Paul Donnelly
Dublin West · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“It is bizarre that the State does not fund digital devices. What is the point of free school books when people have to find hundreds of euro to pay for devices? In a country that is home to most of the largest IT and social media companies in the world, surely, we must be leading the way in terms of technology in our schools.”
“I welcome the motion. The matter to which it relates is something in respect of which Sinn Féin has been campaigning consistently for many years. There is no doubt that costs are rising and putting families under severe pressure over the summer months.”
“This matter needs to be addressed. A letter from the Minister, however nicely worded, has simply not worked. We are often told that Ireland is a world leader in terms of quality educational systems. What we need is fair and equitable access to the education system for all of our children and young people.”
“What this House does in terms of regulation and ensuring the companies driving all of this do so in the proper way and are monitored, with proper due diligence done on how AI impacts society, is very important. We know AI has positive impacts but it also has extremely negative impacts.”
“I met with the parents of Grace Lynch. I commend them on their advocacy on road safety and tackling scramblers and illegal e-bikes and scooters. On Monday, hundreds of residents in Hartstown marched around Hartstown Park to highlight the issue of antisocial behaviour, scramblers and illegal e-bikes in the parks.”
“I welcome the Bill and the opportunity to speak on it. It is critically important. AI is something we use every single day, whether we know it or not. Many of the applications we use have a major component of AI. In many areas it has a really useful purpose. Students and workers use it, and people in here use it on a daily basis.”
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“This matter needs to be addressed. A letter from the Minister, however nicely worded, has simply not worked. We are often told that Ireland is a world leader in terms of quality educational systems. What we need is fair and equitable access to the education system for all of our children and young people. We often talk about nobody being left behind. I can tell the Minister of State that there are children all over this State who are being left behind.”
“It is bizarre that the State does not fund digital devices. What is the point of free school books when people have to find hundreds of euro to pay for devices? In a country that is home to most of the largest IT and social media companies in the world, surely, we must be leading the way in terms of technology in our schools. What has the Government done in respect of this matter? It has cut €15 million from the ICT grants for schools, which are down to a miserly €35 million. A recent survey puts the cost of education at €1,794 for primary school and €2,928 for the post-primary. Those are shocking costs for parents, particularly in view of the cost-of-living crisis. Of course, the Minister of State will point to the free books scheme. Surely even he can see that has been wiped out by the increasing cost of digital devices.”
“I welcome the motion. The matter to which it relates is something in respect of which Sinn Féin has been campaigning consistently for many years. There is no doubt that costs are rising and putting families under severe pressure over the summer months. At a time when children and young people are at home and with the good weather, constant demands on parents' budgets are causing massive concern. We need to see the end of the so-called voluntary contributions. I understand why schools look for them. They are trying to keep the lights on and trying to keep toilet rolls in bathrooms. It is the basic stuff they cannot afford. They cannot afford these things because of the gaps in funding. We need to end restrictive single-supplier arrangements. We have already called for this in our affordable school uniform Bill.”
“We have talked about AI and social media use and the damage caused by algorithms and the lack of attention social media companies are giving to dealing with the harmful issues in relation to them. We need to make sure this body is regulated, well resourced and capable of taking on the big companies because we cannot trust them. That is the most important thing. We cannot trust these companies. They are driven by profit only.”
“We are dealing with multibillion dollar companies which have vast resources and profits on a scale we have never seen. They have the capacity to tie up organisations such as the one we are discussing in legal issues. If we do not have the structures we are talking about in place and properly resourced and supported, our approach will not be effective. We will then be relying on the companies themselves to police themselves. That is the one thing we cannot do because we know they are driven exclusively by profit. In relation to workers' rights, we are already seeing workers directly affected by AI. We need to make sure workers and young people are protected.”
“What this House does in terms of regulation and ensuring the companies driving all of this do so in the proper way and are monitored, with proper due diligence done on how AI impacts society, is very important. We know AI has positive impacts but it also has extremely negative impacts. We are talking about social media and how it impacts on young people, with different countries moving towards banning social media for young people. Sometimes we look at all of this in very simplistic ways. AI is deeply complex and something we are going to be learning about as it changes exponentially. It is moving at such a fast pace that what we talk about and think about today in relation to AI could be obsolete in a couple of months' time. That is how fast this is moving. We need to make sure we have properly resourced structures in place.”
“I welcome the Bill and the opportunity to speak on it. It is critically important. AI is something we use every single day, whether we know it or not. Many of the applications we use have a major component of AI. In many areas it has a really useful purpose. Students and workers use it, and people in here use it on a daily basis. As I said, AI has a really useful purpose. I have watched a number of programmes on the use of AI in medical and pharmaceutical applications. This technology is driving real innovation and speeding up the time it takes to complete trials looking at different ways pharmaceuticals and medicine can help people. In that regard, it is really important and useful. The genie is out of the bottle. AI is with us and it is not going anywhere. What we do with it is the most important issue.”
“I met with the parents of Grace Lynch. I commend them on their advocacy on road safety and tackling scramblers and illegal e-bikes and scooters. On Monday, hundreds of residents in Hartstown marched around Hartstown Park to highlight the issue of antisocial behaviour, scramblers and illegal e-bikes in the parks. People are saying there are a couple of things that can be done. The first is a change in legislation to allow gardaí to actively pursue those on scramblers. The second is that resources be given to the Garda to establish a specialised anti-scrambler unit. I have called for this on many occasions. These units are in place in Britain, France and all over Europe. They are specially trained, specially resourced and equipped to deal proactively with people who are using illegal scramblers on the roads.”
“This week, I met the wonderful students of the National Learning Network in Parslickstown in Mulhuddart. It is a place that has shown a way for people with different abilities to learn the social and work schools to enable them to build their own personal skill sets and possibly enter the workforce. Unfortunately and sadly, we have the lowest number of people with disabilities in work and this must be challenged. Due to funding cuts, they have a waiting list, and each person on that waiting list is losing time and opportunities. It is directly linked to City of Dublin ETB and it does not seem to be an issue with the other ETBs in Dublin. Will the Taoiseach please engage with the Minister to work with City of Dublin ETB to reverse the cuts to the numbers and end the waiting list the National Learning Network currently has?”
“This cannot come too soon for people in energy poverty who, as we speak, are probably not heating their homes. I know we are in June but we are not talking about warm weather today. I welcome the report but there needs to be more urgency about it. People are choosing between heating and eating need it now and they need that support now.”
“I welcome the report from the Minister. One of the key things is the national energy affordability task force report which is due to be published late this year. My concern and that of EnergyCloud is that it will come too late for the next budget because it will need investment. Although there is investment in the smart grid and all the things the Minister of State just outlined, I am unsure where it makes the connection between the 550,000 homes where people are living in energy poverty and how that connects with the seven items the Minister of State talked about in his reply. I welcome the advancements but when one looks at the wasted renewable energy report from EnergyCloud for 16 months until 30 April, as I said, that is €756 million in retail wasted energy.”
“When we talk about the cost-of-living crisis that we have at the moment, there are something like 320,000 people currently in energy poverty or energy debt. They are a number of months behind on their payments. The scale of this is absolutely huge. The scale of energy that is being created and wasted is astonishing. A commitment is required from the Government to support EnergyCloud. That is what it is asking for. It has sent this email to every single TD. The Minister of State may have received it himself. It is really important that we have that discussion on linking the energy we have here and people in energy poverty. This about enabling them to wash themselves, washing their dishes and heating their homes. It is quite incredible.”
“It removes having to make the choice between heating or eating, and shows what is possible. Some of the statistics are quite shocking. The programme for Government has a commitment to use surplus renewable energy to help those in fuel energy poverty. Renewable energy wastage came to 2,137 GWh. Approximate retail value of the wasted energy was €756 million. That is an astonishing amount of wasted energy. It is equivalent to 692 million tanks of hot water heated. The average waste per day is €1.633 million. That is energy that is being created every single day that is going to waste. EnergyCloud is trying to make the connection between the renewable energy that is being created, that cannot be used at a particular time that day, and people who are in energy poverty.”
“I appreciate the opportunity to raise this extremely important issue. It has been pointed out that last week alone, over €15 million of renewable wind energy was wasted. According to EirGrid, 18% of wind energy was wasted in 2026. For people who do not know, EnergyCloud is delivering free heated water to thousands of people over 120 nights a year and will be helping thousands of homes by the end of 2026. It is demonstrating the link between surplus renewable energy and energy poverty in a very practical way. It is making impacts on a day-to-day basis for people who are in energy poverty. The residents in question have spoken not only of the money, but also of the fact that they now have hot water to wash themselves, their children, their dishes, and their homes. It has a real impact.”
“Just today the EU announced a round of 21 sanctions against Russia, but God forbid that we mention sanctions against Israel. The Taoiseach talks about the impact on Ireland, and as supporter,s that would be difficult. What about the impact the genocide is having on the people of Palestine, on the footballers of Palestine, on the children of Palestine and on the women of Palestine who are being slaughtered? The Taoiseach talks about money and the coefficient. There are two things that this Government can do: give the money that has been lost to the FAI and, more importantly, why not support the FAI at grassroots level for the future? That would certainly improve our coefficient. The Irish people have been clear in poll after poll that they want the game stopped. Let us show leadership across Europe and across the world.”
“As we look at the history of sports, we see how politics has shaped football when it suits. The usual cry from those who do not want to stop the game is, "It is a game and we should not politicise sports." Let us think back. In Ireland we stood proud as a country when we boycotted the South African apartheid regime. Did this have an impact? Of course it did. The Irish Government of Fianna Fáil blocked the Serbians from playing here when there was a genocide going on in Bosnia. In a few weeks, we will commemorate the massacre in Srebrenica when 7,000 men and boys were murdered. When Russia invaded Ukraine the EU and UEFA could not move quickly enough to impose sporting sanctions on Russia. Tomorrow we will discuss sanctions in relation to Israel.”
“The K district is one of the busiest policing districts in the State, covering Blanchardstown, Cabra and Finglas. Unfortunately, we were short-changed with regard to the number of Garda recruits we received until the last batch, when we got 20 new gardaí, which was very welcome. However, I am informed that 18 gardaí are being transferred to the city centre for the next six months for the EU Presidency. This is a shocking decision for the people of Dublin West. We have had a decade in which we lacked gardaí and just when we thought the numbers were being resolved, 18 gardaí are to be pulled out of Dublin West for six months. Does the Taoiseach not agree that this is a disproportionate number to be pulled from such a busy district and that it will compromise community safety in our area for the next six months?”
“We need to be sure that public policy encourages the growth in zero-alcohol sales at the expense of alcoholic drinks, and that there are no unintended consequences for the growth of the zero-alcohol market share in any change made to the advertising laws. At the same time, the law clearly needs to be updated to ensure limits on alcohol advertising are not being cynically undermined by bad faith actors. For those reasons, we could not support a total ban on zero-alcohol advertising, but we are willing to work with the practical proposal in this Bill to further separate alcohol and zero-alcohol marketing, imagery and branding to ensure it is fit for purpose and achieves the outcome we all want.”
“There are also genuine concerns of inappropriate advertising of 0.0 products in places where alcohol branding should not be present because the current threshold is too low. The growth in zero-alcohol product consumption is welcome. Market trends indicate rapidly growing demand but the market share of zero-alcohol products is still much lower than in other EU states. As somebody who primarily drinks 0.0 Guinness, I can attest that in pretty much every bar you go into now, you can get zero-alcohol products on tap, which is a huge plus for those of us who do not want to drink alcohol but do want to drink a beer, Guinness, stout or whatever it may be. It is very important that is happening because there are huge health benefits to that product.”
“Those restrictions do not apply to zero-alcohol products and would not apply to zero-alcohol products under this proposed new definition for advertising if they have satisfactory and distinct branding, logos, emblems and marketing imagery. As we see it, the intention is not to ban the advertising of low- and zero-alcohol products or to treat them the exact same as alcohol products, but to prevent the indirect advertising of alcohol products by raising the bar for zero-alcohol advertising that currently exists. Sadly, we have seen cynical and dishonest abuse of the existing laws by some of the worst aspects of the industry. We are all familiar with one particular brand that uses 0.0 labelling to sponsor a prominent sporting event, despite not actually producing or selling such a product.”
“The promotion and advertising of alcoholic beverages has been significantly curtailed since the commencement of the relevant provisions of the Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018. Alcohol advertising and promotion is strictly limited, with an evening and late-night ban on TV advertising, a ban on advertising on public transport, near schools, childcare facilities, playgrounds and sports venues, or any event or place meant primarily for children. Alcohol advertising in shops is strictly limited to the part of the shop designated for alcohol products, and cannot be placed or seen from other parts of the shop.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. It is our understanding of the Bill proposed by Deputy Rice that the intention is to restrict the advertising of low-alcohol and zero-alcohol products where the effect of such advertisements, regardless of intent, is to also promote alcohol drinks. The Bill seeks to do that by amending the definition of advertising to include low-alcohol and zero-alcohol drinks and by creating a distinct provision for trade descriptions, trademarks, emblems, logos and marketing images, which are associated with alcohol products. It will, essentially, force zero-alcohol and low-alcohol product branding to be distinct from the alcohol branding in a more comprehensive way than the current tacking of "0.0" onto existing alcohol branding.”
“If that is not a reason to get it started now, I do not know what is. It is really time for the public transport network system to be a network system that works for all. We see it in every major European country. The DART+ will be brilliant when it comes into play but it is very disjointed. We need metro west connecting with DART+. We need BusConnects and the NTA listening to the people who are on the ground - they are the bus users and know what works. I urge the Minister to have a chat with the NTA and ask it to listen to us.”
“We have the new active travel plan on the N3-M50. That is brilliant. It is a bus lane that will make it faster for residents in Littlepace to get into town. What does the NTA do? It removes the number 70 bus that will bring people directly onto the new bus lane and leaves a pointless cycle lane that goes across the N3 to a garage. Once again, the NTA needs to start listening to the people. Metro west has been cancelled until 2042. I am pleading with the Minister to please put this back on the agenda because how long has it taken for Metro north to get to this stage? We will all be retired - actually we will probably all have shuffled off this mortal coil - by the time it is done. It will connect the DART+ to Maynooth and the newly proposed Navan rail line at metro north. We know the M50 is at capacity.”
“I live in Dublin 15. It has a population of over 120,000 and it is predicted to go to 140,000 in 2029. Yet, we do not have the long promised direct bus to the airport. I can get a direct bus pretty much from anywhere in the Thirty-two Counties but if I want to head to the airport, I have to pay €50 for a taxi or get two buses. This is not an option for the hundreds who work in the airport. Can the Minister get onto the NTA and ask about it? It has been promised for every single year since 2024 but has not turned up. In Tyrrelstown, a complete review of the public transport system is needed. It is not working for the people and there is no plan to go into Kilmartin, which is a huge new estate. I ask the Minister to please ask the NTA to have a look at forward planning and get its act together.”
“It is afraid of the voice of the people of Ireland because they have said in the Nice and Lisbon treaty referenda that they do not support the ending of our neutrality. They do not support Irish soldiers going to fight other wars on behalf of the people who colonised this country and the people who are arming and participating in genocide. We want nothing to do with those people. If the Government is really serious about the Irish people and democracy, it should hold a referendum. It is in its hands.”
“Indeed, by abandoning the protection of the triple lock that grounds our neutrality, the Government is signalling to the world that it does not believe in the UN. While the UN has its flaws, it still represents the best opportunity to engage in dialogue rather than conflict and loss of life. Reference was made to the programme for Government but one thing included in that programme that the Government has not brought forward is the occupied territories Bill. The Government brings an amendment to the motion to the House but not the occupied territories Bill. It was said earlier that there is a reason for the Government not supporting the proposal to hold a referendum to enshrine neutrality. What is the Government so afraid of?”
“I welcome the appointment of Lynn Boylan, Sinn Féin's Dublin MEP, to the security and defence committee. She will be a powerful voice in the EU for Irish neutrality and against a militarised Europe. Irish Army personnel are renowned for peacekeeping missions around the world in war-torn countries, not for going off to fight other people's wars. They are renowned for bringing peace to areas where truces and ceasefires are brittle. We have a proud history of peace and conflict resolution but the Government is asking us to get into bed with countries that are not only defending, but arming a genocide. The lack of meaningful action in the defence of international law is weakening the foundations of multilateralism.”
“The last time I heard of entire families living in one room was in a tenement museum in Henrietta Street that I visited last year. Can the Minister of State imagine that a hotel or a building housing homeless people might become a museum? Historians will show future generations that in 2026 thousands of children were housed in these buildings for years and the housing Minister of the day chose to do nothing to end it, despite this being one of the wealthiest countries in Europe, with billions in surplus budgets.”
“These are the only measures that will protect the thousands who face eviction. I spoke to Ciara this evening, a young mother born and reared in Dublin 15, who is in a hub in a hotel in Tallaght. Spiralling rent has made it impossible for her. Another couple are being evicted this Friday. The mother has severe medical needs and needs daily medical care. The family is not on the housing list. They are new to the system and are terrified. They cannot afford €2,000 in rent. A couple of apartments are owned by the vulture groups in Dublin 15. It costs €2,100 to rent a one-bedroom apartment and €2,500 to rent a two-bedroom apartment in the Windmill development. I met two other families in my office last week, both of which have four children and have spent four years in homeless accommodation in one room.”
“My blood is boiling after listening to that speech. Fine Gael has been in power for 15 years and Fianna Fáil supported the party for 11 of those years. It has been the same absolute waffle. Who has done great out of this in all of that time? It has been the bankers, bondholders, developers and vultures - the corporate interests. They have all been paid. They have all got their deals. This Government will go down in history, and in shame. Multiple Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael housing Ministers presided over the worst housing evictions since the Famine. Is that why we fought for our freedom and independence? Is that what de Valera had in his head when he established Fianna Fáil - to outdo the British occupiers in evicting people on this island? Sinn Féin again calls for an emergency ban on no-fault evictions and a freeze on rent hikes.”
“They turn patches of land into places for bees, small animals, nesting birds and planting for all kinds of insects that help sustain a living environment in an urban area like Dublin 15. I refer to groups like Castleknock, Blanchardstown and Clonsilla Tidy Towns groups. I give a shout-out to the groups in Tyrrelstown and Hollystown, which are newly organised, and are meeting this Sunday for a big clean-up. I am also part of the Royal Canal clean-up group. The place is teeming with life but it is constantly under threat from development, which is getting closer and closer to the banks. All we ask is that consideration is given to biodiversity. Many people are doing their best and showing that our biodiversity is a strength for those of us who live on this island for those who wish to visit as tourists.”
“In every local area plan, county development plan, and planning application on greenfield sites, we fought hard for the protection of trees, hedgerows, canals and waterways such as the Tolka river. In this Chamber we are seen as dinosaurs and blockers of housing developments. We have been derided by the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and others in Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael. We are not anti-development but we are for developments that protect our biodiversity as much as we can because as the advertisement says, when it is gone, it is gone forever. I pay tribute to all our Tidy Towns groups. Many are not just litter pickers or flower planters but have developed into community-led biodiversity champions.”
“A total of 56% of Ireland's native plants species are in decline, with native grasslands suffering. I commend residents of Porterstown village who called me and the NPWS when a developer went in with bulldozers to allegedly try to destroy two badger sets and rare grasslands on a site that was subject to planning conditions. This is a regular occurrence because the sanctions are such that it is a basic slap on the wrist but when they are gone, they are gone forever. I came from East Wall, an area in the north inner city that had zero public green spaces. There were no trees, no open spaces and no green spaces. I moved to Clonsilla 30 years ago and I was blown away by the biodiversity. There were fields, open spaces and parks everywhere.”
“There is a crisis in biodiversity. We have seen a deterioration over decades, with bad planning and destruction on a huge scale during the Celtic tiger era and before it. Ironically, Ireland is known across the world as a green place, where trees, lakes, seas, beaches and countryside is pristine in terms of biodiversity but the facts do not bear that out. A substantial proportion of our EU-protected habitats and species are deemed to be in an unfavourable state. There is a 40% drop in the number of water birds since the 1990s and a 45% drop in the number of kestrels. Some 23 out of 24 species of nesting seabirds are listed as red or amber in terms of conservation concerns. Some 18% of native Irish butterfly fauna is under threat of extinction.”
“I hope they look at themselves, their own families, the homes they built, the communities in which they live, the churches, schools and hospitals they go to and everything that has been built up in their community and I hope they say "my God, am I lucky. I have this but the Palestinian people do not". I hope they look at their consciences next week, dig deep and say they are going to support this Bill because it is the right thing to do.”
“We have seen it happen on a daily basis. We get it through our phones, media and newspapers. We see it every day and yet the EU can laud itself on how wonderful it is and the Minister of State as part of this Government can laud himself about how wonderful the Government is with regard to Russia. I tell the Minister of State that the Government can hang its head in shame when it comes to the people of Palestine, Lebanon and Syria; the people who are being murdered on a daily basis by that murderous regime. There is one thing the Government can do. None of those Deputies, unfortunately, turned up today to listen to this but I hope they are listening and I hope that over the next few days, when the emails come flying through and the lobbying comes through, they examine their consciences.”
“She states "It is well understood that EU sanctions regimes are designed carefully to avoid and mitigate unintended consequences, including consequences for civilian populations and access to essential goods" and so on. What does that actually mean for the people who are being murdered today or the villages that are being ethnically cleansed today? What does that mean for the homes, schools, churches and hospitals or to the ambulances driving to somebody when they have just blown a family up? They deliberately target the ambulances and the paramedics. What sort of society and people can do that but what sort of people can stand by and see it happening? This is not the Germany of the 1940s and the Second World War where people opened up the concentration camps and saw the horrors of what was going on. We know this is happening now.”
“It is actually very similar to how our own citizens in the North were treated by the unionist regime during the marching season by being forced into their own homes and communities to facilitate triumphalist marches. I cannot even begin to describe the treatment of Palestinian women and children in Zionist jails. The reports of rape, torture, starvation and utter horror would make even the Nazis hold their heads in shame. This is only the tip of the iceberg of the abuse of the Palestinian and Lebanese people. Why? Because they do not let the media in. They have killed all of the journalists who were there and do not allow any journalists in. To be honest, the Minister's words mean absolutely nothing.”
“The Israeli terrorist regime operates an apartheid regime while stealing land from Palestinians every day, bulldozing their homes and businesses and moving mostly foreign settlers paid for by the economic support the European Union has given it. The Minister of State may look away. I hope he is ashamed that he will not even look while I am speaking. Palestinians have to use separate roads if they are even allowed on the roads following hours being held at checkpoints. Israelis have separate Jewish-only roads. Churches and mosques are closed at the whim of the Israeli murder machine to give Zionists the ability to walk through Palestinian communities. We see it every week on our social media.”
“These are basic needs for human existence that are controlled by the Zionist regime. It has attacked and invaded Syria again murdering people and destroying their homes and villages. It has attacked Qatar, a US ally, killing the Hamas negotiating team while it was trying to negotiate peace. It recently kicked off another war with Iran. How did it start? It killed many the Iranian leaders who were actually negotiating with the US on a peace deal to prevent war. The terrorist wing, Mossad, kills and maims people across the world whenever it suits it. In 2010, Ireland expelled an Israeli diplomat because the Zionist terror regime was using the passports of innocent Irish people in Dubai.”
“They were all together in this sanctioning of Russia but every time an occupied territory Bill comes before this Chamber, the Government says we are working together with the countries to build a coalition in terms of bringing sanctions against Israel. Let us call it what it is - a genocidal apartheid regime. It has been attacking Gaza for the last two and a half years while murdering in the region of 80,000 people. In Lebanon, it is currently ethnically cleansing entire villages and wiping them off the map in a tactic it learned in Gaza. A total of 80% of those in Gaza who have been displaced multiple times are actually refugees from the Nakba in 1948. There has been illegal and criminal use of food, water and sewage to spread disease and electricity has been cut.”
“I commend the Palestine solidarity movement. Over the past number of years, it has marched probably a couple of hundred of kilometres at this stage. It is a testament to the Irish people and their solidarity with the Palestinian people. I would like to thank Deputy Boyd Barrett and Senator Black. The occupied territories Bill has been ongoing for eight years. I remember it took 24 hours to bail out the bankers and the bondholders. When they needed the money, the Government was there. It was right there right beside them supporting them. I am sorry the Minister has gone because last week, she spoke proudly on Europe Day about what the EU have done with regard to Russia. Within days of the illegal Russian invasion of Ukraine, the EU acted decisively and collectively.”
“Why can we not have the same price for electricity if we are all in this together? We do not because we are not all in it together. We are being screwed. Workers and families in this country are being screwed. It is time to act and act now. We cannot wait until October for the Government to deal with the crisis. People need it now.”
“Does the Minister of State remember the electricity credits the Government was giving in the past couple of budgets, right up to just before the election and then stopped straight after the election? There is that too. I am asking on behalf of people with disabilities in particular. That was really cruel. The people who need it most are those who have disabilities, and they are €1,400 worse off. Let us talk about people getting to work. What about the ordinary person stuck on the M50, N3 or N4 trying to get into work? They are burning up fuel they are paying much more for at the pumps. Just this week we learned that Ireland has the highest energy rates in Europe. I think it is around 40% higher than most of Europe. Europe Day is coming on Saturday. We had statements on it earlier. Why do we not do what the rest of Europe is doing?”
“It is speaking out of both sides of its mouth. The Government has plenty of money for bike sheds, however. We saw another grandiose bike shed come to light today. The Government needs to bring in an emergency budget. As has already been said, money must be given back to the workers. In 2016, Fine Gael promised to get rid of the universal social charge, the temporary tax that was brought in to pay the bankers and the bondholders. They got their money; they all got paid off and why? Because the Government screwed the people, the workers, in 2009 and 2010 and right the way through the austerity years. What was temporary became permanent. I know Leo is gone at the moment but that was certainly one of his promises back in the day in 2016. The universal social charge needs to be addressed.”
“We would be paying through the nose for water charges if Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael had got their way. We can be thankful the people stood up to them and their privatisation agenda. Supporting people is the right decision for the economy. Without intervention, we risk having the legs kicked out from under local economies as people cut back spending just to get by. People are wise to the Government and they are seeing through its nonsense and misinformation. On the one hand, the Government says we are the best little country in Europe and have surpluses every year, including surpluses of €9 billion this year and €12 billion last year. On the other hand, it is crying that money does not grow on trees and asking where the money is to be found for an emergency budget. The Government cannot have it both ways.”
“Almost 320,000 households are in arrears. People are getting hit with unaffordable rents caused by really bad decisions on rental policy. We see higher mortgage payments, childcare fees, college fees and insurance prices. Inflation is higher than the Government projected on budget day. Last week, waste management companies put an energy surcharge on top of the 9% increase they introduced in January. We are being screwed by greedy companies when we pay for our heavily packaged food and now we are being screwed by those who take away that packaging. I remember the slogan from many Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael councillors when I was on Fingal County Council. They would say that you would only pay for what you throw away. That was another lie and another trap as they commodified and privatised waste management.”
“In the statement from the Minister of State, the Government claps itself on the back for doing something over the last couple of weeks even though it had to be dragged kicking and screaming into doing so. Even then, it could not get it right. Unsustainably high energy and fuel prices in this State further compound a pre-existing cost-of-living crisis that has been going on for the last number of years. We keep saying this but, cynically, when the election was over, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael introduced a budget that left people worse off. Most cruelly, people with disabilities were left €1,400 worse off. The Government dropped supports for ordinary workers and families and left people high and dry with growing food bills and rocketing electricity and gas bills. A record number of people are now unable to pay their electricity bills.”
“The hypocrisy in the EU in relation to Israel’s apartheid and genocidal regime knows no bounds. While billions are traded with that apartheid regime, Israeli leaders, some Cabinet members and military leaders are wanted for war crimes. Unfortunately, today the EU is stained with the blood of the Palestinian and Lebanese people. The EU cannot avoid its responsibility and its complicity in this genocide.”