Results 9,521-9,540 of 9,648 for speaker:Jack Chambers

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: As the Deputy knows, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, is committed to significantly improving the processing times for international protection applications and bringing the appeals component back to the Department of justice in order to streamline the process. Next year, progress on the EU migration pact will make a difference in terms of the timeframes around processing. I cannot comment...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: There has been ongoing work across government relating to the lessons from Storm Éowyn and the recovery efforts. The Minister, Deputy Calleary, who is here, has been prioritising the outcome of this in terms of his submission to the national development plan and how we build more resilience into our public infrastructure, whether that is in communications, community infrastructure or...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank Deputy Callaghan and I appreciate the question she has raised. As she has heard from the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste, this will be considered in the context of budget 2026. All of us as a collective Government - Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Independent Deputies - will work on strengthening the affordability of public services as a core priority. We want to make permanent...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: This work is ongoing. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, will publish the report on the cost of education and this will inform the budgetary discussion that will take place.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank Deputy Mac Lochlainn. I know the Minister met various stakeholders in Donegal in May, including representatives from the action group and many representatives on the council. I will ask the Minister, Deputy Browne, to set out the specific timeline relating to legislation and give Deputy Mac Lochlainn a specific answer to his question.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank Deputy Carthy and I appreciate and agree on how essential an SNA is to any individual with additional needs in the classroom. I am not sure whether the school Deputy Carthy has referenced has appealed the particular allocation this year to the NCSE.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I will ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, as I did with regard to Deputy Paul Murphy earlier, to respond on the specific case Deputy Carthy has referenced. Budget 2025 provided for 1,600 SNAs, the largest number ever allocated, which will bring to 23,000 the number of SNAs in our schools.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I appreciate that. We are committed to continued investment in special education in terms of staffing and, in many instances, the need for new buildings for special classrooms. I will ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to respond to Deputy Carthy on the specific case.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I am acutely aware of the financial and emotional trauma associated with a TB breakdown and the associated hardship, as the Deputy said, for many farm families. TB disease levels in recent years have continued to increase. Over a 12-month period, a herd incidence of 6.43% has been recorded, with more than 43,000 reactors. That is a serious deterioration in the situation which we cannot...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I appreciate the urgency of this for residents in Midleton and throughout east Cork. I was there with Deputies O'Sullivan and O'Connor after the storm nearly two years ago. A priority for the Government with regard to broader infrastructure more generally and for flood relief schemes in particular is how we can shorten the project life cycle. In many instances, flood schemes are taking far...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I regret that crime has had a serious impact on the local community in the last 12 months. I engage with the OPW regularly and I will ask for an update on Castletroy Garda station. I will revert to the Deputy on it.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: First, what happened was a shocking incident for everyone present in Carlow. I am limited in what I can say relating to these matters, some of which continue to go through the legal process. I can ask the Minister for justice to respond to the specific question the Deputy raised following the "This Week" programme. He will be in a better position to give the Deputy any detail or informed...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I appreciate the urgency of forward planning when it comes to school transport. Extensive work has been undertaken between the Department of education, Bus Éireann and other delivery partners to support that in communities across Ireland. I do not know the specifics behind what is happening in the Deputy's own constituency-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: -----but I will ask the Minister and Bus Éireann to respond to the Deputy's specific needs. There is an ongoing engagement through the summer to ensure they provide the appropriate school transport services, which are of huge importance to counties across Ireland.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: As the Deputy is aware, the Department of education fully appreciates that costs and funding can pose an issue for schools. It is constantly working to address this with enhanced financial supports which were advanced in budget 2025 for this year. Schools in any financial difficulty are asked to engage with the financial support services unit. I know that a priority for the Minister,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I know we cannot have an over and back on this. I am not sure whose incentive it is. Is it the Department of housing? I assume it is. To what Government Department has it been sent?

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (2 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: We will try to find out who within government has received the particular business case, or which Government Department, and indeed under what funding scheme it is proposed to support that particular project of an integrated services hub. We always welcome any initiative of local authorities, or indeed local communities, to provide rounded supports and services for vulnerable people in our...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (1 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I propose to take Questions Nos. 283 and 284 together. Public Procurement is governed by EU and National rules. The aim of these rules is to promote an open, competitive and non-discriminatory public procurement regime which delivers best value for money. Specifically, EU rules require tenderers to be compliant with relevant employment law in order to participate in a public...

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Departmental Contracts (1 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I propose to take Questions Nos. 285, 286, 287 and 288 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that a deferred reply will be issued to him in respect of these Parliamentary Questions, in line with Standing Order 52(1)(b).

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Public Procurement Contracts (1 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: In March 2023, my Department published Circular 05/2023: Initiatives to assist SMEs in Public Procurement. The circular highlights the positive measures that contracting authorities can take to promote SME participation in public sector procurement, including an increase to the threshold at which all contracts for goods and services must be advertised on eTenders from €25,000 to...