Results 2,801-2,820 of 2,827 for speaker:Marian Harkin

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (14 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank Deputy Scanlon for the opportunity to address the issue of public transport along the N17 corridor. Deputy Scanlon and I are well aware of the specific issues and I agree with him that we need to find better solutions. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Transport. While the Minister has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (14 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputy for his comments. I agree with everything he said because I understand the local circumstances. I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Transport. The Deputy will recognise that this Government recognises that transport connectivity is hugely important for people who live and work in rural Ireland. As recently as yesterday, the enhanced 563 service between...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospice Services (14 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I welcome the opportunity to address the House, on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, on the Deputy's request for information on the Wexford patient transport service and the difficulties his constituents have encountered in contacting Wexford General Hospital's patient transport office. By way of general background, the Minister is informed by the HSE that the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospice Services (14 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I hear what the Deputy is saying and I can understand the concerns of many people. All I can do is update the Deputy on patient transport services in the south-east region. As I set out a few minutes ago, Wexford General Hospital continues to make significant efforts to ensure non-emergency services are provided for qualifying patients in the south east who require transport assistance to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Schemes (14 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am pleased, on behalf of the Minister for agriculture, to have the opportunity to address the challenges currently being experienced by tillage farmers across the country. To be fair, coming on the back of two extremely difficult years weatherwise, thankfully, conditions for harvest 2025 were much more favourable. It allowed fieldwork...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Agriculture Schemes (14 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I reiterate that the Government wants to grow and develop the tillage sector in the years ahead. It was for this reason that the Food Vision tillage group was established in 2023, to provide a clear roadmap for the sustainable growth and development of the sector, while improving its environmental footprint. I heard what Deputy Ó Súilleabháin said. I am well aware of the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (14 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank Deputy Hayes for raising this matter as it gives me an opportunity on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth to provide an update on the support provided by the Department to schools in south Dublin. I acknowledge the strong support provided by the Government, including by way of supplementary capital funding, which has brought the total capital allocation for 2025 for the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Accommodation (14 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: The Department of Education and Youth remains firmly committed to providing continued support and resourcing for south Dublin and across the school system nationwide. The Deputy mentioned a specific case in Ringsend. I do not know the details but, if he wants to send them to me, I will make sure they are passed on to the Minister and the Department. I agree that education is a silver...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rental Sector (14 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. I am taking it on behalf of the Department of housing and the Minister, Deputy James Browne. On 10 June 2025, the Government approved policy measures, including modifications to rent controls, to come into effect on 1 March 2026, as the Deputy has outlined. The purpose is to boost investment in the supply of homes available for rent...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Rental Sector (14 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: On the basis of the response I have here, it seems that the Government is trying to ensure a fair balance. The Government is focused on growing the supply of much-needed rental accommodation by keeping existing landlords in the market but also by attracting new landlords. I hear what the Deputy is saying, however. By doing this, we must ensure strong and balanced tenancy protections for...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: The Government remains firmly committed to apprenticeships and has significantly expanded the opportunities for learners in recent years. We fully recognise the vital role that apprentices play in equipping Ireland’s workforce with the skills needed to meet national priorities. That includes infrastructure delivery. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, and I have prioritised this area and...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: As the Deputy said, this funding will increase the numbers of apprentices already here. We see that phase 2 training capacity has increased from 5,600 in 2023 to over 7,000 in 2025 across the country. He also mentioned the fact that more instructors are being put in place. Over 80 instructors were converted from fixed term to permanent, and that supports retention, which is the question...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: The Government's objective is that by 2030 we will have 12,500 apprenticeships in the system. We are already well on track to achieving that, with, I think, about 9,300 last year. The Deputy said we are relying on migrant workers. Certainly, they play an important role in the sector. We are pleased to see that the sector is working but we also have a responsibility to grow the number of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputy. My Department has secured a gross allocation of almost €5 billion in budget 2026. That will support the delivery of inclusive high-quality learning opportunities across the entire tertiary education system. In 2026, we secured an additional investment of €79 million for apprenticeship delivery, as well as €2.5 million to permanently reduce student...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: To specifically answer the Deputy's question around capital, the allocation for the tertiary sector in 2026 is €810 million. Last year, the allocation was €677 million, so we can see that represents an increase of €133 million, which is quite significant. That will help to deliver research capacity and a pipeline of transformative projects, which will support a...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Education Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I will deal with two issues the Deputy raised, one of which is funding to community education, Youthreach and CTCs. I did say there is no specific additional funding in 2026. SOLAS has advised that the investment in community education increased by 55% from 2018 to 2024, from nearly €11 million to over €70 million now. Therefore, we can see that the funding is increasing. We...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I hear the Deputy's question because this is an issue that has come to my attention, especially in more rural counties. Apprenticeships are national programmes. As much as possible, SOLAS schedules craft apprentices to an available training location near to the home of the apprentice. If a placement is not available near an apprentice's home, SOLAS will endeavour to schedule him or her to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputy. I absolutely agree. That is why an extra €79 million was acquired in this budget for apprenticeships, bringing the overall investment to nearly €411 million. That is clear evidence of the Government's determination to fund the apprentice system. It is more than just funding. It is also ensuring that more and more people see apprenticeships as a viable...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: I fully appreciate what the Deputy is saying. Accommodation is a significant issue for all third level students. We are talking about apprenticeships in particular. I just had a look at the apprenticeships that are available in Galway-Roscommon ETB. I see that it offers training in various locations. For example, Galway Technical Institute offers training as an accounting technician,...

National Training Fund (Amendment) Bill 2025: Second Stage (16 Oct 2025)

Marian Harkin: From the north east.