Hauliers and child welfare legislation
Mattie McGrath seeks engagement with protesting hauliers over road tax and raises serious concerns about care for a teenager in a Kildare facility under the proposed children and family relationships legislation. The Taoiseach says the transport minister has met hauliers and that the children’s Bill is due this session, while procedural exchanges continue.
I wish to ask about two items of legislation. The Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine met the farmers today. Will the Taoiseach or somebody else meet the road hauliers tonight, in the context of the road transport Bill? They are in Dublin because of the road tax. It is a simple issue to address. They need fair play so that small businesses in rural Ireland can survive.
A matter of profound concern arises due to the failure of certain State funded organisations to care for children.
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We saw something in Castlebar, and we were shocked. I am speaking about the children and family relationships Bill. A care home in Kildare is not acting properly in regard to the care of a young teenager. This case will hit the headlines, and people will be profoundly shocked about it. It is time to deal with the issue now.
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It has been raised in the Seanad by Senator Mary Ann O'Brien. More than €860 million in funding goes to this organisation but in my opinion it is not caring for people properly.
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I make no apologies. What am I supposed to do? Should I troop through the House like Government backbenchers?
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The Taoiseach is not so bad himself at it, and where he was last night - I saw a picture of you. You have gone-----
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-----very low now. You are scraping the bottom of the barrel now, Taoiseach.
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Everything is a simple issue for the Deputy. The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has already met the hauliers' association in respect of a range of issues.