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Tackling All Forms of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: Statements (3 Jul 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I join other colleagues who have acknowledged the great bravery and courage of Natasha O'Brien and Bláthnaid Raleigh. It takes a great deal of courage to come forward and it is important because it leads to discussions such as this and to a focus on the huge challenges that are there. The scale of this problem is frightening and what is worrying is that in many respects it seems to be...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (2 Jul 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I welcome the fact that the Minister of State is not opposing this legislation, albeit I would have to say the some of the speeches have been decidedly lukewarm. I sensed that much of what the Minister of State - he has said many things - has said is about striking the balance and I actually agree. The balance does need to be struck and I do not think that anyone on this side of the House...

Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (2 Jul 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: As in the case of most miscellaneous provisions Bills, nearly all human life is here, and while there are an awful lot of different topics and agendas, a great deal of them are very important. I will pick up where Deputy Daly left off. The issue of fines for carriers is important. We have been flagging it for some time and are glad the Minister has moved on it. It is not acceptable that...

Social Welfare (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (30 May 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: There are two primary elements to the legislation. One relates to the pay-related job seeker's benefit, which we welcome, and the other relates to the PRSI increase, which we are not in favour of, and consequently we will be voting in favour of the legislation. I will deal with them separately. They are connected but I will deal with them one after the other. We have long called for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (29 May 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The key sentence in the Minister's response is: To be clear, in line with public transport remit, the NTA has no plans to operate a dedicated school service in the area. It is the Department of Education which has responsibility for the school transport scheme. That is the problem which prevents something like this happening. No one really has the flexibility, the interest or the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disability Services (8 May 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: ...will quote from the response the Minister of State gave. He stated, "I know that my colleague the Minister of State with responsibility for disability services, Deputy Rabbitte, is fully committed to the continued development and enhancement of our children’s disability services through the implementation of the progressing disability services", and it carried on like that. I then...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disability Services (8 May 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Education is about ensuring that every child can reach his or her greatest potential and thrive. Obviously, that means a great deal of different things to individual children and families. For children in special schools and children in places like St. Killian's Special School, which is a remarkable place, therapies are absolutely crucial to ensuring that those children can reach their...

Select Committee on Social Protection: Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Committee Stage (8 May 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: ...serious concern about this section and amending it is our primary objective with this legislation. I am disappointed my two amendments have been ruled out of order. I will consider, having spoken to the Chair, whether there is scope to resubmit on Report Stage and I retain that prerogative. Our approach will not come as a surprise to the Minister because we have been talking about...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 May 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: At the minute it certainly does seem like that. I want to make very clear that it is not the responsibility of the drivers. What is happening fundamentally is that there is a shortage of drivers in Cork city. I would be very surprised if the Tánaiste's office is not getting the same calls. Many routes are particularly badly affected, including the 14, the 203, which was the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Social Welfare Payments (25 Apr 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The question still arises as to what happens next. The Indecon cost of disability report rightly indicated that different people have different costs of disability and that people with higher costs relating to their disability should receive greater support. There were a number of problems with the Green Paper. One was that it conflated severity of disability with the higher cost of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Impact of Means Testing on the Social Welfare System: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: .... Fuel allowance eligibility is all or nothing; either you qualify or you do not. We discussed fuel poverty recently in that regard. There are a lot of people who one would reasonably expect to get three quarters or half of the fuel allowance. To follow my point through to its conclusion, to have a properly progressive taxation system there should be less emphasis on means testing....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Impact of Means Testing on the Social Welfare System: Discussion (24 Apr 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Yes. I can kind of think we might have been better off if Tony Blair had been a little bit more cautious with regard to the advice he received on the Middle East, but anyway. I take the point made by Dr. Griffin. In general terms it is true and there is a caution here that needs to be considered. It raises another few questions. I have another comment on a point made earlier. I am not...

Disability Justice: Motion [Private Members] (17 Apr 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: ...last week that the Green Paper on disability payments is being scrapped was received with relief by many people with disabilities. However, it does, of course, raise further questions as to what happens next. In several respects, the consultation on the Green Paper was badly handled. My party's disability spokesperson, Deputy Tully, and I have met well over a dozen groups representing...

National Cancer Strategy: Motion [Private Members] (16 Apr 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: With the Ceann Comhairle's indulgence, I will first acknowledge the passing of former Cork North-West Deputy, Gerard Murphy, who died today. My condolences. I served on Cork County Council with him for two years. He was a very courteous and wise man. My condolences to his family and indeed to Fine Gael. Very few people in this country are not touched by the ravages of cancer. It...

Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill 2024: Second Stage (16 Apr 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Auto-enrolment has been discussed for a lengthy period and, in principle, it is something my party supports and has argued for. However, we are not satisfied with the structure outlined in the Bill. Consequently, we will not be supporting the legislation on this Stage. If substantial changes are made during its passage, we will consider doing so on a later Stage. In principle,...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Impact of Means Testing on State Pension and Other Social Welfare Schemes: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I thank the witnesses. This is a very interesting topic. The Parliamentary Budget Office made a presentation this morning. I do not have many questions because I am at the stage of absorbing information. This is a vast area. During our meeting this morning, I made the point that there is both politics and policy in this. We are trying to design a policy that is the most effective, while...

General Practice and Local Health Services: Motion (20 Mar 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Being able to access a GP is like having money in the bank. The security it offers a family is hard to overestimate. However, it is too often the case that people trying to find a new practice, perhaps having come to a new area, find it nigh on impossible to do so. Even if you are on a GP's books, it can be difficult to get an appointment. While it was not mentioned much in the Minister...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Implications of Means Testing: Department of Social Protection (20 Mar 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I have a few general observations. I welcome that the means test is being reviewed. On a slightly separate point, in general I like universal programmes and am philosophically of the view that if a taxation system is adequately progressive and people pay according to their means, everyone should be in a position to benefit. If a welfare state is only for the poor, then it will be a poor...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Social Protection: Energy Poverty: Discussion (Resumed) (28 Feb 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will try to ask all of my questions at once. They are more for the Department of housing than for the Department of Social Protection. I have a brief question for the Department of Social Protection to flag two issues. I can be critical of the Department, so it is good to give credit where it is due and I take this opportunity to do that. We had the Irish Cancer Society before us earlier...