Results 61-80 of 243 for speaker:Ciarán Ahern

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate (29 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: I wish to raise water infrastructure and, in particular, issues that have been experienced by residents in Dargle Wood, Knocklyon. There has been a marked increase in water outages over the last few months. The residents have had eight separate outages since the beginning of this year alone, but such outages have been a persistent issue for years now. There have been 23 water outages in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate (29 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: I appreciate the acknowledgment from Uisce Éireann that the service over the Easter weekend was not up to scratch and not acceptable. It is really just not fair to be asking people to put up with these inevitable outages again and again between now and whenever the planned works take place. I appreciate that carrying out an upgrade on the pipes themselves is a more significant body of...

Flood Relief: Statements (29 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: I will put Labour Party environment spokesperson hat on and raise a specific issue with the Whitechurch flood relief scheme in Rathfarnham in my constituency of Dublin South-West. I do not think any of us would deny that some flood relief interventions were required for the Whitechurch stream. There was a serious incident of flooding on Whitechurch Road a number of years ago now. While it...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: The most senior official in the Department of environment and energy said today that we will have to decide between building more homes or expanding our data centre capacity because our energy infrastructure cannot handle both. This is an extraordinary intervention. The Labour Party has long been sounding alarm bells about the scale of data centre construction. We have serious concerns...

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: I echo Deputy Connolly's comments in respect of the previous redress schemes and this one. I think our party is going to find it difficult to support it as well. I wish to make one final point about exclusion, to which Deputy Connolly referred. I believe it is unfair to limit this legislation’s healthcare provision to people who have already received a payment under the residential...

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: I am still concerned about this proposed amendment. It appears to be an attempt to water down the services available to survivors so that even less home help is on offer compared to the Magdalen and mother and baby institution schemes. As I said, section 4(1)(d) reads identically to the legislation underpinning both the Magdalen and mother and baby institution schemes. In those schemes...

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: I got a bit ahead of myself the last time. I have been a new TD for six months now and this is the first time we are debating any legislation.

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: I am conscious that the Minister is new to this brief, as am I as a first-time Deputy. The Bill went through the House before I was elected. I am concerned by the proposed amendment to section 4(1)(d) of the Bill, as drafted. It might appear to be an attempt to water down the services available to survivors. Even less home help is on offer compared to the Magdalen and mother and baby...

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: Yes.

Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024: Report and Final Stages (28 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: Apologies.

Gaza: Motion (28 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: Last month, my wife and I welcomed a new baby into our lives. It has been just so joyous, spending the first few weeks of a child's life together as a family, getting to know our new baby and seeing them grow and develop a little personality. It was a precious time. I returned to work here after a few weeks of parental leave. Last week I attended a briefing by the Irish Healthcare Workers...

Apology to Shane O'Farrell and his Family: Statements (27 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: Like everyone, I was absolutely shocked to hear of the tragic circumstances of Shane O'Farrell's death on 2 August 2011. I am always saddened to hear of deaths on our roads, of which there are still too many, but as a cyclist, a law student, a UCD graduate and someone who was around Shane's age at the time, his death in particular hit home with me. I recently had the privilege of meeting...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Official Travel (27 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: 147. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the members of the Irish delegation attending the 2025 UN Ocean Conference; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27100/25]

Biodiversity Week: Statements (21 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: I welcome the opportunity to speak on the issue of biodiversity and to mark biodiversity week. We have an awful lot to do in this area. The Minister of State will know that better than anyone else. He has a reputation for passion in this area. I look forward to working with him as best we can over this term. In Ireland, we very often trade on the incredible beauty and richness of our...

Assessment of Need: Statements (20 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: I begin by paying tribute, as others have done, to Cara Darmody. A 14-year-old obviously should not need to be such an ardent campaigner for autism supports and services but she is an incredible one and it was a pleasure to meet her and give her my support outside the gates of Leinster House this morning. Nearly everyday, like everyone here, I am contacted by parents in my constituency who...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (20 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: 222. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the timeline for the publication and implementation of the second Whole of Government Circular Economy Strategy; if this strategy will include collection and sorting targets for specific packaging materials; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25326/25]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (20 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: 223. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the timeline for the implementation of the Programme for Government commitment to provide investment in sorting technology in Ireland’s materials recovery facility (MRF) network to improve recycling processes and rates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25327/25]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (20 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: 224. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment to elaborate on the Programme for Government commitment to publish a plan to expand producer responsibility schemes to take accountability for the full lifecycle of products including what the information the plan will contain and the timeline for the plan’s publication; and if he will make a statement on the...

Information on Repairability of Certain Products Bill 2024: Second Stage (15 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: I commend Deputies Pa Daly and Quinlivan on bringing forward this really excellent Bill. The Labour Party is glad to give it our support. We have a long history of advocating for better waste management and advocating for measures to reduce waste. Indeed, it is more than 20 years since we published our Waste Matters policy document in 2005, an alternative strategy on waste management to...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (15 May 2025)

Ciarán Ahern: 222. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills for an update regarding the proposed expansion of an autism class in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24951/25]