Results 5,141-5,160 of 6,568 for speaker:Ruairí Ó Murchú

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Schemes (14 Dec 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 28. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine his views regarding the capital investment scheme support for renewable energy investments as part of the CAP Strategic Plan; if said support can be expected to continue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55700/23]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Nitrates Usage (14 Dec 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 59. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine to provide an update regarding the work done by the agriculture water quality working group in relation to the nitrates directive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55699/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Disability Services (14 Dec 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 97. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to outline any recent engagements his Department has had with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science regarding workforce planning in the disability sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55702/23]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Legislative Reviews (14 Dec 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 138. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to provide an update regarding the legislative proposals arising from the review of the Equality Acts (Equal Status Acts 2000 and Employment Equality Acts 1998); when it can be expected that these proposals will be brought forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55701/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I have a specific question that relates to the issue being dealt with. It is about Saint John of God community services. In September 2020, there was a funding crisis. The figure was €32 million. The services gave a year's notice for termination of service and then, in April 2021, the Secretary General started a sustainability and impact assessment that was finished in October 2023...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Does Mr. O'Regan see a solution before the 25th?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union: Ambassador of Belgium to Ireland (17 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: It is good to see our guests again. Theirs was about as comprehensive a report as we have got and the ambassador's answers have added to it. To follow on from an issue Deputy Haughey raised, one of the major geopolitical issues facing the world at the moment is the absolute crisis in Gaza. The latest figure I have seen for the number of dead Palestinians is 24,448, 70% of whom were women...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on European Union Affairs: Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union: Ambassador of Belgium to Ireland (17 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I am a man of my word. On the rule of law, how does the ambassador foresee the EU ethics body?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Disability Matters: Planning for Inclusive Communities: Discussion (Resumed) (17 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I appreciate that. We need those meetings to come to some sort of conclusion. There is Government involvement, but my fear is we are talking about a transfer back of responsibility. We are almost back in the same position we were in in September 2020 and we need this resolved. We need some sort of long-term fix. People will be open to anything that delivers for citizens.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: State Bodies (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I call Deputy Tóibín to ask the next question. We will probably not be able to get the full question dealt with.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Emergency Departments (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Táimid críochnaithe. Níl go leor ama againn,

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 84. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to improve pay and conditions for personal assistants working in further education settings; and to provide an update on the development of the further education disability framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2026/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: The Minister and I have had multiple interactions regarding personal assistants who work in the further education sector, including in Drogheda Institute of Further Education, DIFE, Ó Fiaich Institute of Further Education, OFE, Cavan Institute and Dunshaughlin Community College. They are doing spectacular work to facilitate students with extra needs but they have a contract that does...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I welcome the Minister's answer. FÓRSA needed to make that pay claim because that is how we will get to the end point of having a contract that is fit for purpose. Similar to the educators, this is a means of regularising the situation and putting personal assistants on a decent footing, which may be comparable to SNAs or others, because what we have at the moment is not sustainable...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Disability Services (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I agree that this is about ensuring we have consistency across the board and that we provide proper contracts for these personal assistants as employees, based on the work they do. It is also about ensuring that we facilitate those people who require the support of personal assistants.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 85. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans for the further expansion of apprenticeship courses in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2027/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I ask the Minister to lay out his plans regarding the further expansion of apprenticeship courses in Louth. We are talking about apprenticeships in many different fields at this stage. Provision has moved beyond what could be considered traditional apprenticeships. This relates to what we discussed earlier in terms of the need for multiple pathways for people to deliver the skill sets that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: That is all very welcome but we do need to see movement on a regional skills and training centre. We also need to deal with space constraints at OFE for certain courses. It may be possible to deliver additional space through the programme announced by the Minister this morning. On DkIT, Dr. O'Callaghan has done significant work in the past while, including enhancing the relationship...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Yes.

Social Welfare (Liable Relatives and Child Maintenance) Bill 2023: Second Stage (18 Jan 2024)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I welcome the legislation. I commend the work done on this by Deputies Kerrane and Brady from my party. We all welcome the fact that child maintenance payments will no longer be assessed as means for social welfare and the discontinuation of the liable relative provision. It has been a problem for a long time. If we go through the entire social protection system we see a number of...