McDonald, Mary Lou

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (Continued)

I spoke with the British Prime Minister last night and reiterated the common position of all of us here, which is that the basic protections afforded to Ireland in the withdrawal agreement, particu...

In December the Taoiseach said that he had a cast-iron guarantee. He said that he had "achieved what we sought to achieve" in respect of avoiding a hard border. He said what we had was "rock so...

On the concerns around our ports and around investment in them, I am glad that the needs of Rosslare have finally dawned on the Taoiseach. The need for sectoral planning is unanswerable. We als...

I reminded Mrs. May last night that, in the event of a no deal situation arising, it is the strong view of Sinn Féin that a referendum on unity must be advanced as a matter of urgency and priorit...

I agree with the Taoiseach that would not be a helpful thing to do. As he well knows, that is something which we have not done. In fact, considerable and very fruitful efforts have been made to e...

The Taoiseach talks about relying on a vote at Westminster and the safe passage of the withdrawal agreement. That may or may not occur. Let me emphasise again that I do not want want to see a c...

If there is a no-deal Brexit, all bets are off as regards the Good Friday Agreement. All bets are off in terms of economic prosperity, social cohesion and solidarity. Rather than advancing this p...

For unity.

Is that it?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (Continued)

It is not extreme.

It states that one cannot move people out and leave them homeless.

Death of Former Members: Expressions of Sympathy (Continued)

Ar mo shon féin agus ar son Shinn Féin, ba mhaith liom comhbhrón a dhéanamh le clann agus cairde iarTheachta Paddy Harte, a fuair bás i mí Eanáir. On my own behalf and on behalf of Sinn Féin I ext...

There is much on which Paddy and I would have disagreed, but I have no doubt that there are also many things on which we would have seen eye to eye. In any event, his contribution to public life...

Arís ar mo shon féin agus ar son Sinn Féin, ba mhaith liom comhbhrón a dhéanamh le clann agus cairde iarTheachta Monica Barnes, a fuair bás i mí Bealtaine. I also extend deep sympathy and condol...

She was undoubtedly one of the most courageous feminist voices of her time and in Irish political history. She was one of a small number of people who had the foresight, compassion and vision to...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation

I was very struck earlier by the Taoiseach's response to the Anti-Evictions Bill 2018 and, frankly, by its coldness. I understand the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eo...

Pre-European Council Meeting: Statements (Continued)

It is astonishing even by Deputy Micheál Martin's dithering standards that it took nine weeks to establish that his Government has failed in areas such as housing. I offer our services from the re...

I could have told them that in two minutes and we could have spared ourselves the melodrama and the pretence of a-----

-----critical tension between Tweedledum and Tweedledee.

Indeed, Leas-Cheann Comhairle, or perhaps I might.

It seems that the Tories' difficulty is Fianna Fáil's opportunity to run away again from the Irish electorate-----

-----and to deliver more of the same, more failure and more homelessness, and yet to cry crocodile tears. Bravo, Deputy Micheál Martin. Well done. That is some kind of stability, as described by...

However, I will go on to more prosaic matters, which might be less provocative and upsetting to the delicate souls on the Fianna Fáil benches. The European Council will meet to discuss the shamb...

However, it must be acknowledged that the withdrawal agreement on offer mitigates against some of the worst aspects of Brexit. The so-called backstop is a mechanism to reduce the damage caused b...

That is why, since the Brexit referendum result became clear, we have been unequivocal in stating that Brexit presents the most serious social, economic and political threat to our island in a gene...

Deputy Pearse Doherty and I spoke to Ms Theresa May last night and reminded her again that in the absence of an agreement, a unity referendum must be called as a matter of urgency. I also told her...

The current position of some in the Conservative Party and the DUP is reckless and irresponsible. We need a deal that recognises the unique circumstances that present for our island. This is cr...

I hope the Taoiseach will bring that message to Brussels tomorrow and I hope he will consider, perhaps quietly away from this Chamber, the necessity to look to the prospect of a crash and all of ...

Schools Facilities

Asked the Minister for Education and Skills: if he will provide a list of all primary schools; the primary schools that have a kitchen or a canteen; the primary schools that do not have a kitchen; and the primary schools that do not have a ca...

Asked the Minister for Education and Skills: if all new school build contracts include the provision of a kitchen and a canteen for students and teachers.

Commencement of Legislation

Asked the Minister for Health: if the commencement of Parts 2 and 3 of the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015 is reliant on enactment of the Assisted Human Reproduction Bill 2017