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.”
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“I move amendment No. 3: In page 6, between lines 34 and 35, to insert the following: “ “journalistic privilege” means the right of a journalist to protect the confidentiality of sources and unpublished journalistic material in accordance with Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights;”. I thank Senators Boyhan and Clonan for co-signing these amendments. I understand Senator Keogan will also be speaking in support of them. It is essential to insert a definition of "journalistic privilege" into the Bill. At first glance, this may appear to be a technical drafting amendment but, in reality, it goes to the very heart of democracy and the protection of freedom of the press in this State. Journalistic privilege is not some special favour granted to reporters.”
“The social side of college matters enormously, especially at a time when loneliness, anxiety and mental health difficulties among young people are increasing. The strategy, as it stands, may deliver some additional accommodation but it will undoubtedly lead to the same cost for students and the current astronomical rents we have come to normalise.”
“There needs to be far greater responsibility placed on higher education institutions themselves. If colleges are increasing student numbers, then accommodation capacity must form part of the expansion plan. There was a 10% increase in international students in the 2024-25 academic year. We cannot continue to recruit students into courses without any realistic plan for where they will live. Students are travelling four hours a day because they cannot find accommodation. Others are couch surfing, living in overcrowded houses or spending most of their grant on rent before they even buy a book or eat a meal. I am also uneasy about proposals from the Minister that would reduce time physically spent on campus.”
“The Minister is very welcome and I am delighted to be here to be able to speak. I thank the Acting Chair for sharing out the time. College is about deepening our education but it is also a rite of passage. It is where young people fly the nest and start to get their independence. They learn to manage their budget for themselves and it is when they realise their washing does not magically get clean. The Government's student accommodation strategy at least acknowledges the scale of the problem, and that is good. It estimates that we have a requirement for 42,000 additional student beds by 2035 but is unclear how this will actually happen. What is the strategy to increase construction? I think Senator Rabbitte touched on that. Is it just the increased capacity for colleges to access finances or is there more? I am not clear on that.”
“I got to know Seán over the past year and I believe he was elected because he is a genuine, kind person. I was the beneficiary of his kindness in here. On many an occasion I sat for maybe two hours to speak and we ran out of time but he noticed and asked for more time. He is very tuned in and I wish him the very best of luck.”
“It is where birthdays are celebrated, funerals are remembered, matches are watched and lonely people find company. When a rural pub closes, a community loses a social anchor. At a time Ireland has been identified as one of the loneliest countries in the European Union, this is significant. Nearly 190,000 people over the age of 65 live alone. Rural isolation is a thing, especially for single male farmers. I ask the Government to consider the proposed tax credit scheme from the VFI because it would go a long way to supporting our local pubs. If we can support film, television and gaming through targeted tax credits, surely we can support the small publicans keeping rural communities alive. I congratulate Seán Kyne on his win, as well as Daniel Ennis.”
“There is something special about Ireland when the sun comes out. People head to the beaches and to the back of the wardrobe for their sandals and we swap dinners for salads. Across towns and villages people gather outside their local pub after work to chat, relax and soak up the sun but these meeting places that hold communities together are disappearing. The Vintners Federation of Ireland has warned that rural pubs are facing a massive threat unless the Government acts in budget 2027. Since 2005, 2,200 pubs have closed their doors across Ireland. In recent years, closures have increased to an average of 128 pubs per year. Rural Ireland has been hit hardest of all. When a rural pub closes, it is never just a business shutting its doors as it is often the last meeting place in a village.”
“Does the Minister of State have a date for its opening? I would like to find information on the rivers in Cavan and Monaghan under the responsibility of the OPW. What rivers are they? What are the OPW's plans for the closed Garda station in Stradone?”
“That would allow Members of this House and the public to clearly see how much money is spent on a project, whether it came in under budget or over budget, and whether overruns occurred. We often see broad headings such as "€100 million on construction costs" but that tells us very little. We do not know how much went to each project and whether we got value for money. We need to drill down into those figures. The Government and the Minister of State cannot allow public money to be spent with little oversight and no responsibility when something goes wrong. I have three questions about things in my local area. The Bailieborough Garda station was announced in 2015. It was supposed to be opened early this year, according to the response the last time I had a Commencement debate. It is still not open.”
“If nobody is responsible, then nothing changes, there are no consequences and there are no learnings from mistakes. I want to know what the Minister of State will do about that. We have previously proposed a junior Minister to be tasked with responsibility for overseeing State projects to monitor spending. Is there a project monitor assigned for large capital products in the OPW? One of the main priorities for the Minister of State should be tracking and oversight of the public spend. Transaction numbers already exist on payments. The question is why they are not being linked back to the original tender and contract award notices so projects can be tracked properly from start to finish. Will the OPW move to link those transaction numbers to individual projects?”
“The Minister of State is welcome. I recognise the good work he and the OPW are doing but the public is fed up hearing about waste in the OPW. I hope that is something the Minister of State will focus on. Every few months there seems to be another headline, another figure and another project that has gone badly wrong: €20 million spent on leasing buildings that are lying empty; €300,000 on a bike shed in Leinster House; the security hut; and over €4.2 million spent on a children's science centre that was never built. Ordinary workers who pay tax every week look at that and ask how it keeps happening and why so little is thought of their hard-earned money. The problem is when projects go over budget, our oversight completely fails. Nobody ever seems to be accountable. There is no one person or team that is clearly accountable.”
“As he lay on the sideline in agony, local people eventually had to lift him onto a stretcher and place him in the back of a van to get him to the hospital. That is like a scene from the 1970s. We are going backwards when it comes to this, and we need to address this issue. Everyone is entitled to their opinion in this House, and everybody has different opinions, but sometimes people cross the line. I felt today there was a lot of aggression and personalised attacks which crossed the line. They should not be sniggered at or laughed at by the people tittering in the front seats.”
“These are the people we depend on at the worst moments of our lives, yet the HSE is dragging its heels on updating staff salary scales to reflect increased workloads. There is a lack of forward planning and a resistance to recognising the importance of our paramedics. Why has the HSE not implemented the recommendations of the independent review on pay and conditions? Why did the Government revert Monaghan hospital to a day facility in 2009 despite every indication that the population in the region would only grow in the years that followed? Just weeks ago, there was another case of a footballer suffering a serious injury during a match. An ambulance was called but no timeframe was given for its arrival despite being in the area between Cavan, Mullingar and Longford stations.”
“Talks are taking place today to prevent further ambulance strikes. That alone shows how serious the crisis has become. Ambulance workers are taking industrial action because they are burnt out, overstretched and feel they are not being listened to. A recent article in The Anglo-Celt highlighted the concerns of a whistleblower who works in the ambulance service locally. Rosters seen by the newspaper showed there were six shifts per week where no paramedics were rostered to work in Cavan town station. We also know crews are regularly being drafted in from Finglas, Dundalk and Swords to try to fill the gaps. If these crews were diverted elsewhere, the people across Cavan and Monaghan could be left waiting hours for a paramedic to arrive. Paramedics say that morale is low, workloads are increasing and staff are exhausted.”
“He can return to the High Court and lift the injunction or he can use the ARC process to allow turf-cutting activities to proceed lawfully. People in Galway are made to believe it was their choice if they participated in the restoration scheme and now they have been cut off from accessing turf. I want to make a complaint about the fact that neither the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, nor the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, will address this. The latter has not come before the Seanad to address this issue and he has not answered parliamentary questions either. That has to be addressed.”
“I appreciate the Minister of State's reply but the central issue remains unresolved. The turf-cutting season is happening now. Every passing week makes it less likely that turf will be saved in time for winter. If this injunction remains in place, these families will face cold homes and unaffordable heating costs. It is their only means of heating their homes. I have people in their 80s writing to me. The Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, did not address the people who did not sign up to the scheme. He spoke the entire time about the people who signed up to the scheme but he did not mention the people who did not. It was supposed to be a voluntary scheme but, by design, it was mandatory. The Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, has options available to him.”
“If I may, I understand the Minister and Minister of State have never answered questions on this issue. The response to any parliamentary questions I have submitted has been to send me a book guideline.”
“I ask him to sign an ARC and ensure an alternative bog is provided, as promised, for the people who signed up for the scheme.”
“Families in the area who signed up and took the payment were misled and, in my opinion, conned. They were promised an alternative turf bank and they have received nothing. Families who did not sign up have been forcibly stopped from cutting turf. It is voluntary on the outside but mandatory by design. There is a resolution. With the stroke of a pen, this matter could be resolved. The Minister could lift the injunction, allow these families to cut their turf through the activities requiring consent, ARC, process and show that the Government understands the reality facing ordinary people during a cost-of-living crisis. The fact that the Minister has basically ignored all correspondence in relation to this matter is worrying.”
“Serious concerns are being raised by these families regarding the designation process surrounding these bogs and whether the statutory instruments complied with the timelines set out in Article 4(4) of the habitats directive. The article clearly states that sites must be designated "within six years at most", yet the statutory instruments for these bogs were not signed until 2021, 2022 and 2023, respectively, despite the sites being identified in 1997. The families believe there is a legitimate question as to whether the process complied with the required legal timelines. I believe the Government knows that but is simply putting the issue off because it does not think these people would have the resources or the time to take it to court. The National Parks and Wildlife Service has failed these people.”
“That is simply unacceptable when people are already struggling with soaring energy bills. These families were repeatedly told that habitat restoration schemes were voluntary, yet they now feel they are being forced into surrendering their rights through legal pressure and injunctions. They did not accept once-off payments because they wanted to retain the ability to continue cutting turf. Their rights have been denied. These are families, many of them elderly, who rely on turf as their primary source of heating. The Government has used the resources and might of the State against vulnerable older people. They have been coerced and bullied. They are people who are simply trying to heat their homes. I hoped the Minister would be here and I am really disappointed he is not.”
“I raise an issue concerning Ardgraigue, Barroughter and Clonmoylan bogs in County Galway. People who signed up to the restoration scheme and received a payment were promised an alternative bog but have received nothing. The payment for them has stopped and they still have nowhere to cut turf during a fuel cost crisis. A second issue is that the families who chose not to sign up to the scheme, but have been prevented from cutting turf because of a High Court injunction sought by the Department against a turf-cutting contractor in the area, have been cut off from a vital source of fuel. This is the critical time of year when turf must be harvested and dried before winter. If they miss this window they are facing into a winter without adequate heating in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis.”
“It is irresponsible to push for extreme abortion legislation without hearing from the women who regret it. It is wrong to remove the three-day wait without asking even one of those 10,000 women why they did not go back and go through with an abortion. This is not what people have voted for.”
“It seems only right that women should be made aware of all the support available to them and have time to reflect before making what is an irreversible decision. Ireland is not alone in recognising that principle. Countries such as Germany, Spain and the Netherlands all retain waiting periods within their laws. I ask people to listen to the story of Ruth O'Sullivan, who felt pressured to have an abortion after finding out her baby girl had Patau syndrome. Her family was not supported. They were pointed towards abortion as the only choice and left to manage their grief alone. In an interview, Ruth said: "I thought I was doing what was best for her ... but no one actually gave us another option." No one said she might "regret this ... down the road" or that there is another option.”
“Tomorrow evening, the Dáil will vote on the Social Democrats' Bill to remove the three-day waiting period for abortion in Ireland. Over the past week, I have received many emails from constituents who are very concerned about the proposed legislation. This attempt to remove the three-day wait is not about supporting women; it is about pushing abortion as the only option. Why? The HSE's own figures show that between 2019 and 2024, 10,426 women did not attend their second appointment, yet no one has followed up with these women. No one has asked why they changed their minds, what support they needed, or whether the three-day wait period gave them that time and space to reflect during an incredibly difficult moment in their lives. Do those voices not matter in this discussion and if not, why not?”
“If the profits are greater than the penalties, where is the incentive for Meta to act? Before I finish, I congratulate the Junk Kouture 2026 winners from Bailieborough Community School, the school I went to. I commend their teacher, Ms Mooney, and the students Róisín, Emma and Eve on their stunning creation "Tír Gan Teanga, Tír Gan Anam", which earned them a place in the world finals. Congratulations to them.”
“Once again, it is people who are the most hard-pressed and vulnerable who are most likely to be the victims of these, people who are trying to find a bargain online and end up losing out on hundreds of thousands of euro. Meta is profiting off of people who are being robbed and victimised. I do not believe that it cannot control this. It is disingenuous to act as if Meta is doing everything it can to pull these ads from its platforms. If it is making billions of euro off these scam ads, why would it pull them from its platforms? What is most shocking is that the maximum fine Meta could face under the Digital Services Act is estimated to be around €9 billion. In other words, even the largest possible fine can still be billions less than the revenue generated from scam advertising.”
“I want to carry on from something Senator Scahill raised yesterday and highlight how valuable some of these scams are to legitimate global corporations. In leaked internal documents, it is alleged that Meta earned almost $16 billion from scam ads in one single year, nearly 10% of its overall revenue. These scams include fake investment schemes, fake medicine and fraudulent online stores targeting ordinary people. Pensioners and vulnerable users are being tricked into fake investment opportunities by fraudulent advertisements appearing on Facebook and Instagram while the company hosting these ads continues to profit. In one recent case, a woman lost €27,000. For some people, that money is the result of years and years of saving.”
“Let us look at the recent ruling from the ECJ, when it awarded damages to asylum seekers because of the State’s failure to provide suitable accommodation. It seems more and more that rather than simply being a part of the European Union, we are being governed by it entirely. We are leaving ourselves in a situation where Irish law has little meaning if it can simply be superseded by EU law. We all support attempts to further trade and deepen ties with trade partners but not at such a reckless and high risk to the State.”
“That would only be Canada or the EU as a whole. We can choose not to ratify CETA but once we ratify it, there is no backing out and that is very concerning. The only way for us to exit this treaty would be to leave the European Union. At a time of global instability, a cost-of-living crisis and billions in climate fines looming, should we really be taking further legal and financial risk? The real problem here is the chilling effect this will have on our Government whenever a foreign company threatens to bring a case to the CETA tribunal for when we propose a policy it does not like. If we try to limit the profitability of companies or even do so inadvertently through regulating the sale of certain products or fuels or even in terms of rent control pressures, could vulture funds then sue Ireland in response? I want that question answered.”
“The Arbitration (Amendment) Bill is an attempt to create a constitutional fix so that the Government can ratify CETA. I am genuinely perplexed that the Government is trying to push a deal that would leave Ireland under the thumb of international corporations and with the threat of legal action hanging our heads. If the CETA deal is ratified, we will be within a corporate court system which will mean big companies could sue Ireland for lack of profits. This looming threat of legal action hanging over us would be unhealthy for our democracy. It is absolute madness that the Government would hand away the freedom to legislate for the public good. At first glance, CETA seems to be terminable by notice, but while Ireland would be a party to this treaty, it would not be the party that could terminate.”
“Why would we intentionally create a scenario where a child's connection to their biological parent is deliberately cut off? This goes against accepted best practice and is not child-centred. I absolutely empathise with couples who wish to start their own families but we cannot place the wants of adults above what is in the best interests of children. We cannot ignore such an important question when it comes to the well-being of our children.”
“Hatch Fertility is an egg donation and surrogacy agency based in LA. The agency advertised this as an educational seminar with one of the best teams in the business, the business of babies and bites. It is undeniable that these companies are commodifying children and using surrogacy as a business venture. Commercial surrogacy is illegal in Ireland. Countries like Spain, France and Italy recognise that surrogacy is not in the best interests of the child or the surrogate mother. The EU directive on human trafficking especially references surrogacy as a form of exploitation of women. Why do we and the agents of the State acknowledge the loss of biological parents to adoptive children but promote it in surrogacy? Why do we recognise the importance of and allow for the continued connection for biological parents during fostering?”
“I am concerned at what seems to be a co-ordinated effort to advance legislation even further on surrogacy without fully considering what is best for children and their long-term well-being. In fostering it has always been established that where possible the foster parents should try to facilitate and maintain a connection between the child and their biological parents. Adoptive parents are advised of the loss a child experiences through separation from their biological family. Countless studies dealing with early childhood separation highlight the trauma this can cause even in cases where a baby is separated from their mother at birth. To see a recent event on surrogacy being advertised as Babies and Bites was in very poor taste and I was glad to see it was cancelled.”
“Our local authorities had neither the power nor the resources to carry out independent inspections, and that continues. Local authorities need to be properly and fully resourced. Since 2022, only 69 homes have been fully remediated under the scheme. We cannot say a scheme is properly working when only 69 homes out of 20,000 have been completed. Families are exhausted and traumatised, and there is intergenerational trauma now. One study found that 30% of respondents have severe depression as a result of the defective block crisis. Full demolition and reconstruction are the only viable solution, which means 100% redress. Anything less is just a sticking plaster. The State can deliver an end-to-end scheme, not a grant scheme, that actually rebuilds homes. Resources, resources, resources.”
“I welcome the proposal to extend the scheme to Fingal and Wexford, but we have to be honest with the people who will be availing of it. It is still not working and I do not believe it will be of much help to the families in the affected areas. We are dealing with a crisis that affects up to 25,000 homes across the State, with entire communities living in houses that are cracking, crumbling and in some cases unsafe to live in. I have been to Donegal and seen homes affected by defective concrete, where families are worried anytime there is a strong wind or a storm. If you talk to my colleague Mary T. Sweeney from Donegal, she will tell you that the system has failed homeowners there. Ireland relied on out-of-date EU standards, and manufacturers were allowed to self-certify.”
“We have cases like Detective Garda Eamonn Cunnane, a respected officer who, during the lockdown, lent an unclaimed bicycle to an elderly neighbour in rural isolation. As a result, he faced a criminal investigation, suspension and a four-year ordeal that took a profound personal effect on his life. Meanwhile, serious repeat offenders are cycling through the system with minimal consequences and laughing. Is the Minister concerned with sentencing? Does he believe prison overcrowding is influencing these decisions? Will the Government build a new prison or will we be debating overcrowding in another ten years?”
“We regularly see repeat offenders receiving suspended sentences. Let us imagine the frustration of our gardaí who make the arrest, complete the paperwork, send the file to the DPP and when the case goes to court, the individual walks free. People know that they can flout the law without a fear and continue to do this in a revolving door system. Years ago, we saw a man imprisoned for six years for falsely labelling Chinese garlic as apples to evade high customs duties. Yet, every week or so, we see individuals who are found with the most horrific child sexual abuse material being given suspended sentences. Where is the sense of justice when financial crimes are treated more harshly than the abuse of children? Who are we looking after?”
“I would like to raise the issue of overcrowding in our prisons today. The current state of our prison system is concerning. Overcrowding has been flagged for years by the Irish Penal Reform Trust. The situation is deteriorating rapidly. Recent figures show that approximately 66% of prisoners - 3,586 out of a total prison population of 5,463 - have previously served time. That tells us that the system is not rehabilitating effectively. People are being released within one day of entering the prison system simply because there is not space. In 2024, over 1,000 prisoners were released within 24 hours on temporary release. There are even warnings from within the Prison Service that overcrowding is increasing the risk of violence and rioting. We need to address the strange inconsistency in sentencing.”
“The Government had previously said this planning circumvention was an emergency measure to cope with the war in Ukraine and it would be removed, but now the Government is moving full steam ahead to copper-fasten it within legislation. The Government will apply one rule for us regular folk and another rule for itself. I have a question for the Minister on modular housing. What state are we at with legislation for modular units in back gardens? If the Minister wants, he could fast-track this legislation and provide some relief to people who find themselves without anywhere to go.”
“Affordability is a massive issue but many people who want to build have been denied planning permission for the most nonsensical reasons. I am working with a couple in Kildare who are trying to build on land beside their parents' home and have been denied planning permission because of population targets set by the local authority. That policy was set by the Minister's Department. To me, that is absolutely outrageous and the Government needs to remove all red tape for people who are desperately trying to house themselves. It is a shocking contrast to the Minister's plans to build seven super-sized IPAS centres, which will supersede regular planning regulations.”
“Something that needs to be addressed is that the number of homeless deaths is only recorded in Dublin. How can we address a crisis when we do not even understand the full picture? We need to know the mortality rate for those outside of Dublin. Our councillor in Limerick, Sarah Beasley, has raised this time and again. If the Government is not even willing to count the homelessness, what does that say about how their lives are valued? Homeless does not mean worthless. I would like a response from the Minister on why the Department is not recording the number of homeless deaths outside of Dublin city. The housing crisis is stunting the lives of people across the country. There are couples who are desperate to move out of their parents' homes and start a family but they cannot find anywhere to live.”
“I thank the Minister for coming back in. I was just about to speak when he was called to a vote last week. Homelessness has been a crisis for the past decade, all the way back to the early 2000s. Hundreds and hundreds of articles with crisis in the headline can be found. It is not a crisis anymore; it is normality. There were 17,308 people recorded in emergency accommodation as of February 2026. That is a 13% increase in just one year. Month after month, year after year, the numbers keep climbing. This does not account for hidden homelessness, such as the young person who is couch surfing and the two or three generations of families doubling up in overcrowded homes or the couple in a mobile home behind a hedge. It is estimated that as many as 290,000 people in Ireland could be living like this, unseen and uncounted.”
“Is the Minister of State aware of any funding in her Department that could help them to ensure this continues? They are funded through the Arts Council. It gives them a great outlook and supports them well in their dreams. Is there any provision for funding in the Department for disability?”
“I was delighted today to welcome Run of the Mill into the audiovisual room for the premiere of their new film, "Mary Is Missing". I thank Melissa Byrne and Brian Crehan for facilitating this. The film was brilliant, and I recommend all Members watch it. It is a fantastic piece of cinema and has been longlisted for the 2027 Oscars. Run of the Mill was founded by Aisling Byrne because she recognised the importance of artistic expression and representation. Every person deserves to see themselves in the media, which is not usual for people with Down's syndrome or learning difficulties. They do not see themselves represented in media and programmes. I commend the team and the actors on their commitment to this. They applied for Arts Council funding but they really need multi-annual support.”
“In my area a group of parents took matters into their own hands and set up an organisation called Down’s Syndrome North East where they fundraised because they could not get services like therapy and physio for their children. Their children with Down’s syndrome are looked after by their own charity and they are put to the pin of their collars fundraising daily and thinking of new fundraisers. To me that is the sign of poor government, where parents have to rely on charity and raising money themselves to get speech and language therapy. We all know early intervention is important. I have cut the rest of this off, but I would like to mention a nicer story. I am also a firm believer in the inclusion of people with disabilities beyond housing and healthcare. It needs to be embedded in cultural life as well.”
“These models show that with the right investment and vision, we can create spaces where people with disabilities are supported to live full and meaningful lives. It is the Minister of State's job to look at that and to replicate it across the country. When she spoke earlier I heard a lot of words about frameworks, policies and legislation. I kept asking myself where the tangible benefit is for the people I represent. We seem to have been on a merry-go-round of all these things for years. It is tangible benefits on the ground that these people are living, waiting and hoping for. Speech and language was mentioned by Senator Tully.”
“I will try to be as quick as possible. One campaign that has really struck a chord with me is the Before We Die campaign and initiative. It highlights a quiet but urgent fear shared by many parents of children with disabilities. What happens to my child when I am no longer here? Where will they live? Who will look after them? It is a question that carries enormous emotional weight and worry for parents. We have examples of what can be done, particularly in Donegal. We have seen the development of assisted living facilities that provide not just accommodation but independence and community. Many people in my area of Cavan-Monaghan tell me about this and want it for themselves. I am sad that they can only dream about something similar in our counties.”
“No warning was given and no notice. I am calling on the media Minister, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, to intervene on this levy and to come in for statements before this House. Small, local stations are doing great work. They are doing it on a shoestring and for some it is simply unaffordable. Do not put them on the road. Many rural people rely on their local stations as company. RTÉ was bailed out for €750 million and was rewarded for bad behaviour, slush funds, flip-flops and for wasting taxpayers' money. This is a threat to local radio stations and we need the Minister in to discuss this.”
“I want to raise the issue of the increase in the broadcast levy. We have a media Minister who is not happy that the wrong people got too much airtime during the fuel protests and wanted Coimisiún na Meán to investigate. We then had his line manager, the Tánaiste, Simon Harris, coming out and saying there was no need for an investigation. After a huge backlash supporting freedom of the press, the media Minister then backtracked on his threat. He then signed off on a €20,000 pay rise for the RTÉ boss, Kevin Bakhurst. Today we hear that the broadcast levy for small radio stations will increase by 39% and in some cases that translates to €14,000. The Independent Broadcasters of Ireland, IBI, is saying it represents a hike of thousands of euro and that it results in a cumulative increase charge of 69% in two years.”