Our motion speaks to an ugly truth about Irish society. Over 200,000 children are at risk of poverty in Ireland and more than 90,000 are in consistent poverty. That is more children than the entire population of my constituency - @HollyCairnsTD#EndChildPoverty
Analysis by @CSOIreland found that the risk of poverty is higher in rural areas. The erosion of working conditions means there are many farming and fishing families who fall below the poverty line - this needs to change. @HollyCairnsTD#EndChildPoverty
There needs to be accountability. We've been highlighting issues for the past six months. Dark clouds gathering for education - potential strike by school secretaries; ASTI balloting members; and no capacity for social distancing in schools could see closures. @1GaryGannon#twip
There is a clear distinction between what we saw with young people in Galway and the scenes we witnessed on Grafton Street yesterday. @1GaryGannon#TWiP
Instead of moralising, we need to engage with young people and start telling them what they can do. @1GaryGannon@rtetwip#twip
Some maternity hospitals in Dublin have eased restrictions, yet elsewhere it’s the opposite. Women are alone until they are in ‘active labour’. I spoke to a woman this morning who endured 23 hours of labour without support from a loved one. @HollyCairnsTD
I know public health is the priority, as it should be, but it’s difficult for people to understand why you are allowed to attend a wedding with 49 other people, but in some instances you can’t attend a prenatal scan with your partner. @HollyCairnsTD
Inconsistent practices in maternity hospitals adds to the general confusion among the public. We need coherent guidelines that are supported by clear rationale and shared evidence. @HollyCairnsTD
How you can say there are reasonable grounds if somebody is just standing in a queue at an airport? Social welfare controls must be within the law. @WhitmoreJen on @TodayRadioRTE #todayrte
There's a level of meanness coming into the narrative. This also happened during recession when there was a targeting of certain groups of people. Divisiveness not good for the country. @WhitmoreJen @TodayRadioRTE #todayrte
We’re in the middle of a pandemic but Govt focus has been on internal fighting. Some disability services have not even reopened. @WhitmoreJen on @TodayRadioRTE #todayrte
Our co-leader @RoisinShortall up now in Dáil. Speech follows:
At the outset I want to congratulate Taoiseach. Taoiseach Micheál Martin will take a bit of getting used to! But on a personal note wish you well, you’ve waited long time for this & for you & your family, it is a great honour. I also congratulate all of the new Cabinet Ministers.
Election of new 3-party coalition Gov is taking place in most inauspicious of circumstances. Covid 19 sees country going through devastating period where tragically 1,730 people have lost their lives, hundreds of thousands lost their livelihoods & countless lives changed forever.
.@CathMurphyTD begins her speech at today’s historic Dáil sitting in Dublin’s Convention Centre
"This is truly a historical day, not least that we are convened here in this modern building separated from each other because of Covid-19 to vote on the proposals for Taoiseach. While this is historical nothing about it is normal."
"We know that politics should not be, and cannot be, about just an individual even if that individual is to be Taoiseach. The reality is that politics must be about beliefs, about ideologies, and about passions and views"
.@HollyCairnsTD raised the issue of #Flood management in #Dáil highlighting the need for a holistic government response and a commitment to working with affected communities in creating robust flood defences and mitigation strategies #ClimateChange
Too often, poor planning and inaction over years has resulted in flooding, which forces communities into accepting highly-invasive and expensive infrastructure when simpler measures combined with good planning could have avoided and alleviated flooding.
@HollyCairnsTDT
There is an insufficient use of a watershed approach, which integrates flood protection, stream and wetland habitat restorations, and water quality improvements. Instead of looking at flooding in a piecemeal fashion - we should be addressing it on a watershed scale @HollyCairnsTD