Nicole Ryan
Administrative Panel · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“This is not just happening in my area; it is also happening in other places where estates are not being taken in charge and, therefore, residents do not know who to call if something happens. They are left alone. Tanyard Wood is unique because nobody has taken charge of the estate for ten years.”
“By 2007, the developer had gone bust and therefore, Cork County Council submitted an appeal to take charge of the estate. It has been almost ten years and it still has not taken charge of the estate. It sits in no man's land. The estate has not been maintained. No proper maintenance at all is happening.”
“It means that cancer patients in the mid-west have virtually no opportunity to access clinical trials. Accident and emergency access, dentistry and now access to clinical trials for cancer patients - how did we get to this point?”
“I will speak briefly on amendments Nos. 39 and 41. Amendment No. 39 is quite straightforward. It ensures that applicants are clearly informed of two fundamental rights within their international protection process.”
“At the core, the amendment is about ensuring individuals entrusted with supporting some of the most vulnerable children in our system are properly trained, suitable for the role and held to appropriate standards.”
“We need clear timelines. Interim measures are required to ensure residents are not left feeling unsafe or conditions are allowed to deteriorate while progress drags on. People bought homes in the area in good faith.”
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“(4) In this section, “maximum waiting time performance targets” means, as respects priorities specified under subsection (1) , levels of performance by the Executive by which the effectiveness of the Executive in meeting such priorities can be measured by the Minister and the National Treatment Purchase Fund Board.”.”
“(3) Before specifying priorities or performance targets under this section, the Minister shall have regard to— (a) the Committee on the Future of Healthcare Sláintecare report published in May 2017 and any revision or replacement duly made to the report by any subsequent report, (b) best practice as respects maximum waiting times, (c) outcomes for patients and recipients of health and personal social services likely to be affected by the priority or performance target that the Minister is considering specifying, and (d) the effect that specifying the priority or performance target concerned would be likely to have on other services provided by or on behalf of the Executive.”
“(2) The Minister shall consult with the Executive before specifying priorities or performance targets under this section and, having so specified such priorities or targets, furnish details of these in writing to the Executive and the National Treatment Purchase Fund Board.”
“I move amendment No. 1: In page 3, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: “Maximum waiting time targets 2. (1) Subject to subsections (2) to (4) , the Minister for Health shall, in relation to the performance by the Executive of its functions under section 1 , specify— (a) priorities to which the Executive shall have regard to in relation to maximum waiting times, and (b) maximum waiting time performance targets for the Executive in respect of provision of each of the following: (i) in-patient services; (ii) out-patient services; (iii) planned procedures; (iv) diagnostic testing.”
“Caithfidh muid maoiniú a mhéadú, teaghlaigh Gaeltachta a chosaint, cearta teanga a chur i bhfeidhm, agus cinntiú ní hamháin go maireann an Ghaeilge ach go mbeidh sí in ann bláthú. Is le gach duine an Ghaeilge agus ba cheart go ndéanfaidh muid troid ar a son, í a chosaint agus í a fhás.”
“Níl ach timpeall 20% de theaghlaigh Gaeltachta ag tógáil a gcuid leanaí trí Ghaeilge, ach fós fuair an Rialtas réidh le scéim labhairt na Gaeilge a thacaigh leo. Faigheann TG4 i bhfad níos lú maoiniú ná RTÉ nó fiú a chomhghleacaí Breatnach, S4C. Tá easpa maoiniú ag cur bac roimh dheiseanna do scríbhneoirí, grúpaí drámaíochta agus ceoltóirí. Caithfidh muid maoiniú a thabhairt ar ais do na healaíona Gaeilge, cearta teanga a chur i bhfeidhm agus an plean fáis don Ghaeilge a chur i gcríoch. Tá 11 chontae gan Gaelcholáiste ar bith agus níl foirgneamh buan ag 39% de Ghaelscoileanna. Is é Sinn Féin an t-aon pháirtí atá tar éis polasaí cuimsitheach oideachais don Ghaeilge a fhoilsiú, ag cinntiú nach bhfuil an Ghaeilge ina ábhar scoile amháin ach ina theanga don ghnáthshaol laethúil.”
“Is onóir mhór dom é seasamh anseo le linn Seachtain na Gaeilge. Is teanga beo bríomhar pobail í an Ghaeilge ach tá an Ghaeltacht i ngéarchéim. Tá teaghlaigh ag streachailt lena gcuid leanaí a thógáil trí Ghaeilge. Tá oibrithe á bhrú amach de bharr géarchéim tithíochta agus tá ag teip ar sheirbhísí poiblí oibriú i nGaeilge in ainneoin dualgais reachtúla. Leagann Acht na Gaeltachta, 2012 amach mar dhualgas go mbeadh seirbhísí poiblí ar fáil i gceantair Gaeltachta go hiomlán trí Ghaeilge. Tá dualgas reachtúil ar An nGarda Síochána seirbhísí a sholáthar trí Ghaeilge i gceantair Gaeltachta; ach níl ach garda amháin as gach triúir i stáisiúin Gaeltachta inniúil ar an nGaeilge. Níor fhoilsíodh treoirlínte pleanála Gaeltachta, a bhí geallta in 2021, go fóill.”
“We must enact adult safeguarding legislation and establish a dedicated safeguarding authority for older people. Sinn Féin has proposed a care partner scheme which would give family members a formal role in the care of loved ones in nursing homes and hospitals. I am clear that we support this motion, but that is not enough. A motion is not a solution. We need action on this. Care should be delivered at home where possible, in the community where practical and in hospitals when necessary. Older people deserve dignity, independence and respect. We need a whole-of-government approach to this, one that tackles healthcare, housing and social supports together. This is not only about statistics. It is about our parents, our grandparents and one day, it will be about us as well.”
“We need to properly fund day care services, respite care and dementia supports, ensuring that older people can access care close to home. We should look at cutting unnecessary outsourcing and instead invest in hospital capacity, modern medical equipment and digital healthcare systems. In addition, we need to train and recruit more GPs, nurses and allied healthcare professionals to try to reduce waiting lists and improve care. Loneliness was mentioned and it is becoming a major public health issue, especially among older people. We need an action plan to combat the loneliness and isolation people feel by funding social supports, mental health services and community spaces where the elderly can thrive, meet and socialise. Too often, older people face neglect, abuse and poor standards of care in facilities that lack proper oversight.”
“Instead, Fine Gael continues to waste money on expensive outsourcing while hospitals struggle to cope and yet, instead of real solutions, it tells us that an ageing population is the problem. That is not leadership. It is just an excuse. A crisis demands a real plan with a clear vision for the future where older people receive the care, dignity and independence they deserve. Older people should have the right to remain in their own homes for as long as they possibly can. We need to introduce a statutory home care scheme to ensure consistent and fair access to home support. We have to provide adaptation grants to make homes age-friendly, reducing the need for nursing home care. We must move away from an over-reliance on acute hospitals and expand community-based care, which includes primary care, pharmacies and rehabilitation services.”
“Yet instead of planning and preparing for it, Fine Gael has allowed our healthcare system to deteriorate year after year. Today, hospitals are dangerously overcrowded, home care services are underfunded and older people are left waiting too long for the care they deserve. The ageing population is not the crisis. The crisis is the failure to plan for it. The numbers speak for themselves. Some 13,972 people were left on trolleys in January alone. That is a new record for overcrowding. Some 28,593 hospital appointments were cancelled, a staggering increase of 5,000 compared with the previous year. Waiting lists remain out of control because there is still no real plan for tackling hospital overcrowding. The Government has failed to invest in the staff, infrastructure and services needed to meet growing demand.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. We are here to discuss the future of healthcare for older people, an issue that affects every family, every community and ultimately every one of us as we age. We support this motion and welcome any focus on the needs of older people in our healthcare system. However, supporting a motion does not mean we ignore the reality of the crisis at hand. There is a world of work to be done, as the Minister of State will be aware, and the Government has left much of it undone for far too long. Fine Gael presents an ageing population as if it were a sudden crisis that blindsided it. However, let us be clear, this is not a new problem. The rising number of older people in Ireland has been known about for decades.”
“It takes three miscarriages before the problem is investigated. A woman has to go through this three times before anybody investigates any potential issues with various aspects of her health. I ask the Minister to consider that. It was not until I spoke to other women in my circle and my community that I realised they, too, had gone through miscarriages. There is stigma and shame attached to the issue. Every aspect of women's pregnancy journey must be supported, whether it is loss or aftercare.”
“Statistically, one in four women will go through miscarriage. I stand here today as one of that number. While the process in maternity hospitals is very good, including in the excellent early pregnancy unit in Cork, after women go through that, they are left on their own. During the process, I found I received great medical advice in some places but that was not the case in others. I knew things were wrong. Had they been investigated sooner, it might not have stopped the loss but it could have helped me to deal with what was about to come my way. Three days before my 12-week scan, I miscarried. While the physical pain of going through a miscarriage is really hard, nothing could have prepared me for the emotional and mental pain I had to face over the coming weeks. It is still with me today and always will be with me.”
“As a woman, I have experienced at first-hand the shortcomings of our medical system, as have so many female Members. One of the glaring issues is the overreliance on the contraceptive pill as a default treatment for women's health concerns. Instead of offering proper investigation, testing and a wide range of options for women, the pill is often handed out as a quick fix. Women are told to take it and see how they get on. If a woman has bleeding, she is offered the pill. It is all about the pill, not because it is the best option for us but because it is the easiest healthcare treatment. The Minister spoke about all the supports for women that are available and are coming onstream. They cannot come fast enough. I highlight the issue of pregnancy loss and miscarriage and the lack of supports in that area.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am really delighted he is including the likes of Údarás na Gaeltachta in the plan. Will the language testing mentioned make it more difficult for people who want to live in or move to a Gaeltacht area or who have lived there and who may not have the best of Irish to access it? As we all know, there is a housing crisis. If people have another layer of red tape to deal with in order to be able to live in a Gaeltacht area, will that make things even harder for them?”
“We cannot keep talking about Irish language as if it is an abstract problem. It is happening right now and in real time. It is one of the biggest contributors to the failure of planning policy to support Gaeltacht communities. We need immediate and long-term solutions. What is the Government's immediate plan to overhaul the Gaeltacht planning regulations in order that families can stay and live in the community? What is the long-term strategy for Gaeltachtaí?”
“The Gaeltacht is being hollowed out from the inside out, not because people do not want to stay there, but because the system is not allowing them to stay there. Even those who want to move into Gaeltacht areas, integrate and contribute to the community also face planning roadblocks. If you are from the area, you cannot build. If you are not from the area, you cannot move in. The system is broken and it is killing the future of the Gaeltacht. Right now, we see no progress in the Gaeltacht housing guidelines despite years of promises. There has been a failure to invest in infrastructure. There is no public transport, no job opportunities and unreliable broadband. There have been no targeted housing supports to prioritise those committed to living through the Irish language.”
“How can we expect the Gaeltacht to survive if people cannot live there? Our planning policies are driving people out. As someone who has lived in Carna in Connemara and is currently living in Baile Bhuirne in Cork, I have seen first hand the deep pride and commitment of Gaeltacht communities. They are places where Irish is not just spoken, but actually lived. Despite all the cultural richness they have, young people and families are being pushed out by planning systems that simply do not work. Local people struggle to build on their own land because of the outdated bureaucratic planning laws. Houses sit empty while families are forced to move outside of the Gaeltacht and the Gaeltacht guidelines, which were first promised in 2021, have yet to be published.”
“I welcome the opportunity to raise this issue, especially during Seachtain na Gaeilge. It is not just about planning or housing, but about Gaeltacht communities and the Irish language itself. Census data shows the number of daily Irish speakers in Gaeltachtaí has fallen from 69% in 2011 to 66% in 2022. This decline is not a coincidence. It has been directly linked to young people being forced to leave because they cannot build or buy a home in their own community. Groups like BÁNÚ and Misneach have warned that the Gaeltacht housing shortages, rigid planning rules and out-of-control rents are eroding the fabric of these communities. The Irish-speaking population is shrinking and yet, despite these warnings, the Government has failed to act on the issue. Just one in five families is raising children through Irish.”
“I urge the Minister to ensure that the N72 stretch from Cullen to Clonbanin is resurfaced as a matter of urgency because we cannot wait for a tragedy to happen and it is only a matter of time.”
“In a statement last year, the Department of Transport cited inflation, increased material costs and land acquisition expenses as some of the reasons for the postponement. However, we must be clear that postponement is just another word for delay, and on roads like this it is just a serious accident, possibly a fatal accident, waiting to happen. That brings me to the wider issue of what we are talking about which is transport connectivity. Today we are discussing a motion which calls for improvements and we can all agree that there have to be improvements in public transport services. However, roads also need to be improved because buses and other public transport cannot function properly if road conditions are so poor. I am calling on Transport Infrastructure Ireland and the Department of Transport to take immediate action on this issue.”
“It is lovely to have the Minister here today. Good evening to him. Since we are talking about transport and transport infrastructure, I want to address a really urgent concern for the people of north Cork and Kerry, namely, the dangerous condition of the N72. I am talking particularly about the stretch between Cullen and Clonbanin. I have been contacted by numerous locals who have had burst tyres and other serious vehicle damage on the road. While quite a bit of funding was allocated this year to road improvements in the constituency of Cork North-West, the N72 stretch was left out. The Cullen to Rathmore section was resurfaced in 2024 but the works stopped due to funding shortages.”
“The Government must act accordingly because the reality is that if we all did our jobs properly, people would not be suffering like they are today.”
“I commend every single person, as everybody has echoed in this House, including the volunteers, local radio stations, council workers and ESB crews, who worked really tirelessly around the dangerous conditions to restore services for people. However, community spirit alone should not have to be the solution for the Government's inaction. We talk about taking learnings from Storm Éowyn, but what learnings did we take from Storm Ophelia in 2017? I am sure a conversation along these lines was had previously. We keep talking about these learnings, but when are we going to implement them? We cannot keep treating each storm like an unprecedented once-in-a-lifetime event. I want to make it clear that the loss of life, whether it is 100 or 50 people or one person, is still a loss of life and it is unacceptable.”
“It is lovely to have the Minister of State here. I will bring him back to the first week of January. In my constituency of Cork North-West, we were hit with snow, and we were one of the hardest areas that was hit. The roads were impassable and people were trapped in their homes. In Rockchapel, people had to melt snow for water. This continued for a week for them. Why is it that year after year Ireland, rural Ireland especially, is expected to make do with situations of adverse weather reactions? We saw it again with Storm Éowyn. Power was knocked out for days - we have all talked about it - water infrastructure failed, and communications were down. Instead of seeing an immediate, co-ordinated Government response, we saw local communities pick up the slack.”
“Today, I request an urgent debate with the Minister for housing on the issues with the LAPR loan. Why are there such extreme delays despite it having been introduced eight months ago? Why was no legal framework prepared before launching the scheme? What is being done to ensure people who have applied for this do not risk homelessness? What is being done to ensure applicants, such as the family I have highlighted, can be approved? I urge this House to demand accountability and immediate action. If we are serious about tackling housing issues we cannot allow broken administrative processes to fail good policies.”
“After months of back and forth, in November 2024 they were told they had verbal approval but were waiting for paperwork. By December, they had signed the contract with their vendor, securing the draw-down deadline which was approved for 31 January 2025. The final payment was due on 28 February. However, to date, despite receiving their loan, their mortgage package is stuck in limbo, waiting on the process between the local authority and Tailte Éireann with no clear completion. The family risks losing its deposit if the vendor withdraws. Their landlord has extended their lease out of goodwill but this is not sustainable for the family. The family has three young children. They are living in a state of constant anxiety and the threat of homelessness.”
“I raise an urgent issue that highlights the serious administration failures of the local authority purchase and renovation loan, LAPR. This scheme was announced last June and was intended to help families purchase and renovate their homes, especially where housing has been scarce. Eight months on, however, applicants are still facing delays, misinformation and uncertainty with no clear solution in sight. I will outline one particular case in my constituency. This family had their original local authority loan approved in March 2024 and found a house in Coolduff by July. Upon seeking advice from Cork County Council, they were advised to apply for the LAPR, which went live in July 2024. They followed every instruction despite vague and unclear terminology.”
“Garda numbers have fallen while the population has risen. Like other Senators have mentioned, 1,640 gardaí are eligible for retirement in the next five years yet the recruitment and training have not kept pace with demand. What do we need to do? We obviously need more gardaí, and I think everybody echoes that. We need investment in youth services and community resources because crime does not just happen in a vacuum. We need a justice system that actually listens to victims and understands that the fear and trauma are real, even if there are no bruises and broken bones to prove it. We need to stop treating safety as an afterthought. It should not take a high-profile crime or tragedy for action to be taken. This must change, and it must change now.”
“He walked past me and ran after her. In that moment, all I could do was try to run after him. I probably would not have been able to overpower him but I did not want her to feel alone in that fear, the fear that I know well. When we tried to report it, it took three attempts for the issue to be acknowledged. Even then, because he had not physically attacked her, nothing could be done. What kind of message does this send, that you have to be attacked to be taken seriously, that women should have to accept harassment as part of their everyday life, that people in rural Ireland should just accept that stations are closing, and people have to live in fear and it is something they have to get used to? I refuse to accept that. It is not just one incident, one case or one community. This is a systematic failure that has been years in the making.”
“For those who do report the incidents, the system often fails them too. A woman in Newmarket was assaulted while walking in the woods, just going about her day. For every case like hers, there are countless cases where people are harassed, followed and threatened, but because they do not escalate to physical violence, it is not taken seriously. In another incident, a friend and I were harassed by a man in Cork city. He had followed us from the city centre to Barrack Street. He was continuously trying to engage with us and we were not interested. From my past experiences and now being older, I was able to stand up to him and tell him I was not interested, and he backed away. However, because my friend was not vocal in that instance, he followed her instead. I stood there, watching her go off to her estate.”
“For weeks, I had to ask my mother to drop me into town because I did not feel safe walking down, and I would make sure I was home before nightfall. A place where I grew up, and my home town, which was a safe place, as I always thought, became a source of anxiety for me. I look back on that incident and wonder why I did not report it. It was because I felt then that nobody would believe me. I feared my experiences would be dismissed, that I would be minimised and I would be asked if I was sure. Perhaps I was imaging things and maybe I overreacted. The reality for many people in this country is the same. Their experiences of fear and danger are brushed aside because "nothing happened". However, something did happen. That fear stays with you. It changes how you move through the world and how you see things.”
“It is not just property crime that affects our rural communities. It is sometimes something much more insidious. It is the everyday fear among so many people, especially women, who live with it. I personally know that fear. Growing up, my mother always said that it is not always the big cities, it can also be the local towns but when you are 18 you think you know it all. When I was 18 I was walking home from our local nightclub one night. The walk is ten minutes long in a well lit area and I walked it thousands of times since I was in primary school. On that night I was followed by a man and chased home. The only luck I had on my side was that I was faster than him. While I did get home safe and sound, it did not stop there because the fear was with me for weeks on end.”
“It is great to see the Minister back again. Community safety is a fundamental right. Too often we discuss crime and safety with the focus placed on urban areas. There is no doubt the cities face serious crime issues but the conversation cannot ignore rural Ireland, where crime, harassment and fear are just as real and sometimes more so given the lack of Garda presence and resources. For example, in my constituency, the community of Charleville lives in absolute fear due to massive antisocial issues. There have been a spate of car break-ins in Macroom and Coachford where people are living in fear in their own homes and estates. When these crimes go unsolved and there is little to no Garda presence, it sends a message to criminals that they can get away without any consequences and our communities are left to fend for themselves.”
“This proposal is one that Ireland should not only support but also champion. We have an obligation to our young people. They are not just the future; they are equally the present. We must ensure they have access to the best opportunities available. Sinn Féin supports the motion.”
“Given the circumstances with the Border, the unique position of Northern Ireland and the common travel area, the priority must be around Irish interests, the special position of the North and Irish sovereignty. The common travel area with Britain presents unique challenges in dealing with migration-related issues. For us to deal with these challenges effectively, Ireland, as an EU state that is also part of the common travel area with Britain, must pursue bilateral agreements with the UK. Parallel legislation is needed to provide objectives and clear criteria for determining the potential responsibility of processing international protection applications between both states. Furthermore, effective immigration management at ports and airports will also be critical.”
“A key priority concerns the fact that the scheme plays a role in reinforcing our close relationship with the UK, as other Senators have mentioned. The people in the north of Ireland voted to remain in the EU but were taken out against their wishes. While the protocol agreement has mitigated some of the damage Brexit has done to the island of Ireland, trade challenges will continue for the people who live north of the Border. Therefore, we must make it our duty in the Oireachtas to speak up for their interests and ensure the principles of the Good Friday Agreement are understood and adhered to in any new negotiations between the EU and the British Government.”
“Given the skills shortages in many sectors in Ireland and the UK, the agreement could help to meet the demand on facilities that are currently under-resourced and understaffed. It would encourage young people to see a different culture and live a different life, and boost tourism for both economies. Ireland, as the only EU country sharing a land border with the UK, has a vested interested in ensuring relations remain strong and productive. As Senator Lynch and other Senators mentioned, the scheme gives us a seat at the table. If we opted in, we would not be committing to anything yet, but it would mean we would have a seat at the table and could start to make decisions instead of having decisions in which we do not have a say being made for us.”
“I congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach on taking up her new position. I am delighted to hear she will be working with everyone on a cross-party basis. I welcome the Minister. I strongly support the EU–UK scheme. Naturally, there will be many benefits for Ireland. If we opt in, it will benefit the students of the UK equally. Travel and cultural exchanges enrich both sides. The scheme would allow easier access for exchange programmes, improved pathways for young professionals to work across the border, and enhanced collaboration between both Irish and UK businesses through talent exchange, which is needed in many places. It would also benefit beyond that, both socially and economically.”
“That is what we are here to do. We are Senators and we are not technically bound by parties, even though we are all members of parties and we all know that. However, there has to be reform. This is not the way it should be. It is not just and it is not fair. It is phenomenal that Senator Flynn is here. It is good to see people who represent regular people who are watching this. Everybody watching now can see themselves in certain Senators. That is what we are here to do. We are here to represent the normal, everyday people. I echo the sentiments of all the other Senators around the reform of this because things do need to change and right now the system is not fair at all.”
“I want to echo the sentiments of Senator McDowell and others in this House. For us, this is our first test of justice and fairness. We talk about this and we all work together but the system here right now is not just and fair. It is in favour of other people. I want to talk about this because I feel really strongly about it. For years and years, I have not seen someone who looks like me or who looks like Senator Flynn in the Seanad, making decisions and talking about issues that affect me and the people on the ground and who really get it and who get what it is like to live in a marginalised, disadvantaged community, to be a migrant, to be from a different country, to be at a disadvantage at all levels and to make one's way up here to try to make a change. Of course all of us will work together and that is fair enough.”
“I request the Minister to come to the House to discuss and follow through on abolishing means testing for carers. During the election campaign, I met many carers in my area, as I am sure other Senators did. Care and social care professions predominantly involve females. I met people who were at their wits' end - they were in tears - because they could not make ends meet because of the means testing of carers. They are fantastic people. They are committed and give their lives to caring for people, but no one takes care of them. I am therefore asking for a debate on that and that we follow through on the promises we all made to abolish means testing for carers so we can finally take care of the people who take care of the most vulnerable in our society.”
“Together we can build a nation that is not just prosperous but also compassionate, fair and forward thinking. I really look forward to working with all Senators as a Seanad together. I congratulate the Cathaoirleach on his appointment again.”
“Harm reduction, education, rehabilitation and community-based supports must be the cornerstones of our national approach. No family in Ireland has been untouched by the scourge of addiction and we owe it to the citizens to provide real pathways to recovery rather than barriers to reintegration. We are custodians of democracy that has endured, evolved and strengthened over generations. The decisions we make in this Chamber must always be guided by principles of justice, equality and opportunity. We have to be fearless in challenging old paradigms and steadfast in our pursuit of progress. I stand here today not just as a Senator but as a servant of the people. I promise to work tirelessly to listen attentively and to act decisively in the interests of those who rely on us to lead.”
“Whether it is tackling crime, ensuring victims are protected or strengthening our policing systems, we must be guided by principles of fairness and equality. We need to build a legal framework that fosters trust between communities and law enforcement, protects the vulnerable and upholds human rights in every aspect of governance. The ongoing housing crisis, the need for stronger domestic violence protections and the necessity for fair immigration policies must be tackled with urgency and compassion. Every citizen deserves to feel safe, valued and secure in their home and country. We must move away from outdated punitive approaches to addiction and instead embrace policies that treat addiction as a health issue and not a criminal one.”
“I commit to ensuring their concerns, from access to education, employment, mental health supports to housing security, are at the heart of our national agenda. We must create an Ireland where every young person has the opportunity to thrive unburdened by the weight of economic instability and social inequality. The health of our nation is the foundation upon which everything is built. A just society ensures no person is left behind when faced with care needs. We must work to reduce waiting lists, enhance mental health services and ensure addiction is rooted in principles of compassion rather than criminalisation. Healthcare must not be a privilege but a right for every citizen that should be able to be equal and efficient. Justice is also the bedrock of democracy. It must be accessible, transparent and fair to all.”
“Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an gCathaoirleach on his appointment. It is an honour and a privilege to rise today in this Chamber and address Seanadóirí agus muintir na hÉireann as a newly elected Member of Seanad Éireann. I do so with immense gratitude to those who have placed their trust in me and a profound sense of duty to serve the people of Ireland and my area in Cork North-West. I take my seat in this House at a time of great challenge and even greater opportunity. Ireland as a nation is resilient and progressive, yet we face pressing issues that require bold leadership and unwavering commitment. Our young people are not just the future of Ireland; they are the present. They are our students, our workers, our entrepreneurs and our change-makers, yet too often their voices are unheard in the halls of power.”