Results 1-20 of 11,864 for speaker:Roderic O'Gorman

Middle East: Statements (2 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: Yesterday, I took part in the pre-legislative process for the Government's occupied territories Bill, or the OTB-lite. Like others, I focused on the Government's exclusion of services from the current draft. The officials from the Department of foreign affairs were able to give me a clear answer on one point I raised. One of the conclusions in the ICJ opinion, delivered last year, was that...

All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Statements (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: A map of Ireland's railway network in 1906 that is often shared online provokes passionate debates about the state of our current rail network. We used to have 5,000 km of railway and more than 1,000 stations connecting all corners of the island. Today, the network is just a fraction of what it was at its peak. These debates show one thing very clearly: people want to see increased...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (2 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: I noticed that in the Minister of State’s reply, there is a focus on the 1 February deadline. As colleagues have said, there were no plans to open an ASD class in St. Mochta’s on 1 February and the only agreement on that opening came in April. In April, when the school did agree to open these two classes, it received a verbal agreement that the deadline would be waived for the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (2 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Minister of State for attending. I understand the NCSE is attempting address the crisis we have for places in special classes, and I know it is acting quickly. However, the way it has acted in the context of St. Mochta’s is not the right solution. St. Mochta’s has agreed to open two special classes - two ASD classes - in September for 12 students. It currently...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (1 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Minister. There are three real elements here. There is the statutory scheme, which will look after fire safety, structural issues and water ingress. The interim remediation scheme is solely for fire safety works. We then have the pathfinder projects, which are under way and are probably a subcategory of the interim remediation scheme. Has any money been paid out under the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (1 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: I appreciate the Minister's offer of a briefing. I will certainly take him up on that because residents are really worried. They are getting this information from their management company, which says there is a blockage. The Minister made a number of comments that if any of them are listening will probably make them even more nervous in terms of delay. There needs to be clarity. I accept...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (1 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: 10. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government for an update on the progress of the legislation to underpin the apartment defects remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35771/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Legislative Measures (1 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: The Minister will be well aware of the anguish, worry and stalled lives of families living in apartments with structural defects, be they fire safety issues or water leakages, which they experience through no fault of their own. The defective apartment remediation scheme is a lifeline that will finally allow these families to move on. The Minister will appreciate how important that...

Disregard of Historic Offences for Consensual Sexual Activity Between Men Bill 2025: First Stage (1 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Deputy Ó Snodaigh for bringing forward this legislation and the campaign group for highlighting the issue. I want us to recall the original provision under which these men were convicted. Section 61 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 states that "Whosoever shall be convicted of the abominable crime of buggery, committed either with mankind or with any animal shall be...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 (1 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank Mr. Keown and Mr. Smyth for being here. One of the conclusions of the ICJ opinion of July of last year was that states should abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the occupied territories or parts thereof. On the balance of probability, in the witnesses' legal view, is that reference to economic or trade dealings in the ICJ opinion more likely...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 (1 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: The reference is to both trade in goods and services, yes?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 (1 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: That is really helpful. If we enact this Bill, it is likely that Ireland will face infringement proceedings. We would have to defend it and would probably use Article 36 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and the reference to public policy therein. The witnesses have said that the public policy ground is interpreted very narrowly by the Court of Justice. Is there a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: General Scheme of Israeli Settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (Prohibition of Importation of Goods) Bill 2025 (1 Jul 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: When the court looks at the interpretation, as in the UK case about the minting of coins or the L'Église de scientologie case, it speaks of public policy regarding "the fundamental interests of the State". I believe that was what was said in the minting case and again in the L'Église de scientologie case about a sufficiently serious threat to a fundamental interest of society....

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (26 Jun 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: Earlier this month, the Public Accounts Committee of the UK House of Commons published a report on the Sellafield nuclear power plant in Cumbria. The report suggests that the Sellafield nuclear waste reprocessing plant is basically falling apart. The site contains one building called the Magnox Swarf Storage Silo - a dramatic name. The Public Accounts Committee inquiry heard that this silo...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (26 Jun 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: 22. To ask the Minister for Health for an update on plans to relocate the Rotunda Hospital to the Connolly Hospital campus in Blanchardstown; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34325/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Strategies (26 Jun 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: 69. To ask the Minister for Health her plans to implement commitments contained in the national maternity strategy regarding co-locating all remaining stand-alone maternity hospitals with adult acute services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34326/25]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Artists' Remuneration (26 Jun 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: 169. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the next steps for the basic income for artists scheme following the completion of research indicating its success; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34317/25]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Budget 2026 (26 Jun 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: 174. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will outline some of his Department's priorities for Budget 2026 as the Estimates process commences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34316/25]

Select Committee on Transport: Estimates for Public Services 2025
Vote 31 - Transport (Revised) (25 Jun 2025)

Roderic O'Gorman: I thank the Minister for the briefing provided by his team. For programme A, cycling, walking and greenway, the outturn for 2024 was €387 million. As the Minister has outlined, the budget for 2025 is €360 million. That is a 7% decrease in terms of what was spent in 2024 versus what is budgeted this year. There is real concern about the almost systematic removal of references...