Results 321-340 of 595 for speaker:William Aird

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (2 Jul 2025)

William Aird: It is certainly not Laois. I can tell him that.

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (2 Jul 2025)

William Aird: What should be said, in fairness to me and everybody here because most people spent time on the council, is that councillors should be informed of which councils did not take up their full allocation.

Select Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 42 - Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (Revised) (2 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I know that. I said that. To be fair, public representatives might not be aware of that, and that is not fair.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Rural and Community Development Matters: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (2 Jul 2025)

William Aird: The Minister and I had the opportunity to speak earlier. I support the Senator on the LIS schemes. There is a considerable backlog in my area, too. Did the Senator say that only one road in Mayo has not been done?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Rural and Community Development Matters: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (2 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I would say it has a waiting list, too. We will be watching to ensure we all get our own supports. That is all I am trying to say.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Rural and Community Development Matters: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (2 Jul 2025)

William Aird: We are again pleading with the Minister in respect of this one area. I know he can say that extra roads have been put in as the result of the change to a requirement for one herd number. That is what would have brought up that issue. Is there anything that can be done? We had a long debate at the local authority to see if we could raise the funds ourselves to try to get the waiting lists...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Rural and Community Development Matters: Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (2 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I have one question about the ORIS. I also thank the Minister for his work on the islands. You might wonder why I am asking a question about the islands but my sister lives in Clifden and she continuously tells me about her work out on Inishbofin. They greatly appreciate what is being done. I have a question from the following point of view about the ORIS. I thank the Minister for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (9 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I draw the Minister of State's attention to an escalating crisis in rural County Laois in the form of the chronic shortage of GPs and the lack of fully developed primary care services. We all accept that primary care is the front line of the health service. It is where early diagnoses happen, chronic conditions are managed and preventative care should take place, easing pressure on our...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (9 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I thank the Minister of State for her response. However, it is important that I stress again that I am not asking for extras for County Laois. I am asking for the basics, that is, access to a doctor, reasonable wait times, and care delivered in our towns and villages. Rural Laois deserves the same healthcare rights as any other part of this country. People have paid into the system for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (9 Jul 2025)

William Aird: We do not.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (9 Jul 2025)

William Aird: That is what was said 12 months ago.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Farm Safety: Discussion (9 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I welcome all our guests today and especially welcome Ms Rohan. I know Brian would have loved to be here today as well. You are from Laois the same as I am. I remember well getting a phone call about Brian's father Liam. I was young at the time. I clearly remember saying it could not be him because he was so safe. He was so tidy on his farm. He was just one of that type of people and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Farmer Mental Health and Well-being: Discussion (9 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I welcome John, David, Alice, Teresa and Claire. I do not have a question for the IFA from the point of view of what it does because it does great work and if it was not for the IFA we would be in a lot poorer place than we are in at the moment. The IFA has monthly meetings and engages with farmers to try to encourage them to go in and we did the same in Macra. I started off in Macra and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (9 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I thank the witnesses for coming in. There are 20,000 farmers in Ireland with less than 10 ha. Those 20,000 farmers are in those schemes. If those 20,000 farmers were offered something else, the money would have to come out of it. We will leave that as it is. Ms McPhillips can answer that question in a moment. I would like to ask Mr. McGann a question. He is out there on the front...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture and Food: Scrutiny of EU Legislative Proposals (9 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I will just say that it is agreed with caution. That is all I will say.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Fees (8 Jul 2025)

William Aird: 126. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the third level fee supports that are available for graduate medicine students; if he will outline future plans for this if none are currently in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37571/25]

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Primary Medical Certificates (8 Jul 2025)

William Aird: 329. To ask the Minister for Finance if he will increase the tax reliefs allowable with the primary medical certificate in line with current vehicle values; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37295/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (10 Jul 2025)

William Aird: 118. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on funding to help local authorities carry out improvement works on private and non-publicly maintained roads, given the importance of rural infrastructure and connectivity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38239/25]

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Engagement on Matters Relating to Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion (9 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I have a question about the housing situation. I was a member of a local authority for many years. It introduced a scheme whereby if a person was renting a house and it was put up for sale, the council would buy it and leave him or her in the house. I thought it was an excellent scheme. I agree with the witnesses; it is a pity that it has not been continued. The fact was that they felt...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Engagement on Matters Relating to Pre-Budget Submissions: Discussion (9 Jul 2025)

William Aird: I thank everybody for coming here today. I have used this analogy all of my political life. Sinead is not alone. There are thousands of Sineads and Johns out there providing full-time care. I always say it is like pushing water up a hill. I still have to use that analogy, which I have been using for nearly 40 years now. I hope I am still a public representative on the day I am able to...