Results 781-800 of 2,283 for speaker:Matt Shanahan

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (23 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: The Minister might not be aware but I actually brought antigen testing to NPHET in April or May 2020 and I am somebody who has been promoting this technology for quite a while. The antigen test for infectiousness is very important and we are probably being too slow about rolling it out given the way we are proposing to roll it out. I accept it has limitations in terms of its effectiveness,...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Covid-19 Tests (23 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: I thank the Minister. I accept that response as the Minister has given it but, as I said, I do not think we are doing enough. I heard the CMO on radio the other morning and, basically, he was not gushing in his praise for what antigen testing can do. I think that is a mistake. The other thing I would point out to the Minister is that there is a significant cost differential between PCR...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (23 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 82. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps her Department is taking to prioritise reducing construction costs and timescales into the future given the expansive school programme within the revised National Development Plan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57041/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (23 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 104. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position in relation to the availability of substitute teaching; her plans to allow retired teachers return in a substitution capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57039/21]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Staff (23 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 105. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the detail of the agreement reached with representatives of school secretaries; the way and when these new arrangements will be implemented; if they will be retrospective; if they will apply to all school secretaries; if there are further agreements to be reached in relation to issues such as pension entitlements; and if she will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (23 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 141. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that all school bus capacity including special education transport will return to 100%, in relation to the return to full school bus capacity; the position in relation to getting full capacity reinstated; the length of time this process will take; if all eligible children will be accommodated going forward; and if she will...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Covid-19 Pandemic (23 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 330. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the process in relation to the return of testing and tracing within the education system and the way that will impact on the school environment both in primary and secondary educational facilities; if testing and tracing will be reinstated for those who are close contacts of positive cases within the school environment; and if she will make a...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (25 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: I am pleased to be part of this debate, which is about amending large-scale residential planning and development. I hope what the Minister proposes will streamline the planning process, which is required if we are to affect the current lack of supply in starter homes in the country. I welcome the Minister's decision to dispense with the strategic housing development policy. As the...

Planning and Development (Amendment) (Large-scale Residential Development) Bill 2021 [Seanad]: Second Stage (25 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: That is no problem. I ask the Minister and Minister of State to look at the issue of adequate and proper funding of Irish Water. It is a significant disruption at present to the development of housing in this country, particularly to smaller scale rural developments. Another area that others have touched on is the availability of skills, particularly the wet skills such as...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Industry (25 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 213. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the details of the administrative process and computational method of allocating funding to specific airports with respect to the €126 million aviation package announced on 12 October 2021; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58136/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Industry (25 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 214. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if the €126 million aviation package is for the furtherance of the ongoing capital works at Cork and Dublin airports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58137/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Industry (25 Nov 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 215. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the timeline with respect to various approvals within Departments in respect of the current €40 million capital project being undertaken at Cork Airport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58138/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Rail Network (2 Dec 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 14. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if his attention has been drawn to an Irish Rail document written in 2019 that stated that the Waterford to Rosslare rail line could be reopened for a cost of between €12 to 15 million; if he will support the reopening of the Waterford to Rosslare rail line given discussions in his Department regarding possible new rail project...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Industry (2 Dec 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 15. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will address a series of matters (details supplied) in relation to regional aviation support packages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59612/21]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Aviation Industry (2 Dec 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 16. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the policy to support regional aviation did not extend to Waterford Airport considering it attracts the full costs of serviced runway, emergency standby and air traffic control and air navigation expertise on site and is the base facility supporting the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 117 service; and if he will make a statement...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (2 Dec 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 17. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the serious safety or transit time requirements that justify the proposed spend on the Dunkettle interchange (details supplied); if he will compare same to the lack of an appraisal to date with respect to upgrading the N24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59614/21]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Forestry Sector (2 Dec 2021)

Matt Shanahan: 246. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of forestry licences processed for the months of August, September and October 2021, in tabular form; the breakdown including felling, road access and afforestation applications; the percentage that have licences processed to the public and private sector owners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59615/21]

Health and Criminal Justice (Covid-19) (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2021: Second Stage (3 Dec 2021)

Matt Shanahan: We are debating again a serious policy, a Bill "to provide for the continuation in operation [...] of the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020, the Criminal Justice (Enforcement Powers) (Covid-19) Act 2020, the Health (Amendment) Act 2020 and the Health (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2021, in the public interest and having regard to the...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Matt Shanahan: I have two quick questions. Like others, I welcome the sectoral employment order. I think it is a good step. It may be out of step with where the market is at the moment regarding construction. There is certainly a great lack of electricians and a great lack of tradespeople in general. I ask Ms Coogan to outline one of the statements in the briefing note, which is that the sectoral...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation: Sectoral Employment Order (Electrical Contracting Sector) 2021: Discussion (1 Dec 2021)

Matt Shanahan: Just on the point of bogus self-employment, as Ms Coogan described it, there are some reasons why people would prefer to be self employed coming onto a site, particularly for a short-term contract. They might decide to do this, depending on their relationship with the Revenue Commissioners. They might be operating as a sole trader and therefore they are coming onto the site. They might...