Results 33,141-33,160 of 33,289 for speaker:Paschal Donohoe

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The European Union is an institution that we are part of and that we shape, benefit from and influence. Implicit in the Deputy's question is the idea that the European Union is handing down direction or making decisions that we are, in some way, not able to influence or respond to. I am not familiar with the exact detail of the engagement the Commission has with the Department of justice....

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: At least we talk to them.

Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for raising this extremely serious matter and drawing our attention to the reality of what is happening as young minds are reshaped in ways that can do great harm to them, when those young minds have their expectations set regarding what should be permissible and consensual and are putting behaviours in place we know can be so harmful to their well-being and safety in...

Ceisteanna ó na Comhaltaí Eile - Other Members’ Questions (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I very much agree with the Deputy and also agree with the point she made that a very dangerous reshaping of expectations regarding what is permissible and how we should engage with each other has taken place due to the availability of content and young minds being exposed to it. While I appreciate her scepticism given the importance of this issue, all I can do is genuinely underline to her...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The Government and many successive Irish governments have made clear our commitment to that cause. We have also made clear the steps we believe should be put in place beforehand to bring us closer together and to unite this island. That is already happening. I have pointed to the work of the shared island fund, overseen by the Department of the Taoiseach, supported by the Department of...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy. There are quite a few questions there and I will do my best to touch on each of them. Before I do so, I join him in offering our condolences to the family in Donegal who have just received such terrible news. The most terrible of news is sometimes unexpected. Earlier, I neglected to agree with Deputy O'Flynn in offering condolences on the death of Brother Kevin, a man...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy has raised some really serious issues. First, the Government will continue to put in place additional funding and support to help those families who are waiting for the additional needs assessments that we know are really important. Second, actions are being taken by the Government to increase the classes, the therapists and the teachers who are needed to be in those classes....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy who is, of course, raising such a serious issue regarding what is happening in the Middle East and what is happening to the people of Gaza. I have outlined the Government's view on it and what we are doing to make a difference. I am not in a position and nor do I have the necessary information in front of me today to offer a view on the actions of other parliaments or...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy O'Gorman for raising this issue. The Taoiseach, the Minister for agriculture and the Minister of State, Deputy Dooley, are very much aware of the importance of the issue raised by the Deputy. The reason the Taoiseach went to the aforementioned conference in the first place was to highlight the personal interest he has in this issue and the Government's commitment to do more...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I am sure the Deputy will understand that I am not in a position to comment on any individual Garda station. I am sure the Minister for justice will be able to respond to the Deputy on that but the Government is fully supportive of the efforts of the Minister to increase the number of gardaí and to continue our efforts to keep our streets safe in Cork and elsewhere. Three things have...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank Deputy O'Shea for raising this important issue. I know the local improvement scheme is really important for the communities he represents and the many other communities that need additional support in upgrading their roads. Since 2017, €169 million has been invested in this scheme. Last year, the figure stood at €40 million, which represented an increase of €12...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The Deputy knows I do not have the information. He knows it is not reasonable to expect me to know the status of every greenway in this country when answering questions on promised legislation. If he wanted an answer, he should have let me know he was going to raise this particular issue. I then could have given him a more detailed answer. It is not acceptable to expect that, when I am on...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. As we build more homes, which we need to do, it is really important that we do so in a way that makes services and facilities available for those who will live within them, including families. I am sure the Minister, Deputy Foley, will be giving this matter consideration. I will raise the issue with her and let her know the Deputy has made this...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I am aware of the issues the Deputy has referred to, which affect not only the people of Louth, but also those of the wider north east, as the Deputy has said. The location of surgical hubs depends on the evaluation and recommendation of the HSE. The Minister and the Department of Health then do their best to act on such recommendations. I am not aware whether such a recommendation has...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy. I will outline what we are doing to support people with the cost of living, which we know continues to be a significant issue and problem for many, even when the price growth we have had to deal with for many years is slowing. What has the Government done to respond to the needs we know are there? We are rolling out the free hot school meals system and making free GP...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: The very reason the higher rate of HAP was made available in the first place was that the Minister and the Government recognised the need for that payment to do more, to help more and to make a difference in preventing homelessness. I am not aware of the exact issue that could prevent somebody from accessing the higher rate. Of course, the last thing we want to do when designing something...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for the manner in which he has raised this matter. I am also aware of the issues he refers to and the views of MABS. The issues he raises are really serious for so many citizens in our country. First, no budget decisions have been made. We are here at the start of July. The budget will happen in October. In between July and October, various other measures I have...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The terrible behaviour he has referred to is inappropriate, given that somebody could be suffering, distressed or vulnerable. It is equally repugnant to those who love that person and who might find out about it on their phones in an unprompted and unplanned way with no support. For those two reasons, and there are many others, the behaviour the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Okay. While the Government indicated that, in recognition of this issue, we did not oppose the legislation, we indicated our significant concern that we believed it would be difficult to legislate for the behaviour the Deputy has referred to and the harm it could cause. I know we need to debate this issue and consider it more carefully. I cannot imagine how any of us would feel if we were...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (3 Jul 2025)

Paschal Donohoe: Yes, it is. I thank the Deputy for raising it. He and I are aware of the great work the Mater hospital does, how much it is respected and how hard its staff work. I also know how important and sensitive the issue he is raising is. I understand that, last year, approximately 60,000 women were seen in a rapid access clinic. The HSE, in recognition of this issue, has set a target for 95% of...