Results 2,921-2,940 of 2,990 for speaker:Ossian Smyth

Seanad: Budget 2025 (Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform): Statements (1 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I am pleased to have the opportunity to appear before the Seanad to contribute to the debate on budget 2025, which was presented to the Dáil by the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform earlier today. As the Minister reflected, over the lifetime of this Government, we have faced extraordinary change, uncertainty and challenge. Despite all this,...

Seanad: Budget 2025 (Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform): Statements (1 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Today's allocation will provide for a net increase of 400 in the number of Defence Forces members in 2025. Budget 2025 provides immediate support to those who need it most and provides for the long-term investment in Ireland's infrastructure and public services. It is a budget that invests in our people and climate and demonstrates a responsible and balanced approach to managing Ireland's...

Seanad: Budget 2025 (Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform): Statements (1 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senators for their comments on the budget, all of which I have listened to carefully. Senator Garvey called out, for example, the payments for HRT and IVF. She also worries that there is not enough money for small businesses, which was also a theme in Senator Keogan's comments. Senator Craughwell is interested in the Defence Forces and welcomes the 400 new members. He is...

Seanad: Budget 2025 (Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform): Statements (1 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I will go back to the Minister, Deputy Donohoe, and discuss that with him. I am happy to engage with Senator Ward on that. Senator Clonan said that the budget did not really speak to the fundamental human rights of people with a disability. A budget is an allocation of financial resources. We just get this long list of amounts of money that are being paid in different ways but there is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I thank Senator Lombard for raising this matter. It gives me the opportunity to update the House on the current position regarding the additional school accommodation scheme project for St. Brogan's College, Bandon, County Cork. As the Senator will be aware, the project referred to is a building project to deliver additional accommodations at St. Brogan's College, Bandon, County Cork....

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: The Department has told me that it will move on this as fast as it can. This Department of Education really has a good track record on the delivery of capital projects. I think the reason for that is because it has done so many. It has completed 950 projects in the last four years and when you do something many times you begin to get good at it. I noticed that with, for example, Transport...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I thank the Senator. The Minister, Deputy Norma Foley has asked me to answer this on her behalf. I will give an update on the timelines for the delivery of additional classrooms at Ardscoil Phádraig, Granard. Ardscoil Phádraig, Granard is a coeducational secondary school and enrolment for the school in September 2023 was 345 pupils. I am pleased to advise the House that...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (2 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Senator Carrigy clearly has a close, direct understanding of this particular school as he is on the school board and one of his children is attending the school. He understands what is involved. He is telling me that the school applied three years ago for its expansion, and that it is waiting for the Department to approve the stage 1 architectural plans. He cannot see why the project is...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Foreign Birth Registration (2 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: The Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for processing applications for citizenship by descent through the foreign births register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. As the Senator will be aware, people born abroad may apply for citizenship through foreign birth registration if one of their grandparents was born in Ireland or if one of their parents...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Foreign Birth Registration (2 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I absolutely agree with the Senator's final point. The Passport Office has shown it is capable of resolving a backlog and delivering a wonderful digitised service. I am responsible for the digitisation of Government public services and that is one of the jewels in the crown. A constituent has reported to me that they went to renew a passport at lunchtime and it arrived in the post the next...

Financial Resolutions 2024 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (2 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: This is very much a budget for families and for parents. There is the new payment of €420 for newborn babies and the two double child benefit payments to be paid before Christmas. Childcare fees have been brought down twice and are now half what they were thanks to the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman. Hot school meals for all children in primary education are being provided for. There is...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Recycling Policy (8 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Millions of single-use cups are sent to landfill or incineration every year in Ireland. This is an entirely avoidable waste and I want to encourage people to prevent it by enjoying their on-the-go drink in a reusable cup. The Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy, Ireland’s national waste policy, sets out range of measures to tackle the environmental degradation caused by...

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Broadband Infrastructure (8 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: Ireland's Digital Connectivity Strategy, published by my Department, sets ambitious targets, which include providing a Gigabit network to all households and businesses in Ireland by 2028 and access to 5G in all populated areas by 2030. The National Broadband Plan (NBP) is the government's initiative to deliver high speed broadband services to all premises in Ireland. The Question...

Seanad: Offshore Renewable Energy: Motion (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: On behalf of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, I welcome this opportunity to seek the support of Senators for Ireland's first forward spatial plan for offshore renewable energy. The draft designated maritime area plan, DMAP, identifies four maritime areas for accelerated and sustainable development of offshore wind off the south coast of Ireland over the next...

Seanad: Offshore Renewable Energy: Motion (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I listened to everything the Senators had to say and I am glad there is cross-party support for the motion. I will start with Senator Garvey who asked about offshore wind in County Clare. Moneypoint has a huge grid connection and will be part of the future renewable energy grid and electricity supply of our country so where does it fit in? Unsurprisingly, Senator Timmy Dooley also asked...

Seanad: Offshore Renewable Energy: Motion (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: The DMAP for the west coast is going to begin next year. The fact we have done one DMAP means that we have learned from that and the next DMAP will be delivered faster. We will also have a new regulatory regime and new planning Act, which means we will have better guarantees on the times that we can deliver.

Seanad: Offshore Renewable Energy: Motion (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: We will start the DMAP in 2025.

Seanad: Offshore Renewable Energy: Motion (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I do not have a conclusion date for that.

Seanad: Offshore Renewable Energy: Motion (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I need to conclude my speech as well. The approval of this motion will give effect to the plan-led approach to offshore renewable development in Ireland, supported by the House in May 2023. It is a critical step towards unlocking Ireland's offshore wind potential while securing our energy independence and prosperity over the coming decades. Its approval should be considered a matter of...

Electricity Costs (Emergency Measures) Domestic Accounts Bill 2024: Second Stage (9 Oct 2024)

Ossian Smyth: I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." The impact of the sharp rise in energy costs experienced in 2022 is still being felt. Households are paying on average 59% more for their electricity, and 90% more for their gas, than they were pre-crisis. This is despite the multiple rounds of price reductions announced by suppliers since 2023. Households are still in need of support...