Results 1-20 of 115 for speaker:Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin

All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Statements (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: We must do far better for the people of Wicklow and Wexford. For years, I have raised the issue of the inadequate rail network in these counties, including most recently last week at a meeting in Buswells Hotel with representatives of Iarnród Éireann. My hopes were briefly lifted with the all-Ireland strategic rail review when the Wicklow and Wexford rail line was mentioned....

Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Review of Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: I thank the witnesses. Everything they said has been very informative. I missed the beginning of the meeting. I am very interested in this area. I was on WWETB for ten years and I was teaching for 35 years before I started this thing. I see the numbers of apprenticeships have increased. One figure indicated we have 77 and another suggested it was 88. Ten years ago, I attended an event...

Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Review of Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: That is very welcome to hear. I thank Dr. Collins. My second question was on basic skills training in the Wexford and Wicklow area.

Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Review of Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: In the agriculture sector, I see there is only arboriculture listed. It is something we need at the moment. There is a huge crisis and a mass exodus of young farmers. Actually, it is not really an exodus because they are not going into it. Fewer than 5% of young people now are going into farming.

Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Review of Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: I did not see those apprenticeships on the list of agriculture apprenticeships. We definitely need those apprenticeships because we all depend on Irish farming for our food three times a day. It has been recognised by farmers' associations recently that people leaving the sector represents a huge crisis. Is there anything more we can do to keep young people in the sector and encourage...

Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Review of Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: Excellent. I remember that, a few weeks ago, one of Sinn Féin's Deputies, Máire Devine, had a group of young trainee nurses in from St. Patrick's mental hospital. They made a very good presentation in the audiovisual room. My understanding is that those trainee nurses were not paid for part of their training. Obviously, most Irish nurses have emigrated to places like Sydney and...

Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Review of Action Plan for Apprenticeship 2021-2025: Discussion (25 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: That is good to hear.

Presidential Voting Rights: Motion [Private Members] (24 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: As we know, Mary McAleese was the first President of Ireland born in the Six Counties and she proved to be a very effective President. However, incredibly, when she ran for election in 1997, she was not allowed to vote for herself. Our Presidents Mary Robinson, Mary McAleese and Michael D. Higgins could have presented the Sam Maguire or Liam MacCarthy cups to players like Joe Brolly, Peter...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: This may have been covered earlier when I was not here. My first question relates to the NCSE and why the reviews were postponed until September. A parent in Ferns contacted me this week, who was in great distress. Her five-year-old child with Down's syndrome would not be allowed to enter the school in September even though her preschool friends would be going there, because there is no...

Committee on Education and Youth: Engagement with Minister for Education and Youth (18 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: Sorry-----

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Bus Éireann (17 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 392. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has a plan in place to bridge the shortfall of €90 million that was outlined at the presentation for school bus places by Bus Éireann; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31951/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: State Examinations (17 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 399. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will look to remove the question on “short story” Junior Cycle Higher Level English paper (details supplied) from the marking scheme entirely and have the marks divided up into the other questions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32006/25]

Committee on Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science: Engagement with Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (11 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: First, comhghairdeachas leis an Aire ar a ról nua. I congratulate the Minister, as a fellow Gorey man, on his elevation to this high office. It is great to see. I wish him well in his endeavours. There are a number of areas I could focus on, but time will not permit - especially my fears around student accommodation crisis, which may become a disaster. That is a fear I have, and...

Vacant Council Housing: Motion [Private Members] (10 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: We have a bit of contradiction in that there are so many people without homes, yet there are so many homes without people. The vast majority of these are in private hands. However, there are more than 2,500 vacant council houses throughout the State. Of these, 834 have been vacant for more than a year. Each of these homes should have a local family living in it. Almost all councils have...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Policing Matters: An Garda Síochána (10 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: I, too, would like to be associated with the remarks about Garda Kevin Flatley. Having been a member of the joint policing committee for Wicklow–Wexford for many years, I have met Mr. Harris before and am acutely aware of the crisis with recruitment and retention. With regard to retention, I am thinking about the case of a person I know locally who is aged 19 or 20, is very...

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Policing Matters: An Garda Síochána (10 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: Would the individual be able to contact the Garda before the next recruitment round in September?

Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration: Policing Matters: An Garda Síochána (10 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: On my last point, can Mr. Harris clarify that those residing in IPAS centres can actually become members of the Garda?

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (10 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 1054. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new Gardaí assigned to Arklow, Avoca, Rathdrum, Carnew, Aughrim, Tinahely and Gorey stations each year over the past five years, by station and not division, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30473/25]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Data (10 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 1055. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality for the crime figures for counties Wicklow and Wexford over the past five years, by category, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30474/25]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (10 Jun 2025)

Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin: 1056. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the total number of Gardaí to date in each of the stations in Arklow, Avoca, Aughrim, Carnew, Tinahely and Gorey, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30475/25]