Sarah O'Reilly
Agricultural Panel · Aontú · Ireland
“I support Senator Harmon in everything she has said. I want to raise the ongoing crisis in assessments of need and the impact this is having on families in Cavan and Monaghan. Earlier this year, I was helping a mother whose young son had been offered a place in an early intervention preschool.”
“In Cavan and Monaghan alone there are 578 overdue assessments. I commend Cara Darmody on continuing to shine a light on this issue. She is absolutely right when she says children are missing the window for early intervention. We all know that the earlier a child gets support, the better the outcome. These early years are precious.”
“Parents should not have to pay out of their own pocket because the State has failed to meet its own legal obligations. Disability teams continue to be short-staffed while many newly qualified therapists and psychologists cannot get the supervised placements and recognised experience they need to practise.”
“She has already had two near misses, as she calls them, that left her badly shaken. She describes Cavan's footpaths as being like a racetrack and says she dreads leaving her home now. That should not be the case. This is not just about an inconvenience.”
“I also welcome the delegation from Canada. They are very welcome. I have three sons living and working in Manitoba, Souris and Brandon. I bring up the issue of e-scooters. Imagine being afraid every time you step outside your own front door. That is a daily occurrence for a visually impaired woman living in Cavan town.”
“People had to take long detours just to get to school. The Department said that inspections carried out in March 26 found around 130 roads needed complete reconstruction, 440 had significant damage and several bridges could no longer be used. I believe those figures cover the entire country. My question is simple.”
The complete record
Every one of 719 lines we hold for Sarah O'Reilly, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 11 of 15.
“We need digital inclusion. It is a brilliant one-stop shop for all, with bill payments, phone credit and everything you could possibly want. We must invest in the future of the post office network that is at the heart of our communities. I thank the Chair for allowing me in.”
“Post office staff help our elderly and people who are not digitally literate with forms, read the requirements for application forms or give advice on people's entitlements and what to do. I know people who work in a post office. They tell me there is pressure on service users to sign up for online payments. That needs to be addressed. I remember when Kilnaleck post office in Cavan was closing, a crowd of Government TDs lined up for photos at the protest against the closure. The photos and the representations of those TDs to the Government did not save that post office, but I noticed these same TDs were relentlessly promoting passports online. The irony was that reduced business to the very post office they were trying to save. We need to be more in tune with the unintended consequences of new initiatives and our own actions.”
“The Minister of State is very welcome. This is a very important subject. In the past ten years, 257 post offices have closed. In Cavan, seven post offices in total have closed permanently in the past ten years, including in Corrraneary, Killeshandra, Kilnaleck, Mount Nugent, Swanlinbar and Tullyvin. The north west is getting one of the biggest hits of all, including the Minister of State's county of Donegal. The post office network is the social fabric of our communities. Friday is a huge social day out for people and a chance to catch up, do the shopping, pay the bills, get the phone credit and have lunch out. Every town that has a post office that is open and working has the same buzz on a Friday.”
“Given that children of lone parents are a cohort who are particularly vulnerable to poverty and homelessness, Aontú is calling for an impact assessment on this issue before we proceed with these provisions. They need to be debated properly and robustly.”
“How are they supposed to prove they were sleeping in the same bed? Will the Department ask people in the immediate aftermath of their soulmate's death to provide evidence of them being intimate? I am reminded of the famous quote that the State has no business in the bedrooms of the nation. The Government is using the O'Meara judgment as a means of tightening the purse strings on this issue in the small print of this Bill. It is doing things in the legislation that the O'Meara judgment does not require it to do. I have a briefing document here in which FLAC refers to a significant concern that the Department does not seem to have conducted any human rights, equality or anti-poverty impact assessments of the proposals to reduce the social welfare entitlements of divorced and separated persons where their former partner dies.”
“In a family where the parents are divorced, maintenance payments will stop if a former spouse dies and the family and children will then become dependent on the widow's pension to avoid poverty. The Government is proposing to take this away from them. Aontú also has questions regarding the burden of proof on all future applications, whereby individuals would have to prove they were in a committed and intimate relationship for at least two years before their partner died. Even married couples will be required to prove this under the legislation. I agree with Senator Craughwell that amendments will have to be made on the next Stage of the Bill. The new requirements and the burden of proof in the legislation are an invasion of privacy for couples, even those who are married or in civil partnerships.”
“I welcome the Minister, Deputy Calleary. I welcome this legislation but it has flaws. I recognise the O'Meara family and thank FLAC, the Free Legal Advice Centres, for the briefing it provided to members of the social protection committee on this Bill. The Bill is welcome in that it makes the widow's pension inclusive of cohabiting couples who are not married or are in a civil partnership. However, the Government proposes to exclude people who are divorced or separated from entitlement to a widow's pension if their former partner dies. In this respect, parts of the legislation are regressive. As the law currently stands, an individual may get the pension if the person he or she is divorced from dies, on condition that he or she has not remarried or is not cohabiting. This new proposal is wrong.”
“However, the figures are starting to creep up again and there is a huge drugs issue in the country. We need harsher sentences for those dealing drugs. It needs to be made a stand-alone offence to seek to recoup drugs debts from innocent relatives. Legalising drugs is not the answer. I hope we can debate this matter thoroughly in the House and review all of the international evidence for ourselves.”
“In some cases, they are young people who have emigrated without paying their debts and their grandparents are being burgled as a means of recouping the debt. It is a horrific situation and it is getting out of control. We have problems with the resale of prescription medication, such a Valium. It is worrying to think that something prescribed in good faith by a doctor is being recycled in this way. I firmly believe that the odd shipment of drugs that gets caught is only the tip of the iceberg. The purchase of drugs online needs to be seriously addressed as well. I am not sure if any country has cracked the drugs problem yet either through decriminalisation or otherwise. It just seems to be getting worse everywhere. Portugal had great success in the early days after it decriminalised drugs.”
“Like other Senators, I reach the stage of paranoia sometimes when my children go on a night out. I am constantly warning them and talking to them to keep them on the straight and narrow to try to protect them. Young people who do not do drugs are made to feel like they are the weird ones by their peers. Drugs have been normalised to the same extent as alcohol in some places. We need to educate our youth on the horrific process of drug production and sale; the chain of crime, the torture and murders, and the lives ruined along the way to produce that bag of drugs people are offered on a night out. I echo what other Senators said on the targeting of families of people who owe drug debts.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming here and wish her the best of luck because it is not for the faint-hearted. Between 2011 and 2023, 1,410 babies were born addicted to drugs in this country. This is a sad statistic. It shows how early addiction can start for some. Other statistics released to Aontú after parliamentary questions show that in the past ten years, there have been over 11,000 arrests for drugs offences across the counties of Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. The figures show that drug arrests peaked in my constituency in 2020 and have dropped off since then. However, I firmly believe that while arrests are down, drug use and drug dealing are on the increase. Drugs are being used by people of all ages, across all regions of the country and from all social classes. It has been completely normalised.”
“If this plan goes ahead, we are going to see direct competition for resources between homeless people locally and those who have recently been granted asylum. If this plan goes ahead, we will see the most dramatic and steepest increase in homelessness figures we have ever seen, in particular child homelessness. Will the Government reverse this stupid and inhumane decision? Who is chosen when it comes to homelessness when there is not enough capacity?”
“A few days ago, the Department of justice confirmed a plan to move over 2,000 people out of their accommodation. These people have been granted asylum but are still stuck in IPAS accommodation. They will be sent to emergency homeless accommodation instead. This new Government plan is causing chaos around the country, with county councils refusing to co-operate because they do not have beds available. On Friday evening, in the space of a few hours, I received phone calls from two separate local families presenting as homeless. We currently have 16,000 people homeless in emergency accommodation, the highest number on record. The system does not have the capacity to accommodate thousands more at the click of Jim O'Callaghan's finger.”
“The Government's decision to opt in to the EU migration pact is not because of a commitment to reforming and strengthening our immigration system, but about ceding power to Europe. If the Government is happy to relinquish any difficult policy decisions to the EU, then perhaps its members are in the wrong profession. From the start, we have advocated for a strong immigration policy that distinguished between those who need help and those who do not. Ireland is capable of accomplishing this without allowing the EU to happily legislate for us at an astronomical cost. What happens if we say "No" to the EU? If we had said "No" to the pact, would the EU have fined us or taken us to court? That is not how democracy should work.”
“Aontú is part of the North-South Inter-Parliamentary Association, and we will raise this issue on these forums to ensure cohesive and direct action happens. We have also highlighted the need for data collection and comprehensive record-keeping. In fact, one of the selling points of the EU migration pact was the ability of member states to share information regarding screening. What has not been published is that we cannot opt in to these screening regulations because we are not a member of the Schengen area. We still have no idea of the cost of this pact to the Irish taxpayer, but it is estimated that the additional staff alone are set to cost €32 million per year.”
“However, this is not about the responsibility of the Government or the capabilities of the Irish people. This is about our Taoiseach and our Tánaiste trying to be the best boys in Europe. Given the Government's subservience to the EU on all matters, whether it is immigration, neutrality or agriculture, we cannot trust that it will advocate for our best interests when it comes to the migration pact. It is only because of Aontú that the level of Government incompetence regarding immigration has come to light. Most of the information and statistics in the public domain about immigration were uncovered by Aontú through parliamentary questions. We have long proposed the need for an Irish sea border to monitor the movement of people entering the country. Our Government needs to work with the British Government to see this implemented.”
“I welcome the Minister. Reading through the proposed motions, the first thing that struck me was that we could have been doing this all along ourselves and, indeed, we have been doing it to an extent. Ireland should not have opted into the EU migration pact when we have the full capability to govern and legislate on migration ourselves. Now, we find ourselves in the scenario where we will have to adhere to an annual specific number of relocations and financial contributions at an EU level. We have ceded power to the EU on this. To lock ourselves into an agreement when we have no idea what the financial state of the country will be in the future is incredibly shortsighted. We are now bound by this agreement rather than the Irish State and Irish people having the option to choose for ourselves our own policy on immigration.”
“I ask the Minister to conduct new independent research, given that in October 2022 the Irish Examiner revealed how an underage girl had been locked in a room and forced to ingest abortion pills. While telemedicine can provide convenience, it also risks being exploited. This is particularly alarming in the case of telemedicine abortion which poses a distinct risk to vulnerable women who may face the danger of domestic abuse and coercion.”
“The telemedicine system is not robust enough for the Department when it pertains to finances, but when it comes to the healthcare and treatment of women it sees no issue. This is particularly concerning in cases of potential coercion and abuse. Meeting the women in person increases the likelihood of a provider identifying any coercion or domestic abuse. Aontú submitted a parliamentary question to the Minister for Health, Deputy Caroll MacNeill, to ask whether independent research had been undertaken into the impact and effect of telemedicine abortion since its introduction in 2020. The Minister cited the 2021 review and stated that no serious adverse events had been reported to the HSE related to remote consultations for the termination of pregnancy.”
“On 30 June, the Irish Independent published the result of its investigation into the regulation of how sick certs are issued. There are serious limitations to telemedicine and areas where it can be exploited. The newspaper revealed that in some cases sick certs were issued without having any phone or video consultation with the patient. It has correctly been described as a bit of a wild west. There are serious issues with the practice of telemedicine as it relates to Irish abortion policy. Since its introduction in 2020, it has been possible to acquire abortion pills which are then self-administered without a patient needing to be physically examined by a doctor. What struck me in the investigation carried out by the Irish Independent is that the Department of Social Protection will not accept online sick certs for social welfare schemes.”
“In some cases, women were threatened with the lives of their children by their abuser. That is evil. The report also stated that approximately 40 women said they did not have a positive experience with An Garda Síochána. This is also shocking. We know how hard it is to escape abuse, talk to authorities and seek help. This needs to be addressed. People talk about having zero tolerance for domestic violence but at the moment we are tolerating this abuse. Aontú wants to see increased sentencing and mandatory minimum sentences for those who threaten their victims with the lives of their children or who abuse a woman to the extent that she miscarries. I support the amendment.”
“I support the Bill and the amendment. I commend Senator Ryan on her powerful testimony. The report from Women's Aid makes for difficult reading. More women contacted the organisation last year than ever before. I have been reading the details of the report and they are shocking. I agree with this amendment in that if children are present that factor should be considered when the sentence is being decided. Well done to Senator Ryan. The report from Women's Aid talks about women who have experienced miscarriages as a result of the domestic abuse inflicted on them. It talks about hyper-vigilance, just as Senator Ryan did, and homelessness arising from the abuse. A third of all the women abused were abused by an ex-partner. More were subjected to surveillance and weapons.”
“Belgian trawlers will not unload in Irish harbours. If there has been a slight bit of overfishing and they unload in Belgium, they will get a fine of maybe €300, whereas if they unload in Ireland, they will get a criminal record. That has to be addressed. Who is the SFPA answerable to? Who does it answer to? The chain of command there and the line of answering have to be looked into. There was an incident about a year ago in the south east where 25 armed gardaí arrived into a factory. Our fishermen are being overly penalised and this needs to be addressed.”
“How is it that the Belgian fleet holds 59% of the total EU fish quota for the Celtic Sea, while we have just 20%? We need the Minister of State to be a strong voice in Europe to fight for fair fishing quotas as well as fair and proportional oversight of our control systems. We should not hand over the wealth of our seas to EU countries to make their fortune while Irish fisheries languish. Speaking off the cuff, I was at the fisheries committee meeting yesterday. I am from an inland county. It was very sad to hear the testimonies of the representatives for the producers and catchers. They spoke about trawlers being tied up for months and months and whole communities having been devastated. Fish processing factories with huge investments that have done their best to be as accommodating of fishing controls as possible are lying idle.”
“This is deeply unjust. Irish fishing interests are being repeatedly sidelined by Europe. The chief executive of the Irish Fish Producers Organisation, Mr. O’Donnell, put it perfectly when he said, “We’re watching our industry being dismantled in slow motion, while others thrive in our rich waters.” Irish fishermen are faced with excessive regulation and criminal sanctions for minor infringements. This is deterring Irish and foreign vessels from off-loading in Irish ports. We have huge processing facilities that will not benefit from these catches because of how excessive our enforcement and restrictions are. Instead, boats are off-loading in countries like Belgium and Norway, where the regulatory environment is more welcoming. We need to immediately amend the penalty point system that unfairly punishes Irish fishermen.”
“I welcome Deputy Dooley’s new Ministry and wish him the best of luck in his work. There is much to be done. The marine sector in this country has faced unbelievable challenges in recent years. Many of these hardships have been the direct result of Government policy and legislation and the implementation and interpretation of those policies and that legislation. Ongoing discrimination under the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy means that Irish fishermen are watching in growing frustration and anger as their rights to fish in our waters are eroded. While other member states reap the rewards in Irish waters, our own fleet continues to be sidelined. Under current arrangements, Ireland’s coastal share of fish is projected to shrink by approximately 15% over the next six years, well above the average European reduction of under 10%.”
“In this regard, look at the mess in Britain at the moment. In recent months, people who have spoken about genocide in the occupied territories have been accused of antisemitism. The proposed legislation essentially equates to "I don't really like what you said". Will the Government offer some real leadership on this and represent the views of the majority of the Irish people? It is time to stop listening to the lobby groups.”
“Now I have seen that Commissioner Michael McGrath has congratulated the Council of Europe and its partners on their continued efforts to address hate speech and on their strong support for the initiative. The LGBTQI+ national inclusion strategy for 2025 also mentions the need for hate speech legislation. Every single person in our society deserves to be treated with decency and respect. There can be no tolerance for threatening language or behaviour. We already have legislation in place that offers legal protection against incitement to hatred, the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act. It is already illegal in Ireland to send threatening or grossly offensive communications. We cannot legislate for loose ideas on what constitutes hate speech. As was evidenced in debates last year, there is no clear definition of it.”
“I wish to express my deep concern over the European Union's attempts to enforce hate speech legislation on Ireland, legislation that would undermine our national sovereignty, erode free expression and impose a one-size-fits-all model out of step with our Constitution. Before the general election, the Government suddenly recognised its lack of popularity among the general public and removed the hate speech aspect of its Bill. We now know the Government is sitting on both sides of the fence. When the Taoiseach was questioned about the potential of the EU imposing hate speech legislation, he did not offer any kind of support for it. He was clear that he would engage with the Commission but at no point did he say he would legislate on the matter. That was before the election.”
“Only five days ago, another Government TD welcomed the fact they are now actively in the process of site selection. It is cringe and the Government must be ashamed of this at this stage. We need a definite timeline and immediate commitment to progress the development of the eight-unit refuge in Cavan-Monaghan. Otherwise, I fear we will be here in six months' time, welcoming this ongoing site selection.”
“In 2016, Alan Hawe murdered his wife, Clodagh, and their three sons Liam, Niall and Ryan. Since the devastating murders, Clodagh’s family have campaigned for a refuge space in Cavan so victims of domestic violence can have a safe place to turn to. It is eight years later and we still only have the start of the site selection process for building a refuge in Cavan. This was deemed a phase 1 priority under the zero tolerance strategy to combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. I am so sorry to say it, but no concrete action over eight years does not seem like a zero tolerance approach to me. In November last year the Ministers, Deputies McEntee and O’Brien, welcomed the start of a site selection process for building a domestic violence refuge in Cavan-Monaghan.”
“I offer my deepest sympathies to the family of Sarah Montgomery. I cannot imagine the hurt and grief they are experiencing. To think of a young pregnant mother being killed in her own home is deeply upsetting. According to Women’s Aid, more than one in three women have experienced psychological, physical or sexual abuse, or all of these, from an intimate partner. Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is the leading cause of homelessness among women and children in Ireland. Cavan is one of the nine counties that do not have a refuge space for domestic violence victims. Women who have taken the courageous step to leave their abuser should not have to travel across the country to find refuge. This places an additional emotional and financial hardship on victims who may already have limited access to money.”
“Home care and respite services are vital supports for carers and families, providing social interaction and rest that can make a hugely positive difference to people's lives and is much needed. The Government needs to commit to funding more of these essential services.”
“We know that the family carers of people living with dementia are often unprepared for their new role. They must adapt to enormous changes in their relationship with the person living with dementia. All of this contributes to stress, strain and carer burden. I know of many cases of couples in their 80s where one partner is the sole carer and many simply cannot cope. While this may be bittersweet to watch, they need more support. Action is required to address the workforce challenges in home care, including training, career pathways, recruitment, retention and funding. We need more services that are dementia-specific for day care. Investing in dementia services now will help to alleviate pressure on residential care and help those who are most vulnerable at home.”
“I second the Senator's proposal. I welcome the announcement by the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, that implementation of the national dementia registry is to commence. Organisations such as the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland, ASI, have lobbied for it for a long time. The ASI is a brilliant organisation doing great work. It has the voice of people with dementia and those who care and support them at its core. Dementia is progressive and there is no cure. Demands for supports are increasing, with 64,000 people with dementia in Ireland. This is forecast to more than double to 150,000 by 2050. We need to prepare. Some 63% of people with dementia live at home in our communities, with over 180,000 people in Ireland caring for a family member or partner with dementia. Many more people are providing support and care in other ways.”
“We cannot have the A5 upgrade stalled any longer as such a delay poses a threat to drivers' lives and disrupts the connectivity of the north west, in particular for the people of Donegal, Derry and Monaghan who have waited a long time for Stormont to deliver a project that is now over a decade in the making. Will this Government still commit to the huge infrastructural road projects for Donegal that are depending on this infrastructure?”
“The Sinn Féin infrastructure Minister stalled a number of roads in 2023 because of the implications of the Act. They knew there was a problem and did nothing to address it. Why did they not repeal the Act or elements of it? MLAs are highly paid to scrutinise legislation like this. To see the extent of incompetence laid bare in the determination of the court yesterday shocked many. Political parties were left scrambling to distance themselves from a law they had championed. The Executive now has to get expert legal advice and fix the mess it has created through the laws it has introduced.”
“I want to speak today about the fact that the upgrades to the A5 road, which links Derry with Aughnacloy in County Tyrone, have effectively been cancelled. The project has been quashed by the Belfast High Court as it was in breach of elements of the climate action Act. This is a devastating result for the 57 families who have lost loved ones on a road that we all know to be unsafe. The climate change Act was enthusiastically supported by Sinn Féin, People Before Profit, the SDLP and Alliance who were all informed throughout the consultation and committee processes that it would have a detrimental impact on projects such as the A5 road. Fifty-seven lives have been lost on this stretch of road and 1,200 people have been injured over the years.”
“It would bring in builders, make it cheaper to build homes and increase market activity. Most importantly, it would give renters, young couples and families a chance to own their own homes. We cannot keep up with the demand for housing and yet there are no concrete steps to bring down the cost of construction. This practical suggestion could be implemented by the Minister in the morning and it would unlock private housing delivery throughout the country. If the Government refuses to engage on this point, we will continue to see a rise in homelessness figures as well as rental rates that will lock people out of the housing market.”
“With most student tenancies running from September to May, it would mean that when the tenancy ends in May the landlord could hike up the rent to match market rates. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, recently stated that students should not be inadvertently disadvantaged by the new rental laws, but we see zero protection of students within this legislation. The Government has positioned this as a positive way to increase market activity but the cost will blow back on the renter. Why is there so much resistance to making the cost of building lower and more affordable? Even though we have 15,000 people in our country who are homeless, the Government will not consider decreasing the VAT rate on construction materials for a period of three to five years. This would take approximately €50,000 off the price of a house.”
“There is no choice but to support this Bill because the Government is aware that many in the Opposition have been calling for an extension to the rent pressure zones for years. However, this legislation is ill thought-out. The reality is that the Government is not being forthcoming in terms of how badly it will impact renters. Rents will rise and extra pressure will be put on renters. Under this Bill, rent can be reset to market rates when a tenancy ends. This is disastrous for student accommodation. We already know that students are under immense pressure when it comes to housing costs and even securing accommodation in the first place. This stress impacts their mental and physical well-being. The legislation offers them no protection.”
“Children and young people in care should not be made to qualify for support through income thresholds. It is the responsibility of the State to ensure they are protected and cared for. Foster children should not have to jump through hoops to get their basic entitlements from the State. I call on the Government to ensure the allowance is paid to all children in foster care, regardless of their foster family's financial circumstances. I would appreciate a debate in the House on this matter.”
“I want to raise the issue of foster children and the back-to-school allowance. This has been publicised by the Government as a new support for foster children but it has been very disappointing for families to learn it will be means tested. It is concerning that this long overdue step will come with conditions attached and will not be universally applied to all foster children. This will rule out a large number of foster children and cannot be seen as a support for foster carers in general. The practice of awarding support to foster children based on their foster parents' personal financial circumstances highlights a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of a foster family. Foster families should not have to disclose their own financial circumstances to gain access to financial support for their foster children.”
“I move amendment No. 2: After the last paragraph under "calls on the Government to:" to insert the following paragraph: “ - develop a funding stream to allow local authorities to deliver fully serviced sites to stimulate local, indigenous enterprise.””
“A good way of doing this would be to create a funding stream that local authorities could apply for, to develop suitable lands that could give local businesses the space they need to develop and grow. We should be empowering local authorities through funding schemes to provide fully serviced, ready-to-go sites and to develop enterprise lands for local businesses. We need to collectively look at a way to help businesses, especially SMEs, to find a way through some of these blockages. That is why I am speaking on this motion today. Our amendment to the motion has not been mentioned. The Minister of State is from a small business family. I am from a small business family, as are most of the speakers here today. It is important we try to take out the blocks that are stopping businesses developing and growing.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming here today. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this important topic. I want to speak on my amendment No. 2, which has been seconded by Senators Keogan and McCarthy. With looming threats of tariffs to our economy, we need economic resilience. Now would be an opportune time for the Government to invest more in local and indigenous businesses. We need to address some of the blockages that are preventing indigenous businesses from starting up or expanding. SMEs are faced with layers of red tape, bureaucracy, prohibitive costs and delays in water, ESB and sewerage services to economic development land. We need to simplify and reduce these blockages and, if possible, remove them completely.”
“Grace is non-verbal and could not speak up for herself, and then testimony given by her legal representatives was disregarded by the commission. This is cruel and inhumane. It should not have been allowed to happen. I take issue with the way the commission treated whistleblowers in this case. It was shocking. There is no justice and no answers. Thirteen million euro for what? I ask the Minister and Government to call the commission before the Oireachtas to answer questions on its deeply flawed report.”
“Tomorrow we will debate mother and baby homes and survivors of institutional abuse. The mother and baby homes redress scheme has abandoned anyone who spent less than six months in a mother and baby home and they will not get any redress. This is relevant to this debate because Grace was born in a mother and baby home and is one such person. The commission was given a budget of over €13 million and has taken nearly a decade to report. The final report was launched in the middle of the Dáil holidays. I think this was done on purpose to avoid scrutiny. There is still no clarity on the experience of the 47 other children fostered by the family which fostered Grace. Were they abused? Did the commission interview them? The fact the testimony submitted by Grace's lawyers to the commission was not referenced in the report is a scandal.”
“I thank the Minister for coming in. I commend her colleague, Deputy John McGuinness, on all the brilliant detective work he has done over the years on this issue and on his determination to seek justice for Grace. I am gutted that justice has not been served. In this country we are very good at looking back at historical abuse but one area the State has failed to examine is abuse in the foster care system, and indeed abuse in the State care system at present. Last week I raised the issue of the death rate among children in State care. Over the past ten years, 235 children in or known to State care have died. They died under the watch of Tusla. Ten of them were murdered and 51 died by suicide or drug overdose. Why is no political party other than Aontú raising this issue? I acknowledge other Independent Senators and TDs are raising it.”
“Aontú believes in strong local government funded through central government, not through a regressive tax on homes. The property tax needs to be scrapped. It is time to stop using families as a cash cow.”