Results 18,141-18,160 of 26,320 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: I have outlined what the facts are with regard to investment and what this Government is doing. I remind the Deputy and his Sinn Féin colleagues they have opposed every budget we have brought forward and every measure with regard to help. In relation to 2023, funding of €443 million is being allocated to tackle waiting lists-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: -----and 2022 was the first year the numbers on waiting lists fell since 2015. Our job is to support our hospital network and care in the community by providing additional resources. As I said, there are more now more people working in the HSE, including more doctors, more nurses-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: There are more doctors, nurses and healthcare staff than ever before. Record numbers are there. Is the situation perfect? Of course, it is not. All of us have cases raised with us where incidents have happened that are intolerable; there is no question about that. We could also talk about the health outcomes in Ireland. Look at the outcomes over the past 20 to 25 years-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: -----in cardiac care and oncology and survival rates as well. Ireland compares very well.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: It compares very well.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: The investment this Government is making is clear for people to see. What is also clear to see is the lack of an alternative-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: -----plan from Sinn Féin.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for raising these two important issues. I will comment on the water service workers first. I have been actively engaged in this not just over the past few weeks but over the past number of months and the past two years, in particular under the water transformation programme, which aims to create a publicly-owned single water utility. We have had lots of engagement with...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: On the last question , the Government has committed in the programme for Government to a referendum on water and one on housing, and I expect them to happen.
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: Specifically in relation to the retained firefighters-----
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: I have only a minute to answer and I want to answer on the retained fire service, because I commissioned the report on the retained fire service in Ireland back in May 2021. We had 1,000 submissions to it, many from retained firefighters. I regularly meet retained firefighters from across the country, including in our constituency. Proposals have gone forward through the Local Government...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his question and his continuing engagement with regard to the development of Waterford and the south-east region. As he rightly said, the Government has invested very significantly in the region. I have been there many times myself. Indeed I met the Deputy there on a number of occasions. The urban regeneration and development Fund, URDF, funding for the North Quays,...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: I thank the Deputy for his recognition that there is more cohesive and strategic planning between the two local authorities and indeed in the region. It is important that can continue and that it improves into the future. The issue with the metropolitan boundary is something we can certainly have a look at. The Deputy has made that point to me before. It is within Waterford and within the...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: Why would that be anathema to me?
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: Just to bring the Deputy back, it is important to state that I have great respect for the men and women in the retained fire services. I met many of them throughout the country. That is why I commissioned the report into the retained fire services in Ireland with an emphasis on issues the Deputy mentioned, namely, recruitment and retention. As I said to Deputy Duncan Smith earlier, we had...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: No party has a veto. I am not going to negotiate here in the Dáil. I have outlined very significant progress that we have made. There is a desire among all parties to get this resolved. It has been a difficult process right the way through. The first thing I did when appointed Minister was to remove any reference to the fact that there would be any compulsory transfer. There will...
- Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: I am asking people and unions to re-engage with a process that has worked very well. We are close to its finalisation. Sometimes things can get tricky towards the end. That can happen just before an agreement but I believe that an agreement can be made and I am open for that to happen.
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: I do not accept the Deputy's charge. It is important to note that last year, one in two new homes that were purchased were bought by first-time buyers supported by the schemes that this Government brought forward. I will remind the Deputy of those schemes, which include the help-to-buy grant, which is €30,000 of people's own tax back in their pockets to help with the deposit, which...
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: The fact of the matter is-----
- Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)
Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Doherty needs to calm down a little.