Results 1-20 of 2,773 for speaker:Marian Harkin

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I really appreciate the Deputy’s considered and genuine comments on this. I mentioned the network of crisis resolution teams. These are teams of mental health professionals who work out of hours to meet people in mental health crisis and provide rapid assessment and intensive intervention in the community in calm environments known as solace cafés. Connecting for Life, our...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Swimming Pools (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: All I can say is what I said in response to the Deputies earlier, which is that further discussions will be required on the future operating model. I cannot say more than that. The appropriate funding mechanisms will have to include the local authority and local sports partnerships given the scale of the investment required and, as the Deputies are aware, the ongoing costs of operating a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: On behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, who regrets not being able to be in the Chamber this evening, I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I will pass on his comments to the Minister of State. I fully accept that he comes from a place of care. That is very clear from what he said, especially when he powerfully articulated the specific...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Swimming Pools (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputies. I can hear that both of them are greatly concerned about what has happened. Regarding the length of time the pool has been out of action, significant mechanical and electrical issues have been identified at the Ferryhouse pool and sports complex. The pool was closed due to a failure of the electrical periodic testing in response to a notification of hazard issued by...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Education and Training Boards (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputies for raising the issue. I had a positive meeting yesterday with representatives of Tipperary ETB. I was encouraged to hear about the good work ongoing. We had a good conversation and agreed that there are challenges. We are trying to work to manage those challenges in the best way possible. To come to the issue raised by the Deputies, ETBs, as they know, support...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Education and Training Boards (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I fully recognise the value of these courses. To be clear, what Tipperary ETB informed my Department is that no current learners are impacted as they have completed their programmes. However, Deputy Mattie McGrath was right to say that the impact is on the availability of places for new learners for the remainder of 2025. The Deputy was quite right to say that. My Department is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Renewable Energy Generation (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: Ireland is recognised as having one of the greatest potentials for biomethane in Europe per capita due to our substantial agricultural sector. The Government's target of producing 5.7 TWh of indigenous biomethane by 2030, which is a little over 10% of our current natural gas use, will remain a Government commitment. The Deputy will know that an Irish anaerobic digestion and methane sector...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Payments (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputy, and I can hear that this is an issue of real concern for her and the people involved. I thank her for raising the matter. I wish to assure the Deputy that the supplementary welfare allowance scheme is kept under review. The issue is to ensure it continues to support those most in need of assistance. The delivery of crucial community welfare services to meet the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Renewable Energy Generation (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank Deputy Kelly, and I am happy to respond on behalf of the Minister. I am sure the Deputy, as a former Minister, will know the calls on Ministers and in some cases they cannot be here. In that context, I am happy to be here. What the Deputy said is right. Biomethane will play a crucial role in Ireland reaching its decarbonisation targets and security of energy supply, and Ireland...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Social Welfare Payments (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. The Deputy will recognise that I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I hope she will recognise that I cannot answer on a specific individual. It is not because it is not important. It is. It is absolutely crucial and I would never say in response that it is tough. However, it is a specific case and will have to be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (24 Jun 2025)

Marian Harkin: I am committed to providing opportunities for lifelong learning, so that those in the workforce are armed with the skills they need to leverage the opportunities presented by the ever changing world of work. In that context, Further Education and Training (FET) is well suited to those who wish to change their career paths and move to vocational or labour market focused employment. According...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (18 Jun 2025)

Marian Harkin: I assure the Deputy, on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Lawless, that we are committed to responding proactively to future workforce requirements, including dentists and all other professionals required within the oral healthcare sector. We are working in strong partnership with the Department of Health, the HEA and the higher education providers to ensure our education and training system...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (18 Jun 2025)

Marian Harkin: I sincerely thank Deputy Burke for raising this important issue. This is his second time to raise it in a number of weeks. It relates to the availability of dental training places in Ireland. The Government is committed to ensuring that our healthcare system is supported by a steady and sustainable pipeline of highly skilled graduates. In fact, my Department has just progressed an...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Further and Higher Education (17 Jun 2025)

Marian Harkin: In her original question, Deputy Cummins raised the fact that some CTCs have a clerical officer scale on which the first two points fall below the minimum wage. In May, SOLAS informed IACTO that the Department had no objection to points below the minimum wage being removed. I am happy to see that. In fact, I would be really disappointed if that had not happened. To come back to the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Further and Higher Education (17 Jun 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I think it might be useful at the outset for Members to understand the context of what is being raised here. Community training centres were established in 1977 as community training workshops to support young, unemployed people aged 16 to 25. Since 1988, they have been delivering the Youthreach programme. I agree with the Deputy that they do...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Apprenticeship Programmes (17 Jun 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank Senator Nelson Murray for her question on this important issue for my Department. I thank the Senator for what she said about furniture making in Navan. People of my generation are very aware of how important that was and still is. To answer the Senator's question, under our action plan for apprenticeships 2021 to 2025 a key objective is to ensure that apprenticeships will be...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Inquiries (17 Jun 2025)

Marian Harkin: My Department is firmly committed to ensuring equitable access for all learners to Further Education and Training (FET), particularly for those from underrepresented backgrounds. The 2020–2024 FET Strategy placed ‘Fostering Inclusion’ as one of its three core pillars, identifying under-represented cohorts to receive additional support to engage in FET. This commitment...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Further and Higher Education (11 Jun 2025)

Marian Harkin: My officials are looking into this matter for the Deputy and I will follow up with him directly.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Childcare Services (27 May 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank Deputy Farrelly for raising this important issue and giving me the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Minister. Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of the Government. I heard what the Deputy said about County Kildare and the specifics of the age profile in the county. In fact, at one point, I was privileged to represent...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Childcare Services (27 May 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputy and I hear what he has said. He spoke about vision. What I can say is that the Government is committed to building an affordable, high-quality and accessible early learning and childcare system. Although the Deputy said it is not enough, the programme for Government commits for the first time to provide capital investment to build or purchase State-owned early learning...