Niall Collins
Limerick County · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“We believe that EU membership is about being aware of the advantages of membership and making sure these are understood by the public. We want to encourage the Irish public to participate in that national conversation.”
“On behalf of the Minister for Transport, I thank the Deputies for raising these important issues. On 1 April, the Road Traffic Control of Certain Vehicles Regulations 2026, known as Grace's law in memory of Grace Lynch, were signed into law.”
“The Department of Transport is examining the issue of mandating the use of protective equipment for e-scooters and e-bikes along with other road safety-focused measures. Proposals in this regard are under consideration by the Ministers. The Department is also considering the matter of registration for e-scooters.”
“The strategy, A Career for EU, aims to improve Irish participation and success rates in EU recruitment processes for institutions such as the European Commission, the European Parliament and over 50 EU agencies.”
“They already benefit from significant Exchequer-funded rent supports through the housing assistance payment or rental accommodation scheme and, critically, must comply fully with the housing standards for rental houses regulations.”
“The timetable for implementation of all new and enhanced services is subject to funding, operational readiness and capacity. The public transport sector is currently experiencing a significant workforce shortage, particularly among drivers and mechanics.”
The complete record
Every one of 893 lines we hold for Niall Collins, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 11 of 18.
“The Deputy has made the case very strongly and has articulated it well and I will absolutely follow up with the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, to ensure we can move this project along and ensure the EPA consent is issued post-haste.”
“I again thank the Deputy for raising this issue, specifically in relation to Howth Harbour. He has rightly highlighted the need for the EPA consent, which I will absolutely follow up with my colleague the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley. As Deputy Brabazon has pointed out quite correctly, it impacts on the commercial sector within the harbour of Howth. It also impacts on the leisure sector and people who are involved in leisure boating. Most importantly, it also impacts on the RNLI service there, which is critical to keeping people safe and is often involved in the rescue and recovery of people who get into distress.”
“He has visited four of the State’s fishery harbour centres: Killybegs, Castletownbere, Ros an Mhíl and Howth. He intends to visit Dingle and Dunmore East in the near future. He has also engaged directly with all recognised stakeholder representative groups across the catching, aquaculture and processing sectors. The programme for Government commits to publishing a five-year fisheries sector strategy. To progress this, the Minister of State has engaged Mr. Kieran Mulvey as a facilitator to work with seafood representatives in order to identify and articulate issues, priorities and opportunities for the sector. This engagement is ongoing.”
“This will allow our sector to make sustainable, long-term decisions for their businesses. We will continue to highlight the issue of the disproportionate burden-sharing with both the Commissioner and other member states. We will pursue every opportunity at EU level to increase the available quotas for our fishing fleet. The European Commission’s evaluation of the Common Fisheries Policy regulation is currently ongoing. During the Department's first meeting with the Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, Costas Kadis, the Minister of State emphasised to him the importance of this evaluation in addressing the impacts of Brexit on our fishing sector. Since the Minister of State was appointed, he has engaged regularly with the seafood sector.”
“Separate to the seafood development programme, the Department also funds supports and services provided by Bord Bia to the agrifood sector, including seafood. Funding supports are also provided to the commercial seafood sector by Enterprise Ireland and by Údarás na Gaeltachta. In May, agreement was reached between the EU and UK on extending the existing arrangements for reciprocal access to fish in each other’s waters for a 12-year period up to June 2038. This is significantly longer than the four years sought by the UK and, crucially, did not involve any additional transfer of quota from the EU to the UK. Ireland carried a disproportionate burden of the quota transfers to the UK under the trade and co-operation agreement. However, the extension of the reciprocal access period will provide certainty and stability for the seafood sector.”
“Almost 8,000 people are directly employed across the fishing, aquaculture and processing sectors. This rises to almost 17,000 people when indirect employment is included. Fish landings in Ireland were valued at €461 million in 2024, with €325 million of that figure coming from Irish vessels. The report also shows a value growth of 25% in the aquaculture sector. These figures demonstrate the ability of the sector to adjust to a changing environment when supported with strategic investment, both public and private. Through the seafood development programme, the Government is delivering essential support to strengthen competitiveness, sustainability and employment across the sector. This programme is cofunded by the Government and the European Commission under the European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund, EMFAF, 2021-2027.”
“I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley. The programme for Government commits to securing a thriving and resilient seafood sector. The appointment of a Minister of State with responsibility across fisheries and the marine to co-ordinate and integrate these key policy areas, in addition to the establishment of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs, underpins the dedication of the Government in this regard. Bord lascaigh Mhara, BIM, in its business of seafood report 2024 offers a comprehensive assessment of the economic impact of the seafood sector. The report states that the Irish seafood industry is valued at €1.24 billion, an increase of 4% on 2023.”
“While fare initiatives have delivered clear benefits for passengers, they also carry financial implications, emphasising the need to balance affordability with long-term sustainability of the public transport system. Any decision regarding fare initiatives will be a matter for Government decision during the annual Estimates process. The equity point the Deputy made is valid. I will relay and press it upon the Minister and the Government.”
“This year, the NTA introduced a new distance based zonal fare structure for the greater Dublin area. This move aims to make fares equitable, more consistent and easier to understand with significant reductions for many commuting from outer areas aligning prices more closely with distance travelled. I acknowledge the vital role commercial bus operators play in the overall public transport network by providing essential connectivity that complements that delivered under the public service obligation programme. I assure the Deputy that the Government remains committed to making public transport as accessible and equitable as possible. The Minister for Transport has met, and will continue to meet and listen to, the representatives of the commercial operators.”
“The Government decision to expand this initiative did not include broadening this measure to commercial bus operators. As is the case with all such budgetary measures, any decisions regarding potential future fare reductions are a matter for the Government and are considered within the context of the available fiscal parameters and the medium-term fiscal plan.”
“In recent years, the Government has introduced a range of fare initiatives aimed at improving the affordability of and access to public transport, while also encouraging increased usage across all age groups. These measures include the 90-minute fare, the 20% fare discount on PSO services, and the young adult card, YAC. Notably, the YAC scheme has been broadened to include eligible services operated by commercial bus operators. Specifically, in budget 2025, the Government approved the extension of free travel to children aged five to eight years on State-subvented PSO services, with the application portal formally opening on 3 September 2025. This targeted initiative is designed to encourage children to start using public transport from an early age.”
“However, unlike PSO services - where the NTA sets, monitors, and regulates fares - services operated by commercial bus operators fall outside this remit. Fares on services run by commercial bus operators are determined independently by the operators and are a purely commercial decision. That said, I assure the Deputy that the Government is committed to delivering an accessible, reliable and affordable public transport system for all our citizens, including children. Under the programme for Government, our commitments include the roll-out of contactless payments, keeping fares affordable and examining the further expansion of free public transport for children.”
“I thank Deputy Lawlor for raising this important topic. I am replying on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for policy and overall funding of public transport, but neither he nor his officials are involved in the day-to-day operation of public transport services. Statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public passenger transport services nationally rests with the National Transport Authority, NTA. The latter works with the public transport operators that deliver the services and that have responsibility for day-to-day operational matters. The NTA also has statutory responsibility for the regulation of fares charged to passengers in respect of public transport services provided under public service obligation, PSO, contracts.”
“As local authority councillors prepare county development plans, they have a significant input and say into the zoning contained within a development plan. They have a major role to play. The guidelines are very important but zoning is even more important. That is what I said at the public meetings in my constituency. I agree with Deputy O'Hara. I am advised that the guidelines are at a very advanced stage and that they will go to public consultation. I am hopeful that we will see them very shortly. That is what Deputy O'Hara and his constituents want to see, and it is what my constituents and I want to see.”
“Deputy O’Hara knows that I represent a constituency that is very similar to his. I attended a number of meetings there during the summer. I understand all the concerns and issues he has highlighted because I have heard them in my constituency. I am also advocating on behalf of my constituents. They want to see the new wind energy guidelines published as soon as possible. The delay has been completely unacceptable. I referred to that in my opening statement. When the guidelines are published, they will be part of what will be considered when planning applications are lodged, but there are many other factors planning authorities consider when they look at planning applications. As Deputy O'Hara knows from his days on the local authority, permitted developments follow the zoning matrix within a county development plan.”
“In that context, there are currently no plans at present to introduce statutory planning guidelines for these development types.”
“The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage intends to undertake a public consultation on any draft guidelines, for either wind or solar, before they are finalised whereby individuals, communities and organisations will have an opportunity to submit observations on the draft guidelines. Finalised guidelines will be prepared following detailed analysis and consideration of the submissions received during the consultation phase. With regard to biogas or anaerobic digestion, the current planning system provides a sufficiently robust policy and legislative framework to facilitate the proper planning and sustainable development of developments, which may be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the relevant county development plan and Government policy, as applicable.”
“The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has begun an initial scoping process to identify the component factors relevant to the preparation of these guidelines, including the possible timeframe for publication. Until the finalisation of solar panel development guidelines, it will remain the case that, as with the large majority of development types, there are no specific planning guidelines to deal with solar energy development. In line with the EU directive requirements, a strategic environmental assessment is being carried out on the draft wind guidelines and will be carried out on any draft solar guidelines.”
“The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage will ensure that the final guidelines, once published, are fit for purpose to provide guidance in line with renewable energy and climate targets, while having appropriate regard to the impacts of wind energy development. The evolving policy and technical context, including the Planning and Development Act 2024 and the first revision of the national planning framework, reinforces the need to ensure that the finalised guidelines, once issued, are fit for purpose. Also included in the programme for Government is a commitment to introduce planning guidelines for solar energy developments.”
“The review aims to strike an appropriate balance between addressing the concerns of local communities by ensuring there is greater and earlier community engagement by wind energy developers. While the review of the guidelines has been ongoing for years – it has been going on too long - significant progress has been made towards concluding the review process. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, in conjunction with the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, which has primary responsibility for environmental noise matters, has been working to advance guidance on the noise aspect of the guidelines. This work, which is highly technical in nature, is substantially complete.”
“The development of renewable energy is an important issue. Therefore, it is useful to have the opportunity to update Members of the Dáil on the status of planning guidance with regard to wind and solar energy development. From a planning perspective, the programme for Government contains commitments to prioritise the publication of the wind energy development guidelines and to introduce new planning guidelines for solar energy development. With regard to the wind energy development guidelines, the review is addressing a number of key aspects of the guidelines, including setback distance, noise, shadow flicker, community obligation, community dividend and grid connections.”
“That allows senior Garda management scope to push more experienced gardaí into the county, which is my constituency, to police it. I have confirmed that is happening with senior Garda management in Limerick, so to say Limerick city is benefitting and the county is being left behind or somehow not being significantly policed with the resources the chief superintendent has available to him is simply not true and misrepresents the situation.”
“I was delighted to see the increase in the number of people who applied in the last campaign and I am delighted to see an increase in the intake and the output from Templemore of probationer gardaí attesting out of the college and into our communities. In my county of Limerick we recently received 20 new probationer gardaí from Templemore, which was really welcome. Unfortunately that good news was misrepresented, because there is always a city-county dynamic in Limerick and Deputy O’Flynn’s colleague, Deputy O’Donoghue, tried to present it as the city winning over the county. If he bothered to look at the detail, which is very important in these things, he would see when probationer gardaí come to Limerick they go to Henry Street or Roxboro Road.”
“That is being advanced between the Department of justice and the Department of Transport. The Ministers have had a number of meetings and official engagement between the two Departments is ongoing. That is being advanced and will be delivered early within the lifetime of this Government. On the ongoing recruitment campaign An Garda Síochána has undertaken, another recruitment drive was announced by the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, two days ago at the National Ploughing Championships. I encourage anybody interested in engaging with that campaign to apply. People can apply online. Serving your country and your community through the Garda is a fantastic career and I would encourage anybody to do that.”
“Our Department is continuing work to enhance the range of interventions applicable to reduction in youth crime, including measures to engage with the harder-to-reach cohort of young people who are actively engaged in criminality, which will in turn make our communities safer. I will pick up on a number of issues that were raised as part of the debate. Mention was made of the bail supervision scheme. To clarify for the benefit of Members, this is a scheme which is not run by An Garda Síochána. However, it is overseen by our Department. The scheme is carried out by two youth justice service providers, with referrals mostly coming from the courts. The Probation Service will in future take over supervision of that scheme. Reference was made to the commitment in the programme for Government to a public transportation police service.”
“There is a strong evidentiary basis for the effectiveness of our current youth justice regime, with a 2023 evaluation concluding youth diversion projects impact positively on areas linked to reduction of crime and re-offending. Furthermore, since the introduction of the Children Act, recorded criminal offences by people under 18 years of age have reduced by 44%. This reduction correlates with an increased youth diversion budget, which has been doubled from €18 million in 2020 to just over €36 million in 2025. There is a link between youth diversion investment and significant reductions in the number of children being prosecuted or detained. This is testament to the success of youth diversion, as fewer children are progressing to the adult prison system.”
“The Youth Justice Strategy 2021–2027 has as a priority enhanced engagement and intervention with children and young people who are most at risk of involvement in criminal activity. There is currently a network of 93 youth diversion projects, or YDPs as we call them, operating across the State. Services have expanded to include dedicated early intervention, family support and hard-to-reach youth justice workers. On average YDPs engage between 3,500 and 4,000 young people across the State in any one year. As such, they are a fundamental support to the operation of the statutory Garda diversion programme and provide a vital service in enhancing community policing partnerships.”
“Work to progress the commitments within the programme for Government has commenced and I am happy to engage in further discussions on proposals for the protection of retail workers. It is important, in particular in my capacity as the Minister of State with responsibility for youth justice, that I highlight the progress that has been made in implementing actions in the Youth Justice Strategy 2021–2027, which undoubtedly play a positive role in addressing concerns around antisocial behaviour. Diversion continues to be at the core of the youth justice system and its success can be measured through the reduction in the number of young people coming to the attention of An Garda Síochána.”
“It is hoped the implementation of a modernised CCTV platform for An Garda Síochána can commence in 2026. I can also assure Deputies the Government is resolute in its commitment to tackle the issue of retail crime and to protecting retail workers, who provide an essential service in our communities. I am acutely aware of the personal and economic impact both physical and verbal assaults have on retail staff and their families. The programme for Government includes the examination of the introduction of a specific offence of an assault on a retail worker. The development of legislation is a complex task that requires consideration of all the potential implications of any change in the law.”
“The Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) Act 2023, which was signed into law in December 2023, provides for a new regime for the authorisation and operation of CCTV schemes. There is a new requirement under that Act for the Garda Commissioner to develop a code of practice for CCTV. I am advised by Garda authorities that work is ongoing with respect to the development of this code of practice. Following the publication of the new code of practice local community safety partnerships will be the appropriate avenue for discussion of community CCTV. I am further advised by the Garda authorities that the Garda is currently working on a new CCTV strategy that will outline how CCTV infrastructure utilised by the Garda can be modernised and integrated with other CCTV infrastructure throughout the State.”
“These include measures to further increase An Garda Síochána member and staff numbers, establish local community safety partnerships, continued diversion of young people away from crime, enactment of legislation to combat antisocial behaviour and continued cross-departmental collaboration to tackle underlying causes of antisocial behaviour. In addition to these I can also assure Deputies numerous other initiatives are being progressed that have as an objective the reduction of antisocial behaviour and that align with the measures proposed in the motion. For instance, the Government has committed to increasing the use of CCTV to enable local authorities to install new CCTV schemes.”
“A number of measures are proposed for assessment in this motion that require very careful consideration from a legal and operational point of view. However, the spirit of these suggestions is something on which we can all agree. Nobody should live in fear in their community and this Government is committed to taking appropriate, effective action to address antisocial behaviour. As the Minister highlighted earlier, this Government is actively progressing actions to align with those proposed for assessment in this motion.”
“I thank Deputy Gogarty for raising this issue, acknowledge the contributions of all speakers and reiterate that the Government is not opposing this motion. There has been significant interest in this motion and it is an area we take very seriously. We are all in agreement about the need to address the root causes and impact of antisocial behaviour. The harm this behaviour causes communities can be significant. As Minister of State with responsibility for international law, law reform and youth justice, I am committed to supporting the Minister and other Government colleagues to continue driving forward the commitments set out by the Government to tackle antisocial behaviour and crime in our communities.”
“It is a competitive scholarship for students with a bachelors degree who are resident in the occupied Palestinian territories. The application process is rigorous and highly competitive comprising of application forms, essays and interviews. The scholarship programme is committed to providing equal opportunity to all applicants. I appreciate that this may be extremely disappointing for other students who have been awarded a scholarship for an Irish university and have not been able to travel. However, as the Senator will appreciate, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Irish embassies worldwide are extremely limited in the assistance we can provide to non-Irish citizens. I assure her that I will convey her sentiments to the Tánaiste.”
“However, as the Senator will appreciate, the Department, and Irish embassies and consulates worldwide, are extremely limited in the assistance they can provide to non-Irish citizens. I reiterate that Ireland continues to both bilaterally and at a multilateral level call on Israel to comply with international law, stressing the universal applicability of international law, including international humanitarian law. The nine Palestinian students who safely left Gaza yesterday are due to arrive in Ireland today andl take up their scholarships for the coming academic year under the Government's Ireland Palestine scholarship programme, which is supported through Irish Aid. Up to 30 students from the West Bank and Gaza have benefited from these scholarships each year since it was established in 2019.”
“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has assisted 153 individuals in exiting Gaza. Where officials in the Department have received requests for assistance, they have reviewed each case within the context of the Department's consular assistance charter, which guides its overall consular assistance policy on the ongoing situation in Gaza and provides clear advice and guidance to these individuals. Those individuals the Department was in a position to assist have been assisted in exiting Gaza and travelling to Ireland. I appreciate that this may be extremely disappointing for those who have a scholarship for an Irish university and have not been able to travel.”
“Currently, eight Ireland-Palestine scholarship fellows from Gaza from the 2024 intake are completing their master's degrees . There are currently no plans to operate evacuation flights from Gaza. All Irish citizens who remain in Gaza and have contacted the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade seeking assistance have been offered the opportunity to leave, but for a variety of personal reasons they have chosen to remain. I assure the Senator the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade stands ready to assist all Irish citizens who remain in Gaza.”
“This morning, the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Simon Harris, confirmed that nine Palestinian students had safely left Gaza yesterday and are due to arrive in Ireland today. They will take up scholarships for the 2025-26 academic year under the Government's Ireland-Palestine scholarship programme, which is supported through Irish Aid. The students will be supported by the Irish Council of International Students and the managing agency for the Ireland fellows programme in anticipation of their courses starting in September. Three other Ireland-Palestine scholarship fellows were supported to leave Gaza in April of this year, having been unable to exit in 2024. We also look forward to further fellows from the West Bank arriving in September.”
“Each visa application is reviewed in accordance with Irish legislation. Officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including in the Irish Embassy in Israel and the representative office of Ireland in Ramallah, have provided advice and guidance to individuals on these requirements over many months. Since the beginning of the crisis in Gaza, that Department has supported 153 persons to leave Gaza and travel to Ireland, including a small number of students. Where necessary, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been in direct contact with the Department of justice, but the overall responsibility for engaging with the Department of justice on visa matters rests with the individuals themselves.”
“Ireland, as the Senator knows, has continued to steadfastly advocate for an urgent end to hostilities and for unimpeded humanitarian access. Ireland will continue to advocate on this matter on the international stage. I appreciate the sentiments that have prompted the Senator to raise this matter but, as she will appreciate, the Department is extremely limited in its ability to provide consular assistance to non-Irish citizens. As she may be aware, exit from Gaza is dependent on receipt of permission from the relevant local authorities, both in Israel and, in certain circumstances, in neighbouring jurisdictions. Such permissions are outside the control of the Government of Ireland. Moreover, visa-required nationals wishing to travel to Ireland must apply to the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration for a visa.”
“I thank the Senator. Ireland has consistently condemned the ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza and continues to urge all parties to do everything possible to support efforts under way to reach agreement on a new ceasefire and hostage release deal. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including Irish embassies and consulates worldwide, provides consular assistance to Irish citizens who get into difficulty abroad, in accordance with its consular assistance charter. The provision of consular assistance to Irish citizens is a cornerstone of the work of the Department. I am acutely aware the situation in Gaza is appalling and deteriorating and I appreciate that those with a student scholarship for a higher educational institution in Ireland are desperate to take up their positions in the coming academic year.”
“Expanded and additional respite supports are critically important to many individuals and families across the country. The importance of this service to the service users and those who support them cannot be overstated. As I stated, respite plays a key role in supporting people to stay in their own homes with their own families for longer. In the first three months of this year alone 6,600 people accessed some kind of respite service, a number higher than that of 2024 entirely. It is important to keep in mind this momentum. The HSE and the Department are working tirelessly to achieve that.”
“The data the Senator wants to see flow from the audit is something we can alert the HSE on. There has been steady growth in respite since 2022 with 2024 seeing a significant increase in activity with nearly 10,000 additional overnight sessions and 20,000 day sessions delivered. This coincides with an increase in funding year-on-year. Great work is being done to identify the best use of our resources in the area of respite. New respite services are being commenced. Existing services are being expanded and gaps in provision are being identified. Respite can be delivered in so many different places and ways and what works best will differ from person to person and family to family, which I know the Senator will appreciate. We continue to increase the funding and prioritise respite service provision. That will increase comparatively.”
“The HSE and specialist disability service providers are experiencing ongoing challenges recruiting and retaining staff across a range of disciplines and grades. Ensuring that the disability sector is fully resourced is a key priority of the Government which has been reflected in the programme for Government. To address the high staff vacancy rate during 2025 across all disability services, the HSE is continuing to carry out sustained workforce recruitment and retention initiatives. These initiatives will support the HSE and service providers to ensure existing services are utilised to their fullest extent. The Senator mentioned locations in Kilkenny. I do not know if she flagged when she put down this Commencement Matter that she required some detail.”
“Consequently, a process has been initiated with the HSE to progressively move to a situation whereby respite services are more equitably distributed across the country. It is important to note that some areas may look to provide more respite and home support to maintain people with family, thereby delaying the pursuit of residential services, and vice versa . The HSE is also committed, through the national service plan 2025, to undertaking an audit of respite services this year. This audit will provide further insight into how respite services are allocated and managed, allowing efforts to be focused where needed. The HSE is operating in a very competitive global market for healthcare talent. There are significant shortages of qualified healthcare professionals across the globe.”
“The Department is aware that the demand for respite outweighs the current levels of provision and is committed to working towards meeting the high levels of demand. In the national service plan 2025, additional allocation has been provided to increase the occupancy of existing respite capacity where feasible and to increase alternative respite provision, including in-home respite support hours. The Department and the HSE are working hard to ensure that respite provision expands around the country. Last year, the Department took the opportunity to examine in closer detail the level of respite provision and availability across CHO areas. The HSE data on the national distribution of respite has shown that there are significant variances in the levels of respite being supported across different areas.”
“The Minister would like to thank Senator Stephenson for raising this important issue and for offering her the opportunity to respond. Respite is a key priority area for the Department and the HSE and we have seen significant investment in respite services. Respite services can play a crucial role in delaying and-or preventing moves into full-time residential placements, preserving the family unit and supporting family stability. There has been significant focus on respite provision in recent years, with additional funding to expand respite services provided in successive budgets. Between 2021 and 2024, €35.7 million in new development funding was provided to expand respite provision. This has resulted in the addition of tens of thousands of respite sessions for children and adults with disabilities.”
“They can knock themselves out in doing so. However, the Senator knows, as do students, that it was a one-off. This time last year or the previous year, students were not asking for clarity, but this year everybody is looking for clarity. They will get it when the budget comes out.”
“It was a Government decision, and the Government has decided there will not be a cost-of-living package on this occasion. The Senator will not get an announcement. What the Minister, Deputy Lawless, did when he went on radio and was trying to present it as being a big reveal was set it out factually as it is. The €1,000 reduction, and the Senator knows this well, was a one-off over a number of years. It was never baked into the base as a permanent measure. The Senator knows all this. As regards the budget this year, let us see what happens. I imagine there will be a reduction. I would like to see a reduction and I will be calling for one. If people want to play politics with it and try to march the student body up and down to the top of the hill and make political capital out of it, they can be my guest.”
“The Senator and I debated this on a radio programme about two weeks ago and I pointed out to her that with previous cost-of-living measures such as the energy payments, the fuel allowance, child benefit, the living alone allowance and a whole suite of other payments that were part of the cost-of-living package, she did not advocate for any of them. They were all part of the same package as that relating to student fees. Why do Senator Harmon, the Fine Gael Senators and the Fine Gael TD who rang into the Joe Duffy radio show, or whatever talk show it was, not ask their party leader, who was Minister for further and higher education at the time? They should phone him and ask him. They should phone the subsequent Minister, Deputy O'Donovan. They brought it in as a cost-of-living measure.”