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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“It turns out that the college will not get this increase. Since 2020, the number of students in the school has increased by 400 but there has not been an increase in the SNA allocation. This is tied to the report on the EPSEN Act in the sense that it is trying to do what is best for each school and, more importantly, for each child going through the education system, particularly the special needs education system. Another is Scoil Mochua in Celbridge, which was issued with a section 37A notice to open another class and which the school is happy to do. However, it transpired that the school does not have the space. It is looking to acquire a space. Again, in this case, the school has been pushed from agency to agency and from the council to Tailte Éireann to find a resolution for getting the space needed.”
“Only two weeks ago, Nua Healthcare Services was sent out to do a review on behalf of the HSE on this young boy who is 16 years old. The family were told it would be able to support them. On Friday, it came back and said that it did not have the staff to support the family. This is completely shocking, because it is giving families hope under false pretences. It is completely unfair on this family and their son. Most of all their son needs routine and to be looked after and cared for. The family needs a little bit of respite. They only get minimal respite. At times the child is very difficult to care for, both for himself and for his family. I would appreciate the Minister of State's help in trying to find a solution for this family. Another issue is related to Maynooth Community College. The SENO recommended a 0.5 increase for an SNA.”
“Some welcome steps are proposed from improved interagency co-operation to strengthening the role of the NCSE and the recognition that children with additional needs should be supported in the setting that best suits them, be that mainstream, special class or a special school. While the ambition of the report is clear, we must reflect on the reality for families. Many of them feel forgotten or unsupported at key moments in their child's development. I want to bring a few cases to the attention of the Minister of State. I have contacted the Department and the HSE about these. One concerns a 16-year-old boy who attends a special school in Kildare North. His family feels completely unsupported. They have been sent from pillar to post, pushed from one area to another, in order to try to get some provision for their son.”
“I want to acknowledge the extensive work being done by the Minister of State with responsibility for special education. I have seen first hand his commitment to his brief. He has visited Kildare with me. He has visited the Presentation Girls' School in Maynooth, Maynooth Community College, An Garraí Beag in Donadea and St. Patrick's Primary School in Celbridge. The schools' staff, the parents and I appreciated the Minister of State visiting a few weeks ago. I also want to acknowledge the extensive work undertaken by the Minister of State in reviewing the EPSEN Act. This is the most comprehensive examination of this Act in nearly two decades. The voice of the child runs deep throughout this review.”
“Other countries such as Finland and Germany have introduced similar schemes as part of long-term cultural and economic planning. Has the Department engaged with these international examples or does it plan to do so? Something I am very conscious of, and I know the Minister is also, is ensuring there is no cliff edge for participants when the pilot ends. Many of these artists will have structured their lives and livelihoods around the scheme. We have to allow them a level of certainty and make sure they understand whether there will be a continuation or an end to it at any stage so they are prepared for it. What we need is a permanent inclusive scheme with certainty, as I have said. I appreciate the level of research the Minister needs to do before continuing it. I also appreciate that the pilot scheme will continue until February 2026.”
“A successor scheme or a continuation must be co-designed with artists, including those with disabilities and from minority backgrounds, to ensure it is inclusive and accessible from the start.”
“I thank the Minister for the reply and for the work he continues to do on the basic income for the arts pilot. The scheme has made a real difference to the lives of close to 2,000 artists. We know that the evidence the Minister has mentioned points to positive outcomes across practice development, sectoral resilience and community engagement. Given the Department is preparing the full report and a cost-benefit analysis, will these findings be published in full? I appreciate the Minister will bring them to Cabinet, which will be able to make a decision thereafter, but it would be great if the findings were published and we could see the evidence. Does the Minister accept it is more than just an income support for artists? It is a statement about the value we place on culture and creativity in Irish society.”
“The basic income for the arts pilot scheme has already shown a transformative impact. Artists report producing more work, enjoying better well-being and feeling more financially secure. It has been extended for six months to allow for a full evaluation. I ask the Minister outline to his plans for a successor scheme and to confirm that budget 2026 will include ring-fenced funding for its continuation.”
“As I said, this is extremely positive news. It is great to see such a development. Indra Sistemas, which is carrying out the work, has done similar work previously in an international context. Are there any binding milestones built into the contract? The reason I ask is because there are four phases, which is excellent, and we can see clear steps to achieve the overarching aim, but the priority should be to ensure that everything is delivered on time and within budget. Could we get an understanding of the contractual arrangements with Indra Sistemas? It goes without saying that there are more vulnerable users, older people in particular, who would like to continue to use cash. It is important to ensure that option is still available for those people and for those who prefer to use cash. I thank the Minister for his work on this.”
“The Minister has announced extremely positive news here this evening that is extremely welcome. It would be great to see a breakdown of the timelines. What do we need to do in order to get to the first phase in the summer of 2027? Is there a need for procurement of IT systems? Are particular systems for buses, etc., required? It would be great to see the routes included in phase 1 as well. Would it be possible to expedite those later phases? We have to wait until the summer of 2028 for phase 2. Phase 3 relates to Iarnród Éireann and phase 4 relates to commuter buses. Obviously, the vast majority of people who commute to Dublin, particularly from Kildare North, do so by bus or rail. If we could get a breakdown to ensure we meet those timelines and to see if they could be expedited it would be very beneficial.”
“We have seen the extension of contactless fare payments in cities such as London, Edinburgh, Barcelona and Milan, as well as in the Netherlands. I am looking for the expected timeline for the roll-out of contactless fare payments on all public transport.”
“In that regard, it would give families a little more insight into what is happening in various care homes and, indeed, the decision-making process around what care home they are going to send their loved one to if they do have to come to that reality. I am proposing two solutions. One is around an independent adult-safeguarding authority similar to Tusla and the second is a national register of care concerns and complaints. The important thing here is transparency so families and those vulnerable people in care homes know what is happening and have the full knowledge of what is happening. I will liaise with the Minister of State after this to see if either of those suggestions could be progressed.”
“The establishment of an independent adult-safeguarding authority is warranted. This would focus primarily on looking at the safeguarding of older people, in particular vulnerable adults. This type of authority is something that could help in protecting those most vulnerable in society: those older people in nursing homes. What I am trying to do, rather than regurgitate the problems and the anger and frustration we all feel as a collective, is try to come up with some solutions. That is one solution I am proposing. Another solution is a national register of care concerns and complaints. This would be a publicly accessible, anonymous database of serious complaints about different care homes throughout the country. It would be administered by HIQA.”
“It is said a society should be judged on how it treats those who are most vulnerable. In this case, it is older people in our society. What we saw in the "RTÉ Investigates" programme was not care. It did not look like the dignity of older people had been looked after. We owe a debt of gratitude to "RTÉ Investigates" for shining a light on what happened in some settings and on the fear it is happening in others. What we saw was elder abuse. There is a natural fear in society it is happening in other locations. It is important to call out that a lot of the care settings are excellent, with excellent nurses, excellent care staff and excellent management but there are a few bad apples, which is obvious. We have seen how Tusla has operated in the past for the betterment of protecting young children, in particular.”
“The programme for Government commits to reforming the disability allowance and addressing anomalies in the current means test. That commitment is vital and timely. One of my constituents - a wheelchair user with spina bifida and hydrocephalus - saw her weekly payments drop from €211 to just €36 per week when her partner changed jobs for marginally better pay to help support her. Not only that, but she has now been asked to repay €52,000 in back-dated disability allowance, dating back to when she first started receiving the payment at 16 years of age. It is nothing short of shocking and completely unacceptable. A system that penalises care, compassion and effort is a system in urgent need of reform. Will the Tánaiste outline how the current review of means testing addresses cases like this and when meaningful reform can be expected?”
“The Taoiseach will recall that in 2021 the HSE experienced a cyberattack. The estimated cost to the HSE was in the region €102 million. The upgrade costs on its security amounted to an estimated €657 million. With the rise of artificial intelligence, we are now seeing far more sophisticated cyberattacks. I have asked the Deputy Malcolm Byrne, the chair of the Joint Committee on Artificial Intelligence, whether the committee could look at cyberattacks, particularly from an AI perspective. Is the ministerial council on national security assessing how cyberattacks will change with the rise of artificial intelligence? AI is far more sophisticated and has changed dramatically over the past number of years. It will continue to change. It will not be static. The ministerial council meets once every two or three months.”
“The EPA recently identified 115 risks to Ireland from climate change. These range from disruption to Ireland’s energy system, as we saw recently with Storm Éowyn, to damage to Ireland’s built environment from extreme wind and weather events. Will the Taoiseach clarify if the Cabinet committee on climate action will address this report and provide updates on it? Furthermore, we have heard talk of data centres, etc. The private wires Bill needs to be prioritised and be brought before the House as soon as possible.”
“As the Tánaiste mentioned, quite rightly, just because we are a neutral country does not mean we should not be able to defend ourselves. Resilience must be real, structured and forward-looking.”
“The Tánaiste has outlined the issues quite succinctly and well. One thing to bear in mind as well is whether the strategy will incorporate external expertise to ensure that it reflects best international practice. That is not necessarily expertise from the private sector. We would be looking to our partners in Europe specifically, and then obviously to our Canadian and American partners, when it comes to the protection of deep-sea cables. Crucially, it will need to provide a clear national security doctrine that allows the State to protect itself across all domains, not just in traditional defence. The Tánaiste has outlined that it will do so. It will not be single-faceted; it will be a multifaceted approach and it will be quite detailed. The illusion of security is not enough.”
“We have An Garda Síochána, the Defence Forces and an emerging intelligence capacity. These need to be fully integrated under the national security strategy, as the Tánaiste mentioned. We should not be simply reactive, but genuinely anticipatory and robust in our preparations.”
“As the Tánaiste is aware, the nature of national security has fundamentally changed. We are no longer talking solely about traditional military threats but, rather, hybrid threats, cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, energy security, technological vulnerability and foreign interference. The world has moved at pace, from the war in Ukraine and the instability in the Middle East and particularly in Gaza, right through to malign actors targeting critical infrastructure across Europe. Ireland still remains exposed. Our neutrality must not be mistaken for complacency. A small, open economy such as ours is deeply vulnerable to economic, technological and political shocks. However, we have strong foundations and it is important to get that across. We are not lame ducks.”
“As the Tánaiste knows, the programme for Government committed to the development of a revised national security strategy, one that reflects the changing threats and geopolitical realities Ireland now faces. Progress has been made with the establishment of the national security council and secretariat, but five years on from the original commitment the full strategy remains outstanding. Can the Tánaiste outline the role his Department is playing in finalising this crucial work and when we can expect to see the draft strategy published?”
“I welcome Ireland's associate membership of CERN and, like others, I would encourage our moving towards full membership. I acknowledge the work done in this regard by the Minister, by Deputy Malcolm Byrne and by the previous Oireachtas. We really need to focus on the many positives coming out of this. The most important thing to bear in mind is that we get far more out of our associate membership than we put into it. There are opportunities for PhD students, researchers and staff and also in terms of the contracts that will be available to Irish companies in the future. Studying physics in secondary school, I was surprised to learn Ireland was not a member of CERN. It is great to see this step forward. I welcome our associate membership and look forward to seeing us progress to full membership in the future.”
“It is the bane of the lives of principals, parents and students in the town of Maynooth. Could urgent attention be given to that road, first by Irish Water, to ensure that works are completed and, more importantly, from a safety perspective for the students and staff in the school on the road?”
“I am stepping into a void that Uisce Éireann is not filling, particularly when it comes to schools. We need to have a little bit of cop-on here. Something that really irks me as well is when Irish Water comes back to us and to the public at large, referring to the public as "customers". The public are not customers of Irish Water. They are service users of a service that is being provided to them by the State. In the half a minute I have left, while I speak about Maynooth, the Celbridge Road, where the burst water mains occur time and time again, as they still have not been repaired, has been extremely dangerous. There was an incident there last week when a student was hit by car. Thankfully, she has made a full recovery. This road has given rise to multiple incidents relating to water mains, traffic, and road safety issues for children.”
“I want to outline how the communications on burst water mains happens in Kildare. I will pick Maynooth as an example. I was a councillor there for close to 11 years before being elected to this House. I could get a call at 2 o'clock in the morning from a resident in a housing estate or from the local fire service telling me there is a burst water main. I then had to get on to Irish Water and the county council. After that, I got on to the local schools to let the principals know there was a burst water main. The principals then had to make a decision based on the communications from me not, might I add, from Irish Water on whether or not to open the school that day. We had multiple instances of that in Maynooth last year and in recent years. That should not be my role as a councillor nor as a TD.”
“I request that the Minister of State urgently speak with Uisce Éireann directly to ensure there is transparency, clear timelines and accelerated delivery of infrastructure in Kildare North. We need proper investment in water infrastructure now; not in two years, not when the pipes burst, but today. I also wish to raise the issue of when a public representative or member of the public at large contacts Irish Water for an answer. We had to follow up about six or seven times without reply, and the reply we did receive at one stage was the token holding message that it would come back to us in due course. That is not good enough when people's water has gone. At the end of the day, no child should have to go to school on a Monday morning unwashed because the taps were dry at the weekend.”
“In Celbridge, some households were left without water for up to ten days in 2024. In Leixlip, planned mains rehabilitation was announced but never commenced. In March 2025, Uisce Éireann itself admitted that Kildare’s water supply was on a knife edge. More houses are being built in Kildare. Communities are growing, families are moving in, but the essential infrastructure is not keeping pace. The people of Kildare North deserve the same level of basic service as anyone else in this country. Last night, I spoke in this Chamber about the need for sustainable communities as we build more houses, apartments and duplexes, and there is a drastic need to build as much housing as possible. However, we need to ensure that we have sustainable communities when it comes to public services such as water. It is the bare minimum.”
“It is the direct result of an ageing and inadequate water network that is simply no longer fit for purpose in one of the fastest-growing parts of the country. We are asking people to conserve water when, in reality, many of them do not even have enough water to meet their basic household needs. Uisce Éireann announced in April that it would begin vital works between Newcastle and Celbridge under its national leakage reduction programme. It committed to starting site investigations within two weeks, but those works did not commence. Our office had to chase it repeatedly without reply. It was only in mid-May that we learned it had not even secured a road-opening licence to carry out the works. That kind of delay is simply unacceptable, and that service to the public is shocking.”
“I wish to raise a matter of urgent importance affecting communities across Kildare North, that is, the sustained and worsening failure in water infrastructure, particularly in Celbridge, Leixlip and Maynooth. For far too long, families in estates such as Primrose Hill, Temple Manor and The Grove in Celbridge have been forced to endure weekend after weekend of drastically reduced water pressure. Constituents have told me they cannot wash their clothes, boil a kettle, flush their toilets or even shower on Saturdays and Sundays. One resident described it plainly: "We don't have enough water to live with dignity." Let us be clear; this is not an isolated incident or a one-off technical glitch.”
“While it is imperative we build as many homes as possible, be they duplexes, houses or apartments, a critical part of that plan is to ensure there is adequate social infrastructure in place. That is schools, crèches, community centres and sports organisations in towns, villages or communities and there must be adequate ground for them to grow as the community grows. A difficult task lies ahead but progress is being made. We see that by comparing the quarter 1 figures with those from quarter 1 of last year. I ask that a sustained focus be given to sustainable communities.”
“That does not lend itself to building a sustainable community. When we look at building additional infrastructure in houses, apartments, towns, villages or wherever it may be, it is imperative we look at the social cohesion and the sustainable element of those communities. We cannot just build shells. Shells are not homes. Homes are defined by the families and individuals within them but the collective living in those homes is what builds the community. Community is at the heart of what this country stands for. We have amazing communities the length and breadth of the country. However, if we do not go down the route of building sustainable communities, we leave ourselves open to societal problems further down the line. I appeal to the Minister of State and Government.”
“It is primarily around the building up of sustainable communities. I look at Kildare North specifically. The waiting lists for childcare in Kildare are astronomical. People are number 400 or number 500 on childcare waiting lists and women cannot plan on going back to work after maternity leave because they cannot secure childcare. It is not sustainable. It is the same with schools. Parents who come to me are worried about getting their child into school for the following year, be it primary or secondary school. The basics for any community are the likes of playgrounds. There is, for example, no swimming pool in the entirety of north Kildare. All the swimming pools are in the south of the county. My home town, Maynooth, has a population of 17,500, not to mention 17,500 students, and there is no community centre.”
“I acknowledge the progress made this year to date. The CSO has announced 5,938 home completions happened in quarter 1 of 2025, which is the second highest first quarter since the series began in 2011, and that apartment completions in quarter 1 of 2025 were up 13.4% on quarter 1 of 2024. Many more apartments need to be built and I hope the announcements being made will increase the number being built. Regarding the NPF, there is a need to be ambitious about not just town and village centres but the outskirts where there is green space available on which to build additional housing and apartments. What is critical, along with the building of homes, is that we build the social infrastructure to go with them. That means schools, childcare and playgrounds, as well as the water and energy we often speak of in here.”
“It is encouraging to hear about engagement with the private sector on the taskforce. With €165 billion committed under the national development plan, delivery must keep pace with ambition. How will the taskforce work with industry to close workforce gaps and improve productivity, to which Deputy Byrne also alluded? Would the Minister consider establishing dedicated delivery units within agencies to ensure a focused, agile approach? Finally, KPMG has highlighted the need for balanced regional investment. How will the Minister ensure that areas like Kildare North are not left behind while much of the focus remains on Dublin? We need delivery timelines that work for every region.”
“The appointment of 12 experts to the taskforce, including from the ESRI, the NTA and IDA Ireland, is encouraging. Its focus on high-impact reforms and boosting productivity is crucial. With construction productivity around 30% lower than our European peers and an estimated shortfall of 80,000 workers, delivery risks falling short, according to the CFI. Will the Minister outline which specific reforms the taskforce will prioritise? Will it be, for example, digital planning, modular construction, or streamlined approvals? Will the Minister consider private sector input into the taskforce to ensure we harness all available expertise? How will the Minister guarantee swift implementation and oversight of these reforms?”
“The new accelerating infrastructure task force is a welcome move to tackle delivery delays and cost overruns in major public projects such as the national children's hospital, MetroLink and thousands of social and affordable homes that are delayed or over budget. The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council has noted that our infrastructure delivery is 25% below European norms. How will the task force overcome these systemic challenges and deliver projects on time and within budget?”
“Last Wednesday, we had statements on the situation in Gaza and Palestine and since then there has been a continuation of indiscriminate bombing and targeting of civilians. Consideration is being given by the EU to the EU-Israel trade agreement and last week, the Taoiseach mentioned in the House that a memo would be brought to the Cabinet on the occupied territories Bill. Is the Taoiseach in a position to update the House on that?”
“We all welcome the postponement of the 50% tariffs from 1 June to 9 July by the US. What are the Government's plans to accelerate talks and avoid escalation of the transatlantic trade war? I appreciate that it is an EU competency but how does the Government plan to feed into that?”
“I will give some time back to the Minister in order to allow him to finish his point. I acknowledge the President of Maynooth University, Eeva Leinonen, for her work there and as chair of the IUA. I am keen to hear from the Minister in terms of what his timeline is. I appreciate that any scheme like this cannot be just a once-off; it needs to be continuous because of the rate of change and development in all areas of research. I completely understand that it will take time. It is not just a case of being here once and it being done. It will take a number of years.”
“In March 2025, the IUA stated, "increased public investment in research is the best way to protect the Irish economy from external threats such as US tariffs," and what is happening in an international context. I welcome the Minister's commitment to not just funding third level institutions but also modernising those institutions. As a follow-up question, when does the Minister envisage that funding will be available to third level institutions? I appreciate that this will be part of the national development plan. Will it be this year or further down the line?”
“I congratulate the Minister on his elevation to Cabinet. As a constituency colleague, it is great to see him in that brief. He has hit the ground running, and I have no doubt that the rest of his term will be a success. I wish him well. We know from the IUA that half of the equipment in third level institutions is more than ten years old and that a third is more than 15 years old. How does the Minister plan to modernise basic research equipment in universities?”
“It will only come through reconciliation, justice and a recognition of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, dignity and a future free from occupation and fear. The Taoiseach has made extremely strong statements today and in the past, as has the Tánaiste. I welcome the fact we have such strong leadership in this country. It is acknowledged internationally that the position of the Irish Government is one of supporting the people of Palestine. A more collective understanding of the efforts the Government is, and has been, making is needed across this House, particularly in the context of the EU and trade. While I support and wish to see the occupied territories Bill advanced, there are natural concerns from Government. Hopefully, those concerns can now be overcome.”
“It is our duty when those actions constitute war crimes. This House cannot look away. We must continue to push, as this Government has pushed, for an immediate and permanent ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, the lifting of the blockade, unfettered humanitarian access, legal accountability for war crimes under international law, the advancement of the occupied territories Bill, a full review of EU-Israel relations with a human rights focus and a suspension of the trade agreement for the breach of those human rights, and to ensure no flights in or out of this country are harbouring war weapons and that war bonds are not being sold through the Central Bank. Peace, as we have seen in this country, will not come through violence or domination.”
“I welcome that it will be brought before the Cabinet next week. I raise growing concerns about the implementation of the IHRA definition of antisemitism in this context. While we must always challenge and condemn antisemitism in all its forms, we cannot allow a definition, even one that is well intentioned, to be used as a shield for a government's actions or to silence criticism of clear human rights violations. The lead drafter of the IHRA definition, Kenneth Stern, warned that it is being misused to stifle free expression and legitimate debate. It is deeply worrying that adopting this definition in full could impede Ireland's ability to speak out clearly and credibly on Gaza or prevent civil society from advocating for Palestinian rights. Criticising the actions of the Israeli state is not antisemitic.”
“Ireland and Spain first called for this review in early 2024. I commend our Government for persisting on this front. I ask it to look at a full suspension. The reality is that trade and economic co-operation cannot continue as normal with a state committing clear violations of international law. The EU must go further and suspend trade preferences where human rights abuses are evident. We must stop rewarding impunity. That is why the occupied territories Bill, which I have always fully supported, is more important than ever. With the EU now moving to review trade co-operation with Israel, the legal and international context for this Bill has fundamentally shifted. This legislation can no longer be delayed. It is not symbolic; it is a real, lawful expression of our values and obligations under international law. It is necessary.”
“The Israeli Government has ignored calls for ceasefires, violated international law and imposed a blockade that has pushed Gaza to the brink of famine. The UN warns that 14,000 children may die before this weekend if aid does not reach them. That is not just a tragedy, it is a policy choice. The release of all hostages is essential. The atrocities of 7 October were abhorrent and must never be forgotten or excused but they do not justify the systemic and disproportionate assault on an entire civilian population. Collective punishment is illegal and unacceptable. It must end. This crisis has laid bare the urgent need for meaningful international action. I welcome the decision by the European Union to review the EU-Israel association agreement over human rights concerns. This is a long overdue and vital step.”
“I speak not only in condemnation but in deep outrage at what we are witnessing in Gaza. More than 53,000 Palestinians have been killed over the past 19 months, children have been bombed in their homes, hospitals and shelters, starved due to the denial of aid and treated as pawns in a brutal campaign that flies in the face of every principle of international humanitarian law. Entire families have been wiped out in a matter of minutes, refugee camps have been flattened and hospitals have been deliberately targeted. These are not unfortunate by-products of conflict; they are deliberate acts and war crimes. We must call them that, which they are. Bombing and starving children is not just immoral; it is genocide.”
“It needs to be solutions based, for example, on the solutions I brought forward, but other groups and Deputies will bring solutions forward as well. By working in a collegial manner, trying not to politicise this for political gain and working with the Minister to the best of our abilities, we will be able to work not just on the backlog but ensure we are forward planning for children coming through the system in times to come.”
“She has taken to it and has worked diligently and extremely hard. This is an extremely difficult situation to be in. I commend the Minister on her action on this. I appreciate her co-operation with some of the suggestions that I will bring forward. I also acknowledge the investment made in recent years and the sincere efforts of this Minister, the previous Minister and HSE staff, who are under immense strain. However, good intentions are not enough. We now need structural changes that are fast, fair and family centred. What we need to do more than anything is listen to families, parents and, more importantly, the children who are being impacted, some of whom are non-verbal. It is clear that we need to treat this as an emergency.”