Pauline Tully
Cultural and Educational Panel · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“I acknowledge that there have been huge improvements on what is available for women, compared with a few years ago when there was nothing, but still far too often conditions affecting women are seen as a specialty or mystery when there is a range of supports and advice that women could receive through primary and community care services.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire chuig an Seanad. I welcome the Bill. We will be fully supporting it. It makes sense. It will reduce barriers for women and make access to contraception easier, which is always going to be welcome. It will also ease pressure on primary care.”
“We need to look at a better public transport system, especially looking after our older people in isolated communities. Even to support our rural pub, we need to look at some sort of incentive for a taxi service that is affordable for people, so we can maintain our rural pubs and look after our older people.”
“Community and voluntary services on the ground, which are vital for providing supports and services to many sectors of the community, including older people and younger people, are not seeing sufficient funding to help them to keep running, to recruit and retain staff within the youth sector, for example, to maintain buildings if they hav…”
“The motion that we have put forward is very broad and covers many aspects that affect us in rural life. I too am astounded by the amendment tabled by the Government because it does not call for anything, which gives the impression that everything that is needed is there, yet many colleagues across the room here ask for more gardaí in thei…”
“Sláintecare is being rolled out too slowly, so we need to see proper resourcing of community healthcare. It avoids people ending up in acute healthcare settings, which are overcrowded. I see a dangerous trend where many people are being referred from areas such as Cavan and Monaghan to Dublin for acute care.”
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“The parents are told that if they do not undertake the next training session, which may be one they have already undertaken, their children will be removed from the list or moved down the list. There is this sort of threat over them. As I said, parents are happy to do what they need to do, but they are not trained psychologists, speech and language therapists, occupational therapists or whichever professional the child may require. Some services are being outsourced, and this is causing a problem in itself. Some of the therapists are leaving the service and going private because it is more profitable for them. Parents are trying to access the supports privately, which is putting a huge financial burden on them. However, they have to do it because they realise that early intervention for their child is so important.”
“That is welcome but these parents are not seeing that in the interactions on the ground. One parent told me that she had a meeting last week with two psychologists employed in the CDNT, who hold less than one whole-time equivalent position between them. She met with the two and asked them why they were meeting with her and not with her child. It turns out that one of those psychologists has never had any meetings or support sessions with a child. The meetings with parents and training courses are important. Parents are willing to participate in those so that they are in the best position to help their children. However, that is all they are getting. Children are not getting the one-to-one therapy they require.”
“They should not have to fight for their children all the time but they are forced to. These parents tell me that 578 assessments of need, AON, reports are overdue in Cavan-Monaghan, 511 of which have been overdue for more than three months. Only 12 AONs were carried out in the first quarter of 2026. Thousands are on the waiting list for AONs across the country and Cavan-Monaghan is no different. As the group has pointed out, delayed assessment wastes time when children should be accessing vital supports. Even those children who do have these assessments are not getting the therapies and supports they require. These children deserve support not waiting lists. The group has said that, while staff numbers within the CDNT were dismal a few years ago, they have improved majorly in the last few years.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. Last Friday morning, I attended a protest in Cavan town. It happened to be all mothers who were there. It was organised by mothers of children with additional needs. They were pointing out that they are not getting the supports and therapies they require from the children's disability network team, CDNT, based in Cavan. The longer children go without supports, the more complex their difficulties become. Families are finding it difficult to engage without supports and schools are finding it difficult because they are not getting the supports either. They are struggling as they try to provide the best form of education for these young people. This is the fourth protest the group has held in a year. Parents are just trying to highlight what is happening. They do not have the time or energy for this.”
“I move amendment No. 12: In page 11, between lines 27 and 28, to insert the following: “(5A) When making an order under subsection (5), the Minister shall lay the code of practice, together with an explanatory memorandum outlining the safeguards, limitations and parameters governing the use of biometric analysis and biometric categorisation, before each House of the Oireachtas.”.”
“This amendment proposes that the first review of the code of practice should take place after two years rather than after five years.”
“These additions strengthen the requirements in relation to the code of practice by requiring strict limits, objective evidential thresholds, anti-discrimination safeguards, technical accuracy standards and full authorisation ensuring biometric powers remain properly controlled, transparent and accountable. Amendment No. 12 is a complementary amendment setting out what should be covered by the code of practice and stipulating that democratic oversight requires that the code of practice be laid before the Oireachtas covering safeguards that were outlined previously. Regarding amendment No. 13, five years is too long to wait for the first review of the code of practice for the use of this new technology given concerns about potential overreach, discrimination and data protection.”
“11, it is not satisfactory that so much of this legislation is left to a code of practice. It moves away from the sphere of democratic oversight. Because so much is left to the code of practice, there is lack of detail on safeguards, data limits, oversight and practical rules for device use. The section on the code of practice gives too much discretion to the Garda Commissioner, who drafts, amends and controls the consultation process for codes that regulate Garda powers. Safeguards are not fixed in legislation to leave crucial limits on biometric use retention and access.”
“I move amendment No. 11: 11. In page 10, between lines 18 and 19, to insert the following: “(ba) clear and specific limits on the circumstances in which biometric analysis or biometric categorisation may be used, including prohibitions on use for general surveillance, population-level monitoring, or speculative searches, (bb) objective thresholds and evidential standards that must be met before any biometric analysis may be initiated, (bc) safeguards to prevent disproportionate or discriminatory impacts, including mandatory risk assessment procedures, (bd) technical and operational parameters governing accuracy, reliability, and error rate thresholds, (be) mandatory documentation, authorisation procedures and audit trails to ensure accountability and prevent misuse,”. On amendment No.”
“As has been done with other technology, including body cams used by gardaí, it is crucial that prior to deployment across the State, there is a pilot programme that will evaluate the accuracy and effectiveness of the technology as well as identifying any issue that may need to be addressed prior to its wider roll-out.”
“I move amendment No. 10: In page 9, after line 36, to insert the following: “Pilot Programme for Biometric Categorisation Technologies 10. The Minister shall ensure that no national deployment of biometric categorisation technologies shall occur until a pilot programme has been completed and independently evaluated, including assessments of— (a) accuracy and error rates, (b) discriminatory impacts, (c) compliance with data protection law, and (d) impacts on privacy and fundamental rights, and the evaluation shall be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.”.”
“Caithfimid a chinntiú go mbeidh poist agus tithíocht nua-aimseartha ar fáil dóibh, chomh maith leis na seirbhísí a ghabhann leo, lena n-airítear scoileanna, siopaí, eaglaisí, tithe tábhairne, clubanna agus araile. Tá talamh ag an údarás is féidir a úsáid anois chun déileáil leis an ghéarchéim, ach ní luíonn an jab seo leis an údarás amháin. Tá dualgais ar an Stát agus ar na comhairlí contae chomh maith. Is gá don údarás iad a spreagadh chun gnímh. Tá ról ag Uisce Éireann, ESB Networks agus eagraíochtaí eile nach iad chun tús áite a thabhairt don Ghaeltacht le tógáil tithe sa Ghaeltacht a éascú agus a thapú. Más gá le ciste ar leith chun sin a dhéanamh, is gá le ciste ar leith. Tá súil agam nach mbeidh aon mhoill ar an dul chun cinn seo agus muid ag fanacht ar an toghchán don bhord úr, ach a mhalairt.”
“Chuir Sinn Féin leasuithe chun cinn ar an Bhille seo sa Dáil, ach dhiúltaigh an tAire leo. Bhíomar ag iarraidh a chinntiú go mbeadh ionadaíocht chinnte ag gach ceann de na ceantair Ghaeltachta. Ba cheart go mbeadh toghcheantair ag Ráth Chairn agus An Rinn. Ba cheart go mbeadh ionadaíocht chothrom idir fhir agus mhná ag leibhéal bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta amach anseo. Bhí tacaíocht an choiste Gaeilge leis na moltaí sin, ach rinne an tAire neamhaird orthu. Is é an fáth go bhfuilimid ag an phointe seo ná gur scrios bord snip - Fine Gael agus Labour - an daonlathas sa chéad dul síos in 2012. Agus na toghcháin ag teacht ar ais arís, is gá díriú arís go dian ar theaghlaigh agus lánúin óga a choimeád sna ceantair seo.”
“Ó bunaíodh an Stát, bhí síor-imirce, easpa post agus bochtaineacht ag bánú na gceantar Gaeltachta. Anois, ligeadh don domhan mór tithe samhraidh a cheannach gan srian, rud atá ag bánú na nGaeltachtaí níos mó arís. Ní féidir le lánúin tithe a cheannach, a fháil ar cíos nó a thógáil. Níl tithe ar fáil ach amháin ar Airbnb, nó ní mór do mhuintir na Gaeltachta a bheith iontach saibhir chun teach a cheannach. Tá an ghéarchéim seo ag cur na gcoláistí samhraidh i mbaol. Tá ról na mban tí lárnach sa Ghaeltacht ach, gan tithe, ní bheidh mná tí nua ann amach anseo. Tá an earnáil á cur i mbaol mar gheall ar pholasaí tithe an Rialtais. In ainneoin an róil lárnaigh atá ag Údarás na Gaeltachta i bpleanáil teanga, ní léir dom go bhfuil an Bille seo ag dul fada go leor maidir leis sin.”
“Tacaím leis an bhunfháth a bhfuil an Bille seo á chur os comhair an tSeanaid chun go mbeidh toghchán ann arís do bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta. Bhí Sinn Féin i gcoinne an chinnidh fáil réidh leis sa chéad dul síos. Táimid fós ag lorg go mbeadh bord iomlán an údaráis tofa agus go mbeadh cumhachtaí cuí ag Údarás na Gaeltachta chun an teanga náisiúnta agus na ceantair ina bhfuil sí fós beo a chosaint. Is léir go gceapann an tAire go bhfuil sé sin i gceist anseo, ach ní mar sin atá. Is léir go bhfuil gá anois le gníomh chun cuidiú le muintir na háite fanacht ina gceantair féin. Caithfear cinntiú go bhfuil tithe ar díol nó ar cíos le nach leanfaidh leis an bhánú atá ag tarlú sa Ghaeltacht. Tá dainséar nach mbeidh go leor páistí ina lán ceantar chun na scoileanna, siopaí, na cumainn lúthchleas Gael agus araile a chóiméad oscailte.”
“They are coming out of cities and so forth. People from a locality, especially family members of the land owner, should be allowed to build a lot easier. I have come across situations where they have had to jump through hoops to prove a connection to a local area. That should not be happening if they have grown up in that local area. They want to be close to their family and so on. The timing of utility connections is having a huge impact on the building of houses, as well as the lack of supports for small- or medium-sized developers in this country. Many of them find they cannot afford to build houses in the locality. In relation to Senator Flaherty, we are devising a drinking game that every time he mentions Sinn Féin in one of his speeches, we will have a drink. He will have to stop or we will end up as alcoholics.”
“The policy of providing serviced land on the outskirts of villages is a good one. It gives an option to people to live in their local community but still have serviced land and a village beside them and so on. There are cases where the council does not have any land banks next to villages or towns, so that needs to be addressed. We do not want to see the mistakes of the past repeated, where, under Fianna Fáil Governments, house building was allowed on flood plains. We now see the consequences of that when there is actual flooding within developments. In relation to once-off planning, I have come across cases - somebody mentioned it in the Chamber already - in which people who bought or built houses in rural areas with no connection to the locality end up making complaints about agricultural activity.”
“I welcome that the publication of the new planning guidelines will be later this year because this is well overdue. We have been waiting for about a decade for these guidelines. I welcome that they are going to be published and that they are subject to proper consultation and scrutiny. There is a lack of consistency across rural areas in the planning sections, and the Minister of State acknowledged this himself. In fact, there is a lack of consistency within county councils between the different planners. Many people brought up in rural areas do not want to live in the larger towns or in the cities. In many cases, they cannot afford to. They do not want to settle down in the towns and cities, especially after a few years. They want to move back to be close to relations for child minding and so forth.”
“Landowners cannot afford to do this. I am asking that this be raised with the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and I am calling for him to consider some form of financial support for farmers who have ash trees affected by ash dieback that need to be removed.”
“I was recently contacted by the elected members of Cavan County Council about their concerns about ash dieback in ash trees along the public road. They really feel, and I agree with them, that landowners should not be left with the financial cost of removing these trees. I know there is a scheme for forestry owners who are affected by ash dieback in their plantations, and that is obviously welcome, but there is no compensation for farmers or landowners whose trees have been affected by ash dieback in their hedgerows along the public road. There is a significant health and safety concern there for road users should these trees fall. It also could bring down power lines and cause outages again if there is another storm. It even involves the cost of removing these trees, which has to fall on the landowner.”
“People seem to go to hospital on a regular basis with an issue and are given painkillers and told to go home, and then have to return in a few days or a week later because the condition has worsened. I had a Commencement matter on a different issue a few weeks ago and neither the Minister of Health nor any of the Ministers of State from the Department of Health turned up, which I was really disappointed about. I call for a debate on acute medical care. I will also contact the Minister directly to intervene in this particular case. We need a debate on what is happening in our health service. We are supposed to be looking after people's health, not making it worse. I cannot understand the reluctance to deal with a very routine operation. She should have had those stones removed by keyhole surgery and avoided all of this unnecessary pain.”
“A stent was inserted into her kidney in Beaumont and she was told it would be in for a maximum of two months and she would then be brought back to have her kidney stones removed. A year on, she is still waiting for that. The stent is still in her kidney and has become infected. She went back to Cavan General Hospital on Friday for a routine scan and had to be kept in because she was so unwell. She was put on a ward yesterday, but had not yet seen a doctor as of midday today. She does not know what is happening. She does not know if she is being sent to Beaumont. If her issues had been addressed in a timely fashion she would not require additional medication and hospital stays which cost our health service money.”
“I want to raise the case of a woman in her 30s who is the mother of children, two of whom are very young. She is currently in Cavan General Hospital and has experienced pain for years due to kidney stones. The failure of the hospital and Beaumont Hospital has robbed her of her health and life because she has put up with years of antibiotics, painkillers and steroids while being told her case will be addressed. She has been in and out of hospital. A year ago, she was admitted to the hospital when very ill with an infection as a result of kidney stones. She had a recurrence of sepsis. Her partner and parents were called in one night because it was thought that she would not see the morning. Thankfully, she was rushed to Beaumont Hospital and the infection was brought under control.”
“Ireland is a neutral country and we should not allow our airspace to be an avenue for anybody to transfer weapons to any war anywhere in the world, particularly to this conflict where there is genocidal action against the people of Palestine. We should suspend all cultural and sporting relations with Israel, including participation in fixtures such as the UEFA Nations League game scheduled for later this year. It should not be down to individual team members to decide what action should be taken. FIFA should have taken that action or the Minister for foreign affairs should do so. We are told there will be consequences for the team. What about it? There are continuing consequences for the people of Palestine. They have suffered not just for a couple of years but for decades at the hands of Israeli regimes. It is time to call a halt.”
“The Government needs to take decisive concrete action to address Israel's failure to comply with both its international and moral obligations. Such measures should include implementing a comprehensive ban on all economic activity involving the illegal Israeli settlements. The occupied territories Bill has been delayed for eight years and, when it is implemented, it will be a watered-down version. We need to go back and implement it in its entirety. As Senator Black said, if Spain can do it, so can we, and we need to do it straight away. There must be a prohibition on the use of Irish airspace for the transit of weapons destined for Israel.”
“Last week, we saw the atrocious treatment by the Israeli regime of the Irish and other EU citizens who were abducted in international waters. That has rightly been condemned in this House. The motion does not go far enough. The EU has shown an absolute unwillingness to take meaningful economic or political measures to hold Israel accountable for its actions. There is complicity by several European states in what are widely regarded as illegal actions in Gaza. Several countries are still supplying weapons to Israel. Ireland must call this out, stand with our allies in Europe and take action. The time for talking is finished. We have all said the right things but that is not having any sort of impact.”
“I am sharing time with Senator Collins. I have absolutely no problem with the motion. There is nothing in it I oppose. We all agree with its calling out of the absolutely terrible treatment of the Palestinian people by the Israeli regime. More than 70,000 people have died and God knows how many have been injured. People have had life-changing injuries, including lost limbs and severe burns. The destruction of property is such that Gaza is flattened at this stage, with no effort being made to rebuild the country. Aid, including food and medical supplies, cannot get through. A ceasefire is supposed to be in place, yet Palestinians are still being killed in both Gaza and the West Bank, as are people in Lebanon.”
“You cannot request an inspection. You have to hope that your septic tank will be called. I am wondering whether this could be looked at. If you think your septic tank is not working, you can request the inspection and, therefore, get access to the grant if it fails the inspection. Otherwise, you are waiting and hoping that your septic tank might be inspected, and only a very limited number are inspected every year. It is a serious issue, both for human health and to the environment. It is something that could be looked at and I ask the Minister responsible to do so.”
“If it is a faulty system, it can contaminate drinking water from wells. There can also be a run-off into rivers and lakes. It is a risk to the environment as well because then our lakes and rivers are being polluted. If your septic tank or domestic wastewater treatment system is inspected and it fails, the local authority will issue an advisory note asking you to get it fixed and then you can apply for a grant to do so. The cost of repairing these systems can vary depending on where you live in the country because it depends on the type of land that your septic tank is in. It could cost anything from €5,000 up to €20,000 plus. There is a grant available, if you get this advisory note, of up to €12,000, which is a great help, but if you suspect that your septic tank is not working properly, there is no way of getting that inspection done.”
“I second the amendment to the Order of Business. I will raise an issue around a recent EPA report on domestic wastewater treatment system inspections in 2025. There are nearly half a million domestic wastewater treatment systems in the country. Most of them are septic tanks. Homeowners are required to register their septic tank with the local authority. The local authority is required by the EPA to carry out inspections but they only carry out a limited number every year. Most local authorities do and even carry out in excess of what they are required. There were three who did not carry out the required number last year, but they will have to do that this year. Of those inspected, 59% failed the inspection. If a septic tank is not working properly, it is a risk to human health.”
“What is the point of giving them security in a rental if they cannot afford it? Everyone should have tenure security but if they cannot afford to rent in the first place, there is absolutely no point. This is a never-ending cycle and we need some proper policies. We need a ban on no-fault evictions for a period of time until the Government gets its act together to provide sufficient social and affordable housing for the people of this country.”
“They end up moving in with parents, accessing emergency accommodation or leaving the country. Those who are over the threshold for social housing but do not earn enough to get a mortgage are completely caught. They have no support whatsoever and they cannot find somewhere to rent they can afford. They are faced with moving in with their parents or leaving the country. We need a lot more social housing and a lot more affordable housing on a large scale. The Act that was sold to us came into being in March. We were told there would be short-term pain for long-term gain but people have been suffering for a long time. It is not short-term pain. They are already suffering and they cannot suffer any more. They cannot afford to pay colossal rents that continue to rise.”
“Why would this amount of money be charged for a two-bedroom unfurnished apartment in the middle of rural Cavan? Why would it be advertised falsely as being for €1,100? As someone said to me, the situation is causing huge resentment and division in communities. People feel they are being treated differently depending on what supports they qualify for. The person went on to say that, regardless of nationality or background, the reality is the housing system is failing everyone trying to rent privately, and I absolutely agree. There are 1,157 people on the housing list in Cavan at the moment. Most of them have to wait years before they are housed by the local authority. They have to rent privately. They get the assistance of HAP but they cannot find a landlord who will accept HAP.”
“This is, perhaps, because the person who owns the house had it as their retirement policy. That is fine and they want to sell the house and enjoy their retirement. Perhaps the owner has a family member who needs a home. Whatever the reason is, when those families are evicted they have nowhere to go. Rents rose by 4.5% again in the first three months of the year. Cavan is one of six counties that has double-digit rent inflation on last year, at 10.6%. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is €1,245. I was contacted by a person looking for a rental property. An unfurnished two-bedroom apartment in a rural area of the county was advertised at €1,100 but when the person inquired, they were told it was €1,750 unless someone is in receipt of the accommodation recognition payment, ARP.”
“Evictions in the first three months of this year were up by 51%. In my county of Cavan there were 77 evictions in the first three months of the year. A total of 111 families have presented as homeless so far this year in my county. This is a mixture of families, couples and single people. Of these, 29 families or households had to access emergency accommodation. I have to commend Cavan County Council, which does its utmost to try to house people, avoid them having to go into emergency accommodation and help them find rentals. It is difficult and it is getting more difficult to find rentals that people can afford to live in. Rents continue to rise. People facing eviction who have been renting a house for a number of years at a reasonable rent are suddenly being evicted.”
“We have had a housing crisis in this country for some time and the reason for it is that Fianna Fáil crashed the economy in 2008 and decided to stop building houses. It had no foresight whatsoever and allowed our construction workers to leave the country and go elsewhere. Now we have in excess of 17,000 people in homeless accommodation, including 5,000 children. This does not count all the families who do not access emergency accommodation, including those who sleep on our streets, in their parents' box rooms and on their friends' sofas. There are also the people who are emigrating because they cannot afford to live here. The Minister speaks about constituents going into his office to tell him their stories. He has the power to do something about it but he is not doing it; he is making the situation ten times worse.”
“In relation to the next CAP, which Mr. Flanagan mentioned, what is the interpretation of an active farmer and will the MEPs oppose any payment cuts to farmers in receipt of pensions or to farm income? Regarding the nature restoration law, I feel there is a need for a separate fund to implement the law. Farmers do have concerns about it and how it is going to impact their holding, depending on what their neighbouring holding is doing. Funding for nature restoration needs to be independent of CAP funding. Do the MEPs agree with that?”
“Everyone agrees that we need to see increased investment in the Defence Forces and that there have been decades of neglect and underinvestment. However, we must not let the Government use this as a smokescreen to undermine our neutrality itself. Last week in Strasbourg, Sinn Féin MEPs highlighted an exhibition that endorsed an EU army. There was a uniformed mannequin dressed as a soldier with an EU flag on the uniform. The exhibition was promoting the use of EU funds for propping up the military industry. What are the MEPs' views, and the views of the groups they are part of, on the increased militarisation of Europe and the increased spending on arms, which could and should be spent on other issues such as housing, food security or environmental issues? There are many other more important issues that money should be spent on.”
“We saw our own citizens and citizens from other countries last week being treated extremely poorly when they were abducted from international waters, yet the EU is doing nothing about it. This is a breach and a violation of international law. Will the MEPs speak to their own speaking and voting record on this issue? Have they advocated for EU recognition of the State of Palestine? Regarding neutrality, Irish people are very proud of our neutrality. This feels threatened, not only by the talk from Government parties on ending the triple lock, but also by the moves in Europe to increase spending on militarisation. It is more important now than ever before to ensure our neutrality is both protected and respected by an increasingly militarised EU.”
“I would like to hear from each of the MEPs present about how they have engaged on the issue of Irish unity during their time in Europe so far and what they have done to push for the continuation of the PEACEPLUS programme, given that there is a potential funding gap beyond 2027. I know Ms Carberry mentioned it. I wonder whether this gap can be filled to ensure there is continued funding. The EU was born out of a mission for peace and represents itself as a peace project, yet it has been so inconsistent in calling out violations of international law. Mr. Mullooly mentioned how over 72,000 people have been killed in Gaza. There is genocide going on there, not to mention the West Bank, Lebanon and so forth.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh na Feisirí Eorpacha go dtí an Seanad inniu. Is deis é seo chun scrúdú a dhéanamh ar na naisc idir Rialtas na hÉireann agus an tAontas Eorpach agus breathnú ar na naisc idir muintir na hÉireann agus an Aontas Eorpach. I will begin my comments by addressing Irish unity. I will start by saying Ireland's Presidency of the European Union is a historic opportunity to focus on Irish unity. It cannot be allowed to be just six months of chairing meetings and putting on a show for Europe. It must be seen as a unique opportunity to be ambitious and bold and to proudly represent Irish interests. It has been ten years since Brexit, when the North of Ireland was dragged out of the EU against its will and it created a democratic deficit that remains unresolved.”
“Their parents cannot afford to pay for them privately. Students' unions do great work supporting students in our colleges, but they are under pressure. They say they are acting almost like letting agencies because student accommodation is such a big issue and they are trying to support so many students. That puts a lot of pressure on their ability to support students on other issues. In fact, in a number of colleges they have had to open food banks. That is very serious. There should be more supports given to students' unions to support students. What we need are more interventions in the area of affordable and available accommodation, and cost-of-living supports for students who are finding it difficult to make ends meet.”
“I understand that someone who has just moved here might not be entitled to this kind of support but this is someone who was born and reared here and whose parents have contributed to the economy. He should be entitled to SUSI. He has applied again this year and I hope he will be successful. If not, I may come back to the Minister to seek some guidance on the case. Another young girl was not born here but has been here since she was seven or eight years of age. Most of her schooling was done here and she is in the same situation. Her parents, who are non-European, are here on work permits and she is deemed not to qualify. That is unfair for these students who have worked really hard, got good results and want to progress. This is their home. It is the only country they have known living in, and they are being denied opportunities.”
“Student contribution fees were reduced last year. I hope we will see a further reduction this year. I know the Minister will not confirm that at this stage, but I hope it happens. On SUSI, I have been contacted by a couple of people, one of whom is a young lad who was born in this country. He went to primary and post-primary school here. He did well in the leaving certificate a year ago, applied for college and was accepted, but when he applied for the SUSI grant he was denied because his parents are visa holders. They are here on work permits, but his father has been here for more than 20 years, working and contributing to the economy. The young man was deemed not to qualify for a SUSI grant, which I feel is unfair.”
“They cannot use the kitchen or have a shower after a certain time. We have the sex-for-rent scandals as well, which are even more serious. We need protections for people who rent a room or take digs in a house. At the moment, they do not come under the Residential Tenancies Board or any other such body. I am concerned by the cost of developing purpose-built student accommodation. It seems very high. I know construction costs have increased across the board for all building, whether private or not. I do not know if construction or development companies are taking advantage of the fact that they know there is a huge deficit and, therefore, pressure to have purpose-built student accommodation. The Minister will tell me the contracts go out to tender and so forth but I wonder why the cost is so high.”
“One college that has a lot of accommodation is UCD, but it is extremely expensive. I have heard of students being charged over €11,000 for a year for accommodation. The cost may vary but it is very high. We want to see a good standard of accommodation provided to our students, but it does not have to be over the top. It just needs to be basic quality accommodation. There is an over-reliance in the student accommodation strategy on digs and the rent a room scheme. We know of many arrangements that work out really well. I have known people who have used digs over the years, but there are some perilous arrangements as well. I have heard of students who are not allowed to stay at weekends. They may be allowed to stay for only three or four nights during the week and then they have to move all of their stuff. They cannot have friends over.”
“It will take the State, private developers and colleges working together to ensure there is sufficient accommodation in the coming years. However, targets are not being met as it is. Many of the projects for which planning permissions have been given are not being developed and cost is a huge factor in that. When these developments are built, most of them are not affordable to students. All of that needs to be addressed. I welcome that the borrowing framework for technological universities has been worked out. Representatives of many of the TUs appeared before the committee and had plans practically ready to go. They would be able to develop purpose-built accommodation on land. I am delighted that the borrowing framework is in place, and they can progress those plans to provide accommodation.”
“There is also a cost in terms of their ability to study. They will be tired from all of the commuting. There is a cost in terms of their ability to engage in college life. Of those who are renting, approximately 60% are struggling to pay the rent. Many of them are working part-time, or almost full-time, to cover the costs. That is also having an impact on their ability to study and live their lives. Many of them are dropping out because they cannot maintain both the job and their studies. The Minister pointed out that 42,000 units have been identified as being needed by 2035. However, a report by Sherry Fitzgerald in February stated there is a deficit of almost 39,000 now in our major cities of Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway. That could increase those who are commuting are factored in. Demand is huge.”
“The lack of availability and the unaffordability of what is available are proving a barrier to some pursuing further and higher education options. We see many young people forced to live at home with parents, which is the last thing they want to do. After doing their leaving certificate, they want to experience college life and get away. I know a lad doing his leaving certificate next week and he cannot wait to get away. Hopefully it will all work out for him in the autumn. The fact that students are living at home is putting pressure on them because they are commuting. The options for commuting are not always reliable, whether it is the bus service, the train service or even if they are driving, with traffic and everything else. There is a cost to that. It is not just a financial cost, although there is that too.”
“I want to ensure these teams will work to address the backlog because, while I read that "Children do not need an Assessment of Need report to get access to services", I find that children are not getting services without one. They are not getting into special schools or special classes without an assessment of need. How will all of this be addressed? Even those children who have the assessment of need carried out are not getting the services. I would welcome a more in-depth discussion on the protocol.”