as I have said. If we are expecting communities to take on more housing, which Kildare has done for the past 20 years, we should be building the social infrastructure to match it. Children should be guaranteed a crèche to go to, a school to go to, a doctor to care for them when they are sick and gardaí to look out for the community when there are issues, but these things are not happening. Older people should have a general practitioner they can rely on, but we are not seeing it.”
“On childcare infrastructure, it is impossible for young parents to find a crèche. There is no primary care centre in Maynooth or in Leixlip even though both towns are bulging. There is no community centre in my home town of Maynooth. If a rural town had no community centre there would be uproar but we in the north east of Kildare in particular have to put up with it time and time again. On playgrounds and recreational spaces, we have been promised a new playground in Maynooth. We have received a new playground in Kilcock, which is welcome, but it has been left in a terrible state since it was finished. Clane’s playground is outdated. An upgrade was pledged for the one in Celbridge by Kildare County Council but still has not been delivered. There is no public swimming pool in the north east of Kildare.”
“On the situation with regard to schools, I will refer to the three-school campus in Celbridge. St. Patrick’s Primary School has been in prefabs since its inception and these structures are falling apart. St. Raphael’s Special School still has not got its new school building. Celbridge Community School is still in temporary accommodation as well. On water infrastructure and outages, I think of Leixlip, Celbridge and Maynooth and especially the issues at Primrose Hill and Hazelhatch in Celbridge earlier this year. There is no full-time Garda station in Maynooth, Celbridge, Kilcock or Clane. Maynooth has a population of over 17,500 people and an additional 17,000 students but no full-time Garda station. You would not get it in other parts of the country but for some reason Kildare needs to put up with it time and time again.”
“This time last year we were in the middle of the campaign to be elected to this House. The primary issue in Kildare was the lack of critical infrastructure, including social infrastructure, especially in the north of the county. During the housing crisis throughout the country, Kildare has taken a lot of the housing, particularly as a result of the pressures on Dublin. I welcome a lot of that housing. I am living in a house that was built in recent years. I welcome more housing in my constituency. We saw a 12.8% increase in the population of Kildare North between 2016 and 2022. I have no doubt the population has become a lot higher since then given the amount of housing that has been built. Despite this, we are struggling when it comes to core infrastructure.”
“However, to realise the ambition, we need urgency and we need accountability from the various bodies in how projects can move from plans into generating power.”
“I thank the Minister. We need to look at introducing statutory timelines for consenting decisions and publish a delivery roadmap linking planning, grid and construction milestones. Without the joined up approach, we risk not only missing our 2030 targets but also the legally binding carbon budgets too, which is important to mention. It is not just about missing or meeting our climate targets. Offshore wind is Ireland's single biggest opportunity to secure our own clean energy, cut bills for families, as the Minister mentioned earlier, and build a new industry with long-term jobs along our coast. We have seen the success of onshore and of solar throughout the country and the expertise we have garnered in those two key areas.”
“The maritime area planning regime, while welcome, has no statutory decision timelines. Anything around here needs timelines. An Coimisiún Pleanála lacks the resources and the expertise to process these applications quickly.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. We all share the same ambition but I fear there is now a growing gap sometimes between the aspiration and delivery. It is not just in relation to energy. We have been discussing this ad nauseam in terms of different areas of society. Seven phase 1 projects have maritime area consents, as the Minister mentioned, totalling around 4.2 GW, yet none are near construction. The delays in both grid readiness and planning are stalling process. I appreciate the Minister's involvement in trying to get things moving, particularly from a planning perspective and I appreciate how difficult it is. However, EirGrid's offshore grid connection policy is not due until 2026. It will be early next year, so not too far away. Developers still do not have clarity on connection costs or timelines.”
“The climate action plan sets out ambitious offshore targets of 5 GW by 2030 and up to 20 GW by 2040. However, none of the offshore projects are yet operational as the Minister has mentioned and the first grid connections are not expected until 2028. Will the Minister outline how the Government intends to accelerate delivery, specifically the current offshore pipeline aligned with the climate action plan 2025 targets? What progress has been made on grid integration and planning reform to ensure those targets are actually met?”
“The system must work not only for those already living here but also for those seeking protection. We have an international duty to care for those who come here in good faith. We must ensure that they are protected, that educational and social supports are in place and that we build an integrated community, not a segregated one. We have seen good, important examples of where international protection applicants and refugees have been integrated into communities through GAA and soccer clubs and schools. That is key to ensuring that there is no secrecy and that people – both those coming to this country and those here already – feel they are involved in society. It is important that the process be open, fair and clear.”
“People are waiting too long and communities are being left without clarity. Across Europe, governments are responding to the same pressures. Ireland is doing so too, but we can go further, learning from our partners while staying true to our values. Denmark and the UK now offer support for voluntary return because it is more humane and costs less. Belgium and Germany link accommodation contributions to income, ensuring fairness for taxpayers. Ireland is now taking similar steps, and I believe this is the right approach. Ireland cannot do everything for everyone but we can do what is right and we can do it well. We can uphold our international obligations, protect our communities and maintain public trust. The Irish people want order, compassion and competence. They want a system that works, and that is what we must deliver.”
“A properly designed border screening process would mean that clear initial decisions could be made within days, not months. Those with strong claims could move swiftly into protection and integration, while those without grounds would receive a fair early decision and be supported to return home. This would reduce the backlog, cut costs and give the public confidence that the system is being managed properly. An immigration system without clear rules is not fair to those seeking refuge, to those already living here and to the communities coping with stretched housing and services. We have heard arguments in this regard time and again throughout the country. Since the start of the year, over 80% of first-instance asylum applications have been refused. That shows that the system is being overwhelmed by unsuitable cases.”
“What is quite frustrating for many communities is that, even where applications for IPAS centres by private providers are refused, some of the providers, such as Shalom in Kilcock, continue to carry out works without the necessary planning permission, causing division in communities such as that in Kilcock and, as referred to by Deputy Neville, that near Ryevale House in Leixlip. One area where we could go further is at the very start of the process at our borders. Across the EU, new border procedures are being introduced so applications can be screened quickly for identity, security and eligibility before people enter the asylum system. France and Germany have already begun this and it is proving effective. Ireland should follow that model.”
“It is imperative that all of us condemn all violence and intimidation of international protection applicants at IPAS centres, which many applicants call home. Across Europe, every country is facing the same challenge, namely how to manage immigration fairly and firmly. Ireland is no different from its European counterparts. They have tightened their systems, sped up decisions and focused support on those who genuinely need protection. Ireland is now mirroring many of those same measures. We have started to cut processing times from years to months and increased voluntary returns to help people to go home safely and with dignity. We are moving towards State-owned accommodation, which offers better oversight and value for money than the private providers.”
“Like most of us, I welcome the peace deal between Palestine and Israel. I remain hopeful that we will see positive outcomes from the negotiations. I commend the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, our MEPs and, indeed, our diplomatic corps who have worked tirelessly to share our mission and how we believe what was occurring in Palestine was genocide. I am shocked that I am the first person today to raise this. No leaders of the Opposition raised this during Leaders' Questions. Indeed, today, during Taoiseach's questions, I am the first one to raise it. I ask what the Taoiseach's comment on it is and, indeed, in relation to the aid provided in support to UNRWA, if he has any information on when that will get through to the Palestinian people.”
“I spent my summer months drafting my first Bill to establish a national AI office. I was delighted to see on 8 September the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, announcing that this office will be established. Indeed, in the budget last week funding was allocated for this very office. Can the Cabinet committee consider naming this office an oifig náisiúnta um intleacht shaorga, or ONIS for short? It is a good name, one we can all remember. It also fits with in with Acht na dTeangacha Oifigiúla as well. It is a name people will remember. Making sure it is in Irish will give it that little bit of strength as well.”
“Rural communities in Kildare North are experiencing increasingly frequent power outages. These are often outside of severe weather events. I am cognisant of the colder weather and darker days that are coming upon us. Areas such as Newtown Dunfierth, Donadea and Johnstownbridge are being consistently impacted, which is impacting households, families, farms, small businesses, etc. Will the Taoiseach liaise with the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications to outline what specific grid resilience upgrades are planned for rural areas, specifically in Kildare. I know a lot of planned investment is in train for the grid. However, rural areas are particularly impacted. How can we ensure there is resilience specifically in those rural areas?”
“The budget will protect the most vulnerable, support working families and build the foundations of long-term economic strength through infrastructure, skills and innovation.”
“I was about to introduce a Bill but, thankfully, the Minister for enterprise has moved ahead with establishing such an office. This office has the potential to ensure that Ireland becomes a leader in responsible and innovative use of artificial intelligence, supporting enterprise, jobs and competitiveness. However, if it is to truly succeed, further investment will be needed in the years ahead to match our ambitions. I would love to see a commissioner appointed to the office and for the office to be independent of the Department in order that it might work with all aspects of Government and society. If we are serious about creating a resilient and dynamic economy, strategic investment must go hand in hand with targeted supports, as we saw this week. That is what the Government is attempting to do with this budget.”
“The national development plan must continue to guide these investments, making sure what we build today will stand the test of time, not just for housing, but also for energy and water infrastructure. Cuirim fáilte chomh maith roimh an infheistíocht sa Ghaeilge agus sa Ghaeltacht. Tá mé fíorbhuíoch go bhfuil maoiniú breise de €41.4 milliún curtha ar fáil don Ghaeilge agus do phobal na Gaeltachta sa bhuiséad seo. Tá sé seo riachtanach chun ár dteanga dhúchais a chaomhnú agus a threisiú. Cuirim fáilte roimh an maoiniú sa bhreis do Roinn na Gaeltachta agus do TG4. Is céim mhaith í seo chun níos mó infheistíochta a fheiscint i leith na Gaeilge. This budget is also about preparing for the future. I strongly welcome the funding allocation for the national AI office. This is something I have been pushing over the past six months.”
“Continued investment in the school transport scheme and DEIS supports shows a clear recognition of the need to back young people and their futures. Childcare and disability services have been prioritised too. Expanded access to childcare places, improved funding for Tusla and investment in disability supports will make a real difference to families on the ground. In disability services, the focus on additional residential care places, home support hours and respite services is welcome. These are practical and necessary measures that can transform people's daily lives. Housing remains one of the biggest challenges facing the country. The investment by means of current and capital expenditure is essential. The delivery of more than 10,000 new social homes and funding for enabling infrastructure are steps in the right direction.”
“This year's budget is about targeted investment to support those who need it most, while also ensuring that we plan wisely for the future. It is about looking after people today while securing the economic foundation for the generations ahead. I welcome the strong focus on social protection, particularly the increase in weekly core welfare rates, which will benefit 1.5 million people. The expansion of the child support payment and changes to the working family payment threshold are targeted and sensible. These measures will support low- and middle-income families who are feeling the pinch more than ever. The increase in the fuel allowance will also bring real relief to many households. Education has rightly received a major allocation, with increased funding for special education, new SNAs and additional special education teachers.”
“An appeal was subsequently sent in but those involved did not hear anything back about it. There is a new project to try to get it delivered now. I ask that this project be looked on favourably, because there is no public swimming pool in that part of the country, which comprises Maynooth, Leixlip, Celbridge, Kilcock and Clane. A pool is desperately needed. We have a solution here ready to go, namely the redevelopment of Maynooth University swimming pool. I look forward to engaging with the Minister of State on that.”
“I will work with the club to ensure that it benefits from a grant in the next stream because it looks after so many people, children and adults, in the community. We have also seen some amazing large-scale sporting infrastructure projects in Kildare. Some €3 million was allocated in respect of Sallins Park in Naas for the development of new pitches. A sum of €1.4 million was allocated for a high-performance golf centre in Kildare. A sum of €1 million was awarded to Kildare for a cross-community development project for the GAA. One project that is missing is the swimming pool for the north east of the county, specifically for Maynooth. There was an application involving Maynooth University and Kildare County Council that basically disappeared into the ether. In fact, approval for the project was refused.”
“Is léir go bhfuil a lán feicthe againn cheana féin agus go bhfuil rudaí maithe ag tarlú timpeall na tíre, go háirithe i gCill Dara. We have seen a lot of positive progress around the country, particularly in Kildare. Some examples of successful sports capital programme projects in Kildare are: Clough GAA, which secured a €150,000 grant to install LED floodlights and improve security; Celbridge GAA club, which secured just over €95,000 for its sustainability and inclusivity plan in 2024; and Clane Rugby Football Club, which secured just shy of €26,000 for club pitch development and sports equipment. These are amazing examples of what has been done in Kildare. However, there are also examples where such grants were not made available. Celbridge Town AFC is one.”
“It needs to be delivered as priority legislation. Regardless of this peace deal, war crimes have been committed and those involved in Israel need to be brought before the international criminal courts for those very war crimes and they cannot get out of those just purely by agreeing some sort of peace deal.”
“That is a serious problem and needs to be rectified as soon as possible. It will take generations to rebuild Gaza and to recover from the trauma the people of Palestine have endured. Other Deputies mentioned the European Union. Ireland has led from the front in a European context as a small European nation but the European Union has not stood up to the challenge of addressing what are very clear war crimes and very clear genocide. The suspension of the EU-Israel trade agreement is not something that should only be discussed now; it should have been discussed two years ago, and, in some cases, prior to that as well. The occupied territories Bill is going through as priority legislation. As many Deputies said, though, it has been discussed for so long and we have not seen it delivered to date.”
“As we sit and stand here today, the genocide continues in Gaza. Some 65,000 people have been murdered, with 20,000 of those being children. I am conscious of not just what is happening in Gaza but also of what is happening in the West Bank and the displacement of people there as well. It is welcome and encouraging that there has been progress on a peace proposal and that significant countries in the region have committed to work with the US to finalise the agreement and ensure its implementation. What it lacks, though, is Palestinian engagement, Palestinian voices and a Palestinian consideration. That should be one of the primary objectives of any peace proposal. We are looking at trying to end what is a genocide in Palestine without the people of Palestine being engaged at this moment on the proposed peace deal.”
“I ask the Minister of State to acknowledge the unacceptable delays in Evan's case, investigate why this family were put through years of suffering and ensure that the Gardiner family receive not only timely surgery but also a full apology for how they have been treated. Evan's surgery must now proceed on 10 October, and nothing less will do to be honest.”
“If he could give them to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, I would appreciate an answer. How can it be justified that a child at risk of permanent disability has been left languishing in the system, in this case for over three years, and in other cases even longer? How is it acceptable that CHI can refuse to provide written explanations to a parent whose child's surgery is being cancelled? What accountability will be put in place to ensure the culture of indifference finally ends? As I said, this is not an isolated case. Families across Ireland are waiting far too long for essential procedures. CHI's failures are well known, and while it is now being folded into the HSE, changing the letterhead will not fix the problem. We need structural reform and a complete change in culture that places the child at the centre, not bureaucracy.”
“Go raibh maith agat, a Aire Stáit. This surgery was scheduled previously, and it was cancelled. Surgery is a traumatic and worrying period for any person no matter what age. For any of us with children, it is even more worrying and scary. Then for the child, it is extremely traumatic, and how a parent deals with that is extremely difficult. For surgery to be scheduled, cancelled, rescheduled and cancelled is far more difficult on a family than the actual surgery itself in a lot of instances because of the fear that the hope of getting something done will be taken away. There is also, naturally, concern about the impacts and dangers that come with surgery. I know the Minister of State is not the direct line Minister for Health, but I will ask three particular direct questions of him today.”
“I welcome the decision that CHI is now going to be subsumed into the HSE because as far as I am concerned, it is not fit for purpose.”
“It is not feasible for the number of families throughout the country, like Evan's, that TDs, as in this instance, are raising individual cases to try to get some action. This case also shines a harsh light on how CHI is treating families. It also shows how CHI treats elected representatives. As I said, if a TD with every avenue open to him or her cannot get timely, honest information, how on earth are families supposed to get the answers they need? I have a number of questions I will put to the Minister of State in the final two minutes. This is a situation we are seeing. Harvey Sherratt was one example, and now we are seeing an inquiry into what happened there. This is not just in relation to hip dysplasia and scoliosis. This is going across the board into multiple areas of children's health.”
“On 26 September, as I said, Evan's long-awaited appointment on 9 October was cancelled by phone with no explanation given. On 29 September, as I mentioned, CHI confirmed that Evan's surgery had been rescheduled for 10 October but yesterday afternoon, Vincent, his father, received a phone call from Crumlin hospital saying that Evan is now to be admitted on 9 October with surgery on 10 October. Does the Minister of State think it is any coincidence that once the Topical Issue matter was submitted for this morning, suddenly, CHI at Crumlin got into action? This is something we are seeing time and time again, not just myself but other Deputies. We raise numerous parliamentary questions. We contact the relevant phone lines and email addresses, yet it takes standing here in the Dáil for anything to happen.”
“If this is the effort that a TD has to make to try to get some sort of answer, what hope do parents have in situations like this? It is completely farcical. I will give the Minister of State another example. Last Friday, the family received a letter telling them that the surgery on 10 October was cancelled. I submitted today's Topical Issue last Friday, and on Monday, they sent a letter saying that the surgery on 10 October is back on. I will mention some of the other communications between CHI, the HSE and me and my office. On 23 June, I submitted a parliamentary question. The response took nearly four weeks and when it arrived on 7 August, it was incomplete. It failed to acknowledge two full years of Evan’s medical history, a critical period of assessments, consultations and missed opportunities. That omission was disgraceful.”
“They attended every appointment, followed every piece of medical advice and remained fully engaged with CHI, yet instead of action, they were told Evan had been lost in the system; a child with a severe and deteriorating condition lost in the system. That is completely indefensible. To make matters worse, Evan's father, Vincent, is himself undergoing cancer treatment. The family is under immense pressure, and they deserve clarity, compassion and timely care, not entities and cancellations and, to be honest, excuses. My office became directly involved in May of this year. Since then, we have contacted CHI and the HSE over 40 times by email and over 20 times by phone. Every one of those contacts is documented and with me today.”
“I appreciate the opportunity to raise this issue, but I do so with anger and frustration on behalf of Evan Gardiner and his family, who are constituents of mine in Kildare North who have been utterly failed by Children's Health Ireland and by the system. In September 2022, Evan was assessed by Mr. Pat O'Toole who recommended urgent surgeries on his knees, his ankles and, potentially, his hip. The advice was unambiguous: without intervention Evan faced the risk of lifelong mobility issues, including possible wheelchair dependency. That was over three years ago, and no surgery has taken place. Since then, Evan's family have done everything that has been asked of them.”
“In 2004 the Taoiseach introduced the smoking ban, which has saved thousands of lives. This week the EPA reported that approximately 1,700 premature deaths occur in Ireland every year due to poor air quality. A lot of this is due to the continuous burning of solid fossil fuels and traffic emissions. Will the Cabinet committee on climate action, environment and energy consider this report and look at actions to try to resolve it?”
“I implore the Minister of State to focus on the packaging and flavours, and to ensure the likes of snus and vaping products are not being handed out at festivals or in public. That is absolutely shocking and should not be something we stand for. I thank the Minister of State for the work she is doing and continues to do.”
“There are older people like myself who started vaping at an older age to try to stop smoking. Unfortunately, that is now what other people and I are relying on as well to deal with the nicotine addiction that is there. There are multiple issues around vaping, but it needs to be tackled. It needs to be tackled quickly because we will see health implications further down the line, as we have seen with cigarettes. There have been studies into vaping. We have seen a lot of studies that show there are significant health impacts from vaping, but we are going to see even more of that over the next five, ten or 20 years as we have seen with smoking. We need to get ahead of it.”
“These need to be regulated as they are causing serious issues. Friends of mine were at Electric Picnic recently and these were being handed out for free, which completely shocked me. Handing out nicotine products for free to festivalgoers was clearly an attempt to get more people addicted to those products. Imagine if there were tobacco companies handing out boxes of free cigarettes. There would be absolute uproar. We should have the same response in relation to handing out the likes of snus, vapes or whatever it may be. That needs to be something that is not permitted in any way, shape or form because it is trying to encourage more young people and people of all ages. Let us be honest; it is not just young people, and it is unfair to put it down to just young people.”
“There are multiple issues causing that. One is the marketing of this to young people; another is the packaging. Legislation needs to be introduced for plain packaging and to eliminate flavours. We eliminated menthol cigarettes and the tobacco industry came in with clickies to bring it in the back door. They were removed through legislation as well and we need to do the same with plain packaging for vapes and vape products. Flavours need to be removed so only tobacco is available. It is not just vapes. The tobacco industry is expanding its reach as it sees traditional cigarettes are not in vogue. There are also snus products, little tobacco pouches that go under the lip at the gum and provide high dosages of nicotine. We are seeing significant impacts on the oral and general health of young and older people.”
“If you have a vape you can refill, the e-liquid for it works out far cheaper in the long run and even in the short term, given we see young people using two or three disposable vapes per day and we see the impact that has. Other speakers have spoken of the packaging and flavours involved with vapes. That is a key problem. Watermelon ice, pineapple crush or whatever it may be is clearly an attempt to market to younger people and to target children. We are seeing younger and younger people starting to vape. When I was in secondary school, there were some people who smoked at a younger age but now far more teenagers vape than ever smoked. At school, there were always people at the back of the shed or wherever it may be who smoked, but now teenagers are walking home from school and droves of them have plumes following them.”
“When I was in college in Maynooth, a while ago now, I started smoking. I was 19 and playing hurling for Kildare and the university but fell into a bad habit and it took me a long time to quit smoking - about 12 years. I was on and off but managed to quit cold turkey and then eventually found a vape on a night out and become dependent on vapes in social settings and then in normal day-to-day settings. To this day, I am on and off a vape - not a disposable vape but a vape you fill up. Much has been said about disposable vapes. I agree with the criticism of them and think they should be banned. The vape liquid is even cheaper.”
“I ask the Minister of State that there be sustained involvement with the hospitality sector to ensure that it is insulated to ensure that this additional cost will not come at a greater cost to those in the sector in terms of the viability of their businesses. This is a positive a step. I welcome it. As I said, it is about time it happened. However, two key aspects need to be considered in the context of auto-enrolment. The first relates to the public being made aware of where their money is being invested and the second is that the hospitality sector and businesses in general are listened to and considered, particularly in the context of the additional costs.”
“They need to rest assured that it is not invested in unethical companies or in companies that do not align with their moral thinking. That is a key aspect of the investment strategy which needs to be considered if it has not been considered to date. I ask that the relevant information be given to everybody who is being auto-enrolled. There is a natural fear among businesses in relation to auto-enrolment and the costs that come with it. However, there is an additional difficulty for the hospitality industry. We saw another restaurant announce closure in Dublin yesterday, namely Big Mike's in Blackrock. The challenges being faced by cafés and restaurants throughout the country are making it far more difficult to sustain the hospitality sector. The auto-enrolment scheme represents an additional cost for them.”
“Having that security net of a pension in the future ensures that when people reach older age, they will be able to live in some comfort and not be worrying about when the next pay cheque is coming or from where the next few euro are coming. When we look at the investment strategies, we can see that there are to be four strategies and one default strategy. What is critical is that those who have signed up to auto-enrolment and employers are made aware of where their money is being invested. Many people will know that private pensions are spread throughout numerous equities and companies. When we speak about boycotting certain companies and the ethics of other companies as well, it is critical that the people who are enrolled in these pension schemes are aware of where their money is invested.”
“I welcome the auto-enrolment scheme. My Future Fund is a key aspect of the programme for Government. I commend the Minister on the work he has done to date on bringing it forward. If we look to our counterparts across Europe, the UK, for example, introduced auto-enrolment in 2012, Italy did so 2007 and Estonia in 2002. It is about time that we moved towards auto-enrolment. The thing about it is that is will ensure people's security in old age. For far too long, we have seen pensioners, particularly those on the State pension, struggling to heat their houses and pay for their groceries. Auto-enrolment expands pensions to the wider population. Only 35% of private sector workers have pensions. That is extremely worrying when we have a growing population and an ageing population.”
“Permanent anaphylaxis is not currently listed as a qualifying condition under the long-term illness scheme, even though it is a long-term condition and requires lifelong management and access to emergency medication. The long-term illness scheme has not been updated since the 1970s. I ask the Minister of State if permanent anaphylaxis would be considered but also if the Government plans on reviewing the scheme, considering it has not been reviewed in such a long period.”
“I was going to reference next the work the Minister did as Minister for Education in ensuring that more schools opened their facilities after hours for childcare, particularly for after-school care. The Minister will be aware, however, that there have been difficulties with some school boards in getting those schools open. There needs to be a co-ordinated effort between the Minister's Department and her former Department of education to ensure that schools are directed to open those facilities for after-school care and for childcare in general. It would be great to see a national strategy for after-school and wraparound care. At the heart of this is allowing parents to get back to work knowing their child is being cared for safely, and to ensure that women are not being discriminated against in going back into the workplace.”