Paula Butterly
Louth · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I thank the Minister for the updates. It is important to note that there is going to be more extensive engagement with students. I recently met a group of students from County Louth. We had a lively, truthful and open conversation, particularly with the boys who are attending all-boys schools.”
“I, too, welcome the scoping exercise in relation to the allegations of sexual abuse made against Michael Shine. Like the Tánaiste, I was struck by the words of the victims and survivors in noting that finally, they had been heard. I was also struck by their saying that finally, they had been believed.”
“I thank the Minister for that information and join her in congratulating the Lourdes hospital for getting on top of the issue of waiting lists and for the good work all the staff are doing, led by the new general manager.”
“Our Lady of Lourdes serves about 360,000 people in its catchment area at the moment and I believe that is growing rapidly. Going back to the idea that it is effectively a model 4 hospital while being classed as model 3, there is a case for looking at and expanding the services in Our Lady of Lourdes and making it a model 4 hospital.”
“The Minister is exactly right. We have food and drink of the highest quality produced at a local level by great producers in County Louth. The core element to producing this food and drink is our farmers. Our farmers are struggling at the moment, particularly those in the tillage sector.”
“It is great that 34% of tourism funding is directed towards food and drink, but that also highlights the scope we have to develop it even further. As a result, I welcome this strategy. However, a strategy is only as good as its implementation.”
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“There is merit whereby for serial offenders who are using this kind of revolving door and have had a number of convictions, perhaps we should make them pay back their free legal aid in some way. That is something we need to explore. I also note the Minister’s comments in his opening statement in regard to the recommendations by the justice committee on the complete and unconditional ban on the use of counselling notes in criminal trials. This recommendation was not made lightly but was a result of consultation and listening to witnesses from various bodies, and most importantly from people – women – who have been victims of sexual violence. These were harrowing stories that no one should ever have to hear, much less have to experience.”
“There are many aspects of this Bill that I welcome. In particular, in relation to so-called sex for rent, I welcome the protections that will be afforded to people who are victims of such behaviour by ruthless landlords. I also welcome the detail in regard to the complex network analysis, CNA, techniques in locating missing persons. Unfortunately, there are a number of constituents of mine in County Louth who still have family members who are missing and I really hope this is of benefit to them. I also welcome section 31 amending the Schedule to the Bail Act, which will add the offences of coercive control and forced marriage. This will be hugely beneficial and it has been an oversight. Deputy Lawless made a point that is something I have reflected on in the past.”
“The Glyde, the Fane and the Boyne are just a few of the rivers, not to mention the streams, that continue to pose a serious risk to public health and environmental quality. I have raised this issue again and again. As Deputy Barry Ward said of his constituency, when it rains today, tomorrow and the following week, we will see dirty water overflowing and coming down through our rivers and out to the sea. Blackrock residents will not be able to bathe there. We continue to raise these issues but we are not being listened to.”
“Following a recent meeting with constituents, serious concerns were again raised about the pump station and the treatment plant. Mount Avenue, Dundalk and Blackrock residents have continuously been in contact with Uisce Éireann and my office to talk about the capacity, or rather the lack of capacity. They do not believe the new developments will be fit for purpose as a result of the service failures. There are chronic failures and delays. Communities across the county continue to face repeated water outages, bursts and wastewater contamination incidents. Without any binding repair timelines, these failures are undermining the confidence in new housing delivery and public services. Worst of all, perhaps, are the prolonged discharges of raw and partially treated wastewater into rivers and coastal waters.”
“We have water, water everywhere, except flowing through the pipes and down through the taps in County Louth. I fear I will be very repetitive, like many of my colleagues. As Deputy Barry Ward said about previous speakers, I am about to take the Minister of State on a whistle-stop tour, this time of County Louth. While I recognise that Uisce Éireann committed €28 million to Drogheda last year, the problems are so long and so vast that three minutes is not enough. I will point out the housing growth pressure issue. County Louth is ahead of its social housing targets and the number of private houses is growing at a rapid rate throughout the county. Yet, we see that the infrastructure is not keeping pace with the growth of houses in the county. Constituents' concerns in Dundalk have been treated with what I can only describe as disdain.”
“To return to my initial point, in these times of turmoil and uncertainty how will international aid be affected in the coming 12 months or the 12 months beyond that? While some countries may choose to turn their backs on countries like Sudan and Ukraine, others may feel paralysed to act or intimidated by bigger players. Ireland must stand strong on its humanitarian principles. We must continue to increase funding to those that have a greater need. Ireland must use its voice at all costs to call out the wrongful actions and unlawful actions of all those that perpetrate them.”
“An estimated 16,000 children are dead due to lack of HIV-AIDS funding; 160,000 children are dead as a result of pneumonia; 150,000 children are dead because of malnutrition; 52,000 children are dead as a result of malaria; and, extraordinarily, 125,000 children are dead as a result of diarrhoea. The sad reality is that we may never know the true cost of human life as a result of these cuts, as many of the systems that once tracked deaths and diseases in developing countries have simply ceased to exist. The Minister should think of the ramifications, not only for the people of these countries but what it could mean for us here at home. If these systems no longer exist, how can we track and trace current or future diseases? What impact could that have on us here at home in Ireland?”
“The Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, have said that providing aid to these countries is not just beneficial, it is not something that just soothes our souls, but it is a practical and common-sense approach as it will bear fruit in the long term as the goal is that these countries will in time be operating as sustainable and growing economies. Insufficient humanitarian aid costs lives. If the Ceann Comhairle will permit me, I would like to drive home this point with a few numbers. The Impact Counter estimates that over 750,000 deaths have arisen as a result in cuts to USAID alone.”
“As my colleague, Deputy Barry Ward, said, this is a very wide-ranging debate but I would like to focus on international aid. In 2024, the US made $82 billion in contribution under USAID. In 2025, it was just under $20 billion. Other European countries and Great Britain also announced major cuts in their contribution which means it is estimated that only 29% of global humanitarian funding needs are being met. In a world that is changing before our eyes, how are we even going to possibly believe we will be in a position to meet the vast humanitarian needs that require increased, not decreased, funding?”
“We need to get it right first time and make sure that when a child goes to a new school, it is the right fit. There is nothing more disturbing for a child than being in a place they do not belong.”
“I acknowledge all the work being done in the Minister of State's Department to get more resources and places on line. It goes to show we cannot keep up with the need and demand that is there. When I spoke to Miceál, the principal of St. Ita's, he made another point. He said that while everybody accepts the portal and the process being followed in order to meet demand, every time a child applies for a place in St. Ita's, the parents and child are invited into the school months before they are supposed to start. The piece of paper will say one thing - it may be an indication of the need for a special school or additional supports - but nothing will replace the knowledge and experience of a teacher or principal. We have to find a way to maintain the collaboration of the principals and teachers who are involved in this process.”
“I truly thank the Minister of State for the reply and look forward to a proactive approach from the NCSE and local SENOs to finding a solution to those individual cases. As the Minister of State said, anxiety is being caused to families by so many issues. If we can alleviate it and make sure these children, who are very special, have the right structures in place, are not delayed any further and get their places in September, that will be a huge achievement for the child and the family. On Monday, I visited St. Ita's Special School in Drogheda, which has been in existence for over 60 years. I looked at the design for the new build it will share with St. Mary's. It is truly extraordinary but it struck me that before the build is complete, it will already be at capacity, which shows the extraordinary need that exists.”
“The Minister of State knows how essential early intervention it is to a child's progression and development. Children cannot afford to stay at home and stay still for a year without knowing. I would like to think this is just one exceptional case but unfortunately there has been a further case in my constituency. I believe this is going to be the case across the island. My ask is quite simple: can the portal be reopened temporarily to allow for these assessments to be put through, if available? We know that the waiting lists for assessments are to the detriment of the children, the parents and the family members in the communities. Can the portal be reopened? If not, can we give instructions to the NCSE to work on a case-by-case basis to find a suitable place for these children in September 2026?”
“I raise an issue on behalf of one of my constituents who is quite literally pulling out her hair because she has no idea where or if she will place her child in a special school next September. We know that parents of children with special needs face many challenges and one of them is the assessments. Through no fault of her own, last October she knew she was going to miss the deadline because her child has been on a waiting list for an assessment. She made clear to the NCSE that this was going to be the case but only last week she received notice that there is no place for her child in September 2026. As one can imagine, this has caused untold anxiety because she cannot wait and her child cannot wait for a year, staying at home or wondering where to place the child.”
“There is a practical side to this too, because in County Louth the nursing homes are full. The waiting lists are long. If people ring a nursing home today to look for a place for a loved one, the home will ask if they have started looking in County Meath or County Dublin because the waiting lists in some cases are closed. We are not addressing that issue because the demand is so strong. I believe we are handing over our care to too many private companies. We have to look at the community model once again. The issue, in essence, stems from the fact that if we give people the option to be able to stay in their home and use their asset to provide for the care in their home, we alleviate the pressure on the nursing homes and we guarantee the best type of care to people in our society.”
“I am looking for a statutory footing on which we would adopt a fair deal scheme to allow people to stay in their homes. It might seem complicated, but at the same time, I do not think it needs to be overly complicated. This is a scheme where I believe an entity like Revenue could be brought in. At the same time, we provide a value of the asset, which is the home, which evaluates the care, and we pay the nursing homes. If we come in and have an agency taking care of our parents or loved ones, we are invoicing them and we can upload it to Revenue, surely there is some way to make a scheme that is simple and effective for families so they are provided with care in their homes and can stay in their homes, hopefully to their very last breath? They would not go into nursing homes until the very last second.”
“We know that people thrive in their homes and are healthier for longer when they are able to stay in their homes, but the unfortunate reality is that the cost of getting somebody to stay in the home with their loved one and provide that care is way beyond the means of the vast majority of people. We have the fair deal scheme, which is very effective, but now we are seeing that people who do not necessarily have to go into a nursing home at a particular stage are now seeking to apply for the fair deal scheme and go into a nursing home because the alternative is not there. Two or three calls a day are no longer sufficient. The family cannot make up those gaps. Therefore, the alternative is to seek a place in the nursing home.”
“It seems that once the street lights finish, people do not want to travel further and further into the rural areas. One of the reasons for that could be the fact that many of these agencies are not paying mileage to their staff. As a result, it is a far more efficient use of their time to do three or four calls in Drogheda or Dundalk rather than spending 20 or 25 minutes travelling to Togher or Tallanstown to do one call for half an hour, only to come back into town to do the rest of the calls. That is an issue the length and breadth of the country, not just in County Louth. I wish to speak about the most important gap in the Bill. I am grateful that we have somebody who may call for half an hour two or three times a day but with the passage of time, some of our loved ones will need more care.”
“I thank the carers and the home helps who come into our homes and take such good care of our mothers, fathers and loved ones. Without them, quite frankly, I am not sure if I or my family could function properly day to day. That is my first thought on this Bill. Overall, the Bill is very positive. It is timely that the sector is regulated. I still see some gaps, however. First and foremost - I have heard my colleague speak about this - the time stops and gaps of half an hour, three quarters of an hour or an hour two or three times a day need to be looked at further and addressed. In rural areas, constituent after constituent comes to me to tell me that their mum or dad has been approved for a home care package, which is in place, yet they cannot find the staff.”
“It is based on rail, Deputy Mac Lochlainn. With a population of 140,000, County Louth is growing and houses are spawning at an accelerated rate. Our businesses are growing and we are attracting businesses into the county, month after month. However, our two train stations are jammed. There is no parking and there is no facility. I listened earlier when the Minister of State talked about how we have to be ambitious, and we are ambitious, but it is now time to have a serious conversation about a third railway station. We have the land zoned in Drogheda and it would make sense to have another train station in Drogheda, or north of it. However, if we are truly ambitious, surely we should consider a brownfield site half way between Dundalk and Drogheda and really plan for the future.”
“When I want to take a bus or train from Belfast to Dublin, Dundalk or Drogheda, the routes have improved. By rail or bus, they are absolutely excellent and even on the hour. However, if I want to go from east to west, from Clogherhead to Dunleer or Ardee and on to Trim or Kells, there are no buses and no public services to enable people to get to work or to get to medical appointments. I have written again and again to the NTA with no reply. If there is any reply, it is saying they have no plans to develop any services east to west within County Louth, or even connecting County Louth to County Meath. I find this extraordinary when we are trying to encourage people to use more public transport. There is the cost to car owners and to people who have to take time off work to bring loved ones to medical appointments.”
“How is the Department ensuring that Tusla family support services, youth services, addiction services such as the Red Door, and domestic violence support services continue to work in an integrated and properly resourced way in the town?”
“Drogheda has experienced deep and persistent challenges linked to intergenerational addiction, domestic abuse and violence, particularly in communities that have faced long-term social and economic disadvantage. The Drogheda Implementation Board was a welcome and necessary intervention. It brought additional resources and enhanced policing. However, as that implementation phase has concluded, there is serious concern locally about what happens next, especially for the children and families living with the long-term consequences of trauma, addiction and violence. Intergenerational harm does not end when a plan ends. What specific steps is the Department taking to address intergenerational addiction, abuse and violence in Drogheda following the conclusion of the Drogheda Implementation Board?”
“The M1 corridor is uniquely positioned to attract new FDI. We have the lands and talent, as well as the proximity not just to two large cities but also the airports. This is an area in which I welcomed, during engagement throughout the summer with ESB Networks, its announcement of a commitment to invest €90 million. That will take us into the next five years but not the next ten years, however. It is about continued investment. It is great to have a plan for the next ten years, but we must think longer term than that. We must continually invest. Those quarterly reports will be essential to delivery, and it will all be about delivery. A total of 7,000 homes are ready to be built in Drogheda around the port access northern cross route, PANCR, and IDA Ireland is ready to develop the lands and attract FDI.”
“We will not be able to deliver new houses like, for example, phases 3 and 4 of the port access northern cross route, PANCR, in Drogheda, which suggests 700,000 homes.”
“I welcome all these updates, in particular the largest investment. I also welcome the fact that this is going to be monitored and that the Minister will receive quarterly reports because without a robust energy delivery, we are going to find ourselves in great difficulty going into the future. For example, the Minister, Deputy Burke, launched in May 2025 the Silicon Island project. This is a very ambitious project. This is something that will take us into the realms of new jobs and new prospects for our economy. We need to have the nuts and bolts, however, and I believe this Department has the nuts and bolts for every other Department to work efficiently. If we do not have that Department working not just efficiently but delivering efficiently, then we are not in a position to progress new jobs, such as in semiconductors.”
“Can the Minister provide us with an update on the capital investment allocations for electricity grid upgrades under the national development plan, and the way in which these decisions support Ireland's renewable energy targets and, most importantly, our security of supply?”
“I would love a further opportunity to discuss this with the Tánaiste and the Ministers for agriculture and enterprise. It is possible. It would be good for the industry, both the brewers and the tillage farmers.”
“I could not but help but put my hand to ask a further question when I heard a Deputy talk about something being fundamentally Irish. When I hear the words "whiskey" and "beer", I am automatically reminded of the farmers and tillage farmers in particular. While I know this is a request that will require cross-consultation with the Minister for Finance, the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, and the Minister for enterprise, Deputy Peter Burke, we have to look at an incentive or a tax regime that will allow tillage farmers to produce and provide the grains necessary to the brewery system. We cannot have whiskey and beer produced in Ireland that is primarily made from imported grain. We have find an incentive so that we can use Irish grains in Irish whiskey. A solution has been found in Scotland. There is a case for it.”
“We have to keep going, but I am also very positive about the number of initiatives that have been taken over the last 12 months: the commitment from the ESB, the commitment from Uisce Éireann, and phases 1 and 2 of the port area northern cross route, PANCR, about to get going. I sincerely hope that phases 3 and 4 will receive the Government funding they need.”
“This is not only about bricks and mortar. This is about restoring vibrancy and safety. Let us not undervalue the fact that when we get our town centres regenerated, working again and bustling, there will be the important effect of passive surveillance. People feel safer on the streets, but also at night-time, when you have people living above the shop. There is an added layer of security. When I say it is not only about bricks and mortar, it is about reviving communities. It is about faith and confidence in the local economy. Drogheda and Dundalk have huge potential. A lot of it has been undervalued in Drogheda.”
“When these maps are sent in by the local authority, and I have it on good authority - pardon the pun - that Louth is ready to submit these maps to the Department for review, I ask that we take into consideration not the here and now, not a restrictive town centre with a couple of streets here and there, but the expansion out towards the settlement boundaries, and that we are planning for today but also for tomorrow and for ten years. Let us make the most of this initiative and give the businesses and the communities the possibility of reaping the benefits of such an initiative.”
“When two of the five towns identified are Dundalk and Drogheda in such a wee county, the Tánaiste can obviously imagine that the wee county is jumping for joy because we see this as a vote of confidence in the county in the famous, or infamous, M1 corridor. Drogheda and Dundalk have huge potential but let us acknowledge the fact that we have a lot of underutilised and older buildings - a lot of stock that can be regenerated.”
“As it is my first time to address and put a question to the Tánaiste as Minister for Finance, I wish him very well in his new role. On budget day, Dundalk and Drogheda were cited as two of the towns that will be part of the new living cities initiative. Will the Tánaiste be so kind as to outline the next steps and how we will get it up and running in 2026?”
“It is the basis of our economy. It is the basis of what supports our services and gives us the opportunity to offer more than was offered to those who came before us. We hear about arbitration, and this is an amendment to an Arbitration Act, which will allow us to establish even deeper roots in countries like Canada and Chile and expand our horizons once again across the globe. It will ensure our trade agreements and economy continue to grow. It will ensure we have funds and money in the kitty to expand our services and have an optimistic future outlook. I support this amendment Bill. I will take the Chair to allow the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, Deputy Ó Murchú, to contribute.”
“The terms "corporate", "investors" and "investments" have been bandied about as if they are somehow damaging and limiting the Irish economy. That is absolutely not the case. In the last couple of years, we have turned to consider corporations, business and trade to be bad. However, trade is good. The Irish have been globetrotting across the world for the past couple of centuries. Indeed, it is because the Irish have travelled across the globe and formed unique relationships with different countries that we are now in a position to settle on trade agreements and work on and expand them. Yet, somehow it has entered into our lexicon that trade is bad and offers nothing to the Irish consumer and employee. I dispute that. Trade, being good, offers jobs, opportunities and a future to our children and grandchildren.”
“Before I outline the reasons I will support this Bill, I will pause for a moment and reflect on the words and comments made by our Opposition colleagues. The discussion today has muddied the waters. We have heard our sovereignty and democracy are under threat. I dispute this because what we have before us is an arbitration Bill, which sets out what happens when two parties are in dispute. However, when our Opposition colleagues were talking, it seemed as if there are not two to tango here but there will only ever be one side domineering and dictating to us how a lawsuit will go ahead and what the exact outcome will be. Other Opposition Deputies spoke about parallel universes. Some of the comments made were so fantastical I thought I was being transported into the spider-verse.”
“We need to be creating vibrant spaces that will transform the way we live but will also add a wow factor to Dublin, Drogheda, Dundalk, Cork, Galway and all the other towns and cities. It would be a leading light in how we decide how to regenerate these areas and, indeed, we could be a leading figure in such a project.”
“These examples show how relocating port functions can successfully unlock valuable waterfront areas for residential, cultural and commercial use. Indeed, Drogheda port area is crying out for such redevelopment and it could transform the town. Returning to my call for exciting urban design and higher density, I am calling on the Minister to launch an international architectural competition, drawing in architectural talent from across the globe. We do not have to go very far. Róisín Heneghan from Belmullet, County Mayo, was recently the key architect in the Grand Egyptian Museum, bringing glory and a wow factor back into the city of Cairo. This is what we need.”
“The housing plan 2025 to 2030 presents a valuable opportunity to rethink how we design and deliver homes in a sustainable way. A key element must be a shift towards building up rather than building out, ensuring we protect greenfield land while promoting compact growth. This does not mean high-rise development but well-designed, high-density urban living that fits the character and scale of our town and cities. It is time we explored how ports like that in Dublin could be relocated and reconfigured, as has been achieved in other parts of Ireland. For example, the Port of Cork has shifted most of its operations from the city quays to Ringaskiddy, freeing up significant dockland space for regeneration. Similarly, Waterford Port moved its commercial activities from the city centre to Belview, which opened the way for new urban development.”
“The Irish Academy of Engineers has called for nuclear energy through SMRs in the future to ensure we can cope with our growing energy dependence and our goals of reducing to net zero carbon emissions. The programme for Government commits to exploring funding models for the renewable electricity support scheme and the public service obligation levy, which would help reduce electricity bills for households and businesses. There are opportunities we cannot ignore. Therefore, we must explore nuclear energy as our future.”
“For a moment, let us acknowledge, perhaps, the negative aspects of nuclear energy. I believe that is essentially fear of what people thought about nuclear energy in the past. Let me also point out the reasons for nuclear energy. The fluctuations of energy production are a key issue for renewables. In order to keep a steady power flow, grid operators currently have to turn to other sources such as fossil fuels when demand exceeds the supply generated by renewables. Small modular reactors could indeed be our future. The average SMR is designed to operate for 60 years, with minimal maintenance, which means fewer disruptions and a stable energy output.”
“The Celtic interconnector will connect the Irish electricity grid from France. The cable will have enough capacity to power up to 500,000 homes. Within the next three years, we will be importing from France and Britain. Indeed, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, said this year that the interconnector is a major strategic infrastructure project that will play an important role in Ireland's energy security, which is expected to be operational by 2028. This is absolutely great news, but is it not time that the grown ups had a conversation about developing our own nuclear capacity? Nuclear fusion energy is still in the early stages, but it could be an energy source of the future. It is important that Ireland be prepared to incorporate nuclear energy early so that it can potentially transition to fusion reactors in the future.”
“Deputy Barry Ward - To discuss overcapacity and reliability issues on the E1 and E2 bus routes operated by Dublin Bus. Deputy Louis O'Hara - To discuss the continued closure of Dunguaire Castle, Kinvara, County Galway. Deputy Colm Burke - To discuss supports for HSE workers with long Covid. Deputies Louise O'Reilly, Martin Kenny - To discuss the limits of carer's allowance for carers resident in the North of Ireland caring for residents of the Republic of Ireland. The matters raised by Deputies Louis O'Hara, Mark Wall, Paul Nicholas Gogarty, John Lahart and Louise O'Reilly and Martin Kenny have been selected for discussion”
“I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Conor Sheehan - To discuss punctuality issues on the 304A bus service in Limerick city. Deputy Keira Keogh - To discuss establishing an NCT centre in Erris, County Mayo. Deputy Mark Wall - To discuss the lack of school places in Scoil Mhuire, Allenwood, County Kildare. Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the lack of respite beds available 24-7 to families of children and-or adults with special needs in County Kerry. Deputy John Lahart - To discuss the need to strengthen taxi legislation and regulation. Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty - To discuss funding for Deansrath Family Centre to build an early childhood and family centre.”
“The Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage has completed its consideration of the following Supplementary Estimate for Public Services for the service of the year ending on 31 December 2025: Vote 34.”
“As Martin Luther King once said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." If we are serious about our commitment to being a bastion of humanitarianism and an example to nations turning ever more inward, we must become an enemy of injustice through our kindness and help. We must become a friend to the suffering through our assistance. We must become a foundation for humanitarian values through our generosity and we must become a contributor to the future of fragile nations through our commitment to peace, equality and respect. This is a call to conscience and a call to action. We cannot look away. We cannot let fatigue or infighting dull our sense of urgency and duty. If we fail, it is not just Sudan that loses. It is we and society in general that will lose.”
“Sudan should not be any exception. It desperately needs our help. It is, therefore, imperative that we continue to fund and get these supports through so that these projects can thrive and allow our humanitarian aid to preserve life in war zones and promote peace across the globe. If our neutrality allows us to afford prosperity, it should also allow us to afford generosity. Humanitarian aid is not just a charity. It is a projection of our values an ideas as a people and a nation. Our opposition to violence and tragedy must be acted upon in ways that have a material effect. Very often, words are not enough. Token gestures do not save lives. Helping hands on the ground are what make the difference and our humanitarian aid is our vessel for supplying that.”
“In Sudan, mothers and pregnant women are under siege. Their survival is threatened and their freedoms are restricted and denied. These freedoms should never be denied and we should always endeavour to ensure they have the aid so that, in the coming years, not only will this conflict end but Sudan can recover and actually hope to be able to rebuild. As it stands, pregnant women cannot reach clinics. Sexual violence is rampant. Abuse of women is becoming just another everyday occurrence throughout the country. Therefore, I implore the Minister of State to continue to aid these women and to focus on these issues so lives may be saved and further tragedies prevented. Our Government continues - I am very grateful for this - to assist in countries in humanitarian need. Even in times of crisis, we do our best to find ways.”
“Recent aid to Mozambique, for example, has been used to treat conditions like pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication that, if untreated, is deadly. An investment there for €4 million was used to train 450 maternal health workers and screened 115,000 pregnant women. One project under our aid for maternal health in Mozambique has saved the lives of 5,000 mothers in one year alone. These are lives saved because we chose to act. Similar projects in Sudan go against the unfortunate tide of death ripping through that country and give the invaluable gift of life and youth to a nation when it needs it the most in such horrific and tragic times. Access to safe childbirth is one of the primary guarantors for a nation to survive and recover from a terrible tragedy. The ongoing conflict threatens to overturn the progress we have made so far.”