Results 3,121-3,140 of 6,542 for speaker:Ruairí Ó Murchú

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (11 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I concur with what has been said. We have a scramble every year. We hope that our numbers are sorted for concessionaries on the basis of luck and then every local elected representative gets involved in these campaigns in areas. I have told the Minister previously that sometimes they almost welcome it as a chance to show themselves as busy, but I would be a hell of a lot happier if we...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Special Educational Needs (11 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: The Minister of State recently visited Coláiste Chú Chulainn in Dundalk and the two ASD classes there. Many parents have come to me and their issue is ensuring that their kid coming from primary school has a space in an ASD unit, if that is what is suitable, in secondary school. We have insufficient places or classes. At the Joint Committee on Autism a number of stakeholders...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (11 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 79. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the additional funding received in budget 2023 for school transport; the way in which additional school transport places are being provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49958/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (11 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I did not think we would get to this question. The Minister has dealt somewhat with the issue I raise but the fact is we have a school transport fiasco every year. We must ensure that is not the case into the future. A review will need to deal with eligibility and distances, including allowing for circumstances where schools are equidistant, and facilitate as many concessionary tickets as...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (11 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. At this point, what we want to see is accommodation of all the pupils who previously got concessionary tickets, as well as those in receipt of what are now being called concessionary 3 tickets. For students who have no siblings who ever travelled on the school bus and are the first in the family to enter the fray, I would like to think the numbers will...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: School Transport (11 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Yes, the review needs to look at all the criteria and we must ensure this particular issue is not ongoing. I like to think all sensible politicians would welcome that, as will families. There is no point repeating myself other than to say we need to deliver for people as quickly as possible, accepting the capacity issues and making sure they do not arise next year.

Employment Permits Bill 2022: Second Stage (12 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: The Minister of State and I have spoken many times about issues with visas and permits, relating to everyone from farm workers to chefs. We have also spoken about the workforce advisory group, which is meant to be working to ensure there are enough home carers in the context of permits and visas. There is an acceptance that there is a shortfall of positions across the board and, therefore,...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Legislative Measures (11 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 128. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if changes are planned to the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 in relation to school children with special educational needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49957/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (13 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 6. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection if additional resources are being given to Intreo centres, in particular community welfare offices, in order to deal with the huge number of additional requests for supplementary welfare and exceptional needs payments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49886/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (13 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I want to ask the Minister if additional resources are being given to Intreo centres, in particular community welfare offices, in order to deal with the significant additional requests we are all aware of for supplementary welfare allowance and additional needs and exceptional needs payments, and if she can make a statement on the matter. There is a growing backlog that is holding back...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (13 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I welcome the fact that we are now looking at the recruitment of 80 staff. I do not think anybody who has been in a constituency office of any party over the past while will not consider that as an absolute necessity. What is the timeline? I am not taking away from the considerable work that has been done by community welfare officers and those working in administration in the back office...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Social Welfare Offices (13 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I ask for an update on the timeline for employing those 80 people. What target times are we looking at for processing the claims? We all get that considerable is being done and that is the reason more staff are being sought but Louth County Council informed us that it takes approximately six weeks for applications for white goods and floors. That can hold up people on the housing list in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I think we all welcome the work CE scheme participants carry out. It can be everything from drug addiction services right through to many pieces of work in the community. We need to review CE with a view to strengthening it. I welcome what has been said previously. We need to look at the pension age question Deputy Stanton has raised. Beyond that, for us to make this entirely sustainable...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children in Care (13 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 110. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his plans, if any, to improve the pay and conditions of foster carers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49959/22]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children in Care (13 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: This is the point. In fairness, I welcome what the Minister said. It is accepted that there has been a failure to deal with the issues being faced by foster parents. Deputy Gould and many other Deputies have, over many years, spoken about the Trojan work done by foster parents with kids who are sometimes coming from incredibly difficult situations. I welcome this once-off payment. We do...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Children in Care (13 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: We need a commitment in relation to the entire suite of issues that are being dealt with, but that also includes foster care payments. We are talking about a cost-of-living allowance. We all will be aware of the particular impositions on families that foster in the sense that they cannot necessarily avail of regular work situations. They are on the hook, for want of a better term, of...

Work Life Balance and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2022: Second Stage (Resumed) (13 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: If we required a lesson during Covid on that idea of work-life balance and how it can be facilitated, we saw a situation where, at times, with all the difficulties that there were, we were able to facilitate both employees and employers in regard to remote working. In regard to this specific legislation, a considerable amount of work needs to be done. If we are talking about dealing with...

Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022: Second Stage (13 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: All those present welcome this legislation. My colleague put it well when he referred to the need for zero tolerance when it comes to domestic violence , gender-based violence and violence against women. There can be no place for that in society. As previous speakers indicated, there is no room for a blind eye to be turned on this matter. It is vital that stalking be named as a charge....

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirleach. It is great to be made to feel welcome. I also welcome the guests. This has been very useful. I will talk about Carlinn Hall, a community heating system in Dundalk. It includes 200-odd houses. Initially it was biomass. There have been many twists and turns but it was replaced by gas when gas was cheap and gas is no longer cheap so that is a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Retrofitting Schemes: Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (11 Oct 2022)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: The geothermal sounds incredibly interesting. Am I correct that there a similar project that has used geothermal? Could Ms Sheehan go into a bit of detail on that? My understanding is that for this to work you could be talking about going down 2.5 km. Once you go down that far it is free but I imagine there is a significant cost in doing that work.