Results 81-100 of 10,057 for speaker:Jim O'Callaghan

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Deputy for raising that issue. I do not have exact detail in respect of the funding for Kildare County Council at present. I will raise it with my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Browne. The Deputy correctly identifies that the population of Kildare is increasing very significantly. Obviously there are significant pressures to ensure public services are available. I will go...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: The Minister, Deputy Foley, brought that report to Cabinet yesterday. It is important to note the report also acknowledges the positive and open engagement with Department officials over the past year. Officials in her Department have prepared an initial response to the recommendations alongside a commitment to continue engaging positively with the special advocate in relation to the issues...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I agree with the Deputy. What is happening in Gaza is reprehensible and shocking. A concern the Government and I have is that because attention is now focused on Israel's war with Iran, it is off Gaza. We cannot allow that to happen. In fairness, no government in Europe has done more than the Irish Government in seeking to advance the protection and cause of the Palestinian people in...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Garda Tom Flavin was acquitted of all charges against him. It must have been a significant strain on him and his family. It took seven years, which is far too long for a criminal prosecution. Unfortunately, criminal prosecutions can take a lengthy period of time. It is not always the case the delay is a result of the Garda investigation. It goes to the DPP and through the courts, and...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: At Cabinet yesterday, the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, gave a detailed and informative account of bovine TB and his strategy to combat it, approved by Government. It is a serious issue from the point of view of Irish agriculture. If it became prevalent or widespread in Ireland, we would have a significant problem. Having listened to the Minister yesterday, he is on top of the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank Deputy Feighan for bringing this issue forward and the presentation from the NWRA. The north-west region has been identified in the programme for Government as an area that needs further investment. I am sure when it comes to the national development plan, each Minister will seek to advance capital projects in the region.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: We are aware of the issue regarding the Oireachtas broadcasters. It cannot be an easy job. As a party, Fianna Fáil supports what they seek. We have written to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. It is ultimately a matter for the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission to respond to these issues. I believe the commission will engage with them. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue.

Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an gceist. Is ceist an-tábhachtach í do mhuintir na tíre agus dá Dháilcheantar féin. I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I suspect there may be some people in the House who are not as aware of the private wires issue as Deputy Heneghan is. It is always good - he has spoken to me before about this - to...

Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I think the Deputy said it is northside swimmers who are being affected. Southside swimmers are affected as well by E. coli. We are not immune to E. coli on the southside of Dublin. This is a complicated area. The North-South interconnector is a hugely important issue. Referring back to the North-South Ministerial Council last week, it was an issue that was raised there. There has...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: That is not correct, and Sinn Féin does not have a monopoly when it comes to association with the heroes of 1916. Many of us in Fianna Fáil have a strong connection with those people who fought in 1916. The Deputy needs to accurately represent what was stated yesterday. It was stated that the GPO complex will be redeveloped as an ambitious flagship project, as a mixed-use...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: There is very little I can do about the US immigration system. I am trying to put rules on the Irish immigration system. I cannot control the US immigration system. It is regrettable that these new measures are being introduced by the United States. I welcome the fact that the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach have indicated that they think the measures are inappropriate. We will mention...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I will answer Deputy O'Flynn's last question while it is fresh in my mind. Yes, anyone who comes in claiming international protection is fingerprinted and assessed against the Eurodac system.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: That happens to anyone who arrives into a port. The Deputy raised issues with the passport system. We all want to speed up the passport system as much as possible so that people can get their passports quickly. The Deputy then raised the issue of people who seek citizenship through naturalisation. I had the great privilege of being down in Killarney on Monday when a judge was handing out...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I want the Deputy to know that Irish passports and citizenship are not granted easily. I am sure that if the Minister for foreign affairs were here, he would confirm that is true of passports. With regard to citizenship, many colleagues in this House ask me about citizenship applications. They criticise how long they take and ask why the process is so lengthy. The reason is that you have...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I express my condolences and those of the Government to the family of the disability campaigner, Jacqui Browne. I appreciate that the Deputy, as a man, has identified that this is predominantly a men's issue because violence against women is perpetrated by men. He is right in his identification that the influences on young men at present are considerably different from when he was a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: It is important to emphasise the role of Coimisiún na Meán. In October 2024, it adopted Ireland's first online safety code, which obliges designated platforms to protect people, especially children, from harmful video and associated content. People spend far too much of their lives looking at social media. We need to tell young people, and adults, that what they see on social...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: Domestic violence against women is taken extremely seriously by the Government. I outlined some of the measures in my response to the Deputy but more are ongoing. I did not mention the fact that we are going to amend the Guardianship of Infants Act 1964, which will ensure greater rights for the families of children whose mother, generally, has been murdered by the father of the child. We...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Deputy. I never heard anyone say, "Ah, it’s only a domestic." I do not see how anyone could say that when reflecting on the level of violence, homicides and killings of women that, regrettably, have taken place on the island. It is simply an unacceptable aspect of violence in this country that a significant amount of the violence is targeted against women. Of course,...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí (Atógáil) - Leaders' Questions (Resumed) (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I hope that some of the measures she called for are already being acted upon by me, such as the counselling notes, guardianship of infants and the issue in respect of a disclosure system to reveal individuals who have been convicted of domestic abuse previously. I have no difficulty with that. I will speak to the new Commissioner, and I have spoken to the current Commissioner as well, in...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (25 Jun 2025)

Jim O'Callaghan: I thank the Deputy for raising the Women's Aid report. At 11 o'clock this morning, I was down on Wood Quay and I launched that report. I commend Women's Aid on the excellent work it has done for 51 years in Ireland in identifying the unacceptable behaviour of abuse against women. The Deputy raised a number of issues, which Government is dealing with, and I will identify a few of them....