Results 1-20 of 136 for speaker:Charles Ward

Committee on Children and Equality: Priority Issues Facing the Department: Minister for Children, Disability and Equality (12 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: I thank the Minister and her staff for coming today. I appreciate it. I have two questions for the Minister. I will be brief. According to mental health research conducted at the University of Ulster by Professor Karen Kirby and Oisin Keenan, there is a severe mental health crisis in Donegal among children who live in homes built with defective concrete. We estimate that this is...

Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Extension of EU-UK Trade Agreement and Implications for the Irish Fishing and Seafood Industry: Discussion (12 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: I congratulate the Minister of State and look forward to working with him over the term. I have two questions. I think we can all agree Brexit has been a disaster for the fishing industry in Ireland. The TCA was a disaster. Why did the Government seek to ratify this EU trade agreement? Were Ireland’s interests communicated to the negotiators of the EU trade agreement? If so,...

Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Extension of EU-UK Trade Agreement and Implications for the Irish Fishing and Seafood Industry: Discussion (12 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: I welcome the witnesses and look forward to working with them over the term. My first question is for Mr. Conneely. In his opening statement, he said that the Common Fisheries Policy and the European ocean pact have not been delivered at national level. What needs to be done to deliver this?

Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Extension of EU-UK Trade Agreement and Implications for the Irish Fishing and Seafood Industry: Discussion (12 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: My second question is for the Seafood Ireland Alliance. It was mentioned that it recently engaged with the European Commissioner for fisheries and oceans. Does the alliance feel there is an adequate opportunity for fishing organisations to engage at European level? Was there an engagement previous to the recent EU-UK trade agreement? I will leave those questions open to any of the witnesses.

Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs: Extension of EU-UK Trade Agreement and Implications for the Irish Fishing and Seafood Industry: Discussion (12 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: I want to talk about certain areas. For example, we know about fisheries, especially around the coastal areas. I am from the island of Arranmore and we are dying. Burtonport and Arranmore used to have a thriving industry. I get messages from people who are still fishing in Aran but have decided to no longer go fishing. They send questions to me and I reply that as someone who is newly...

Housing: Statements (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: I will start by thanking the housing Minister for bringing forward, in his first few months, a Bill that will address some of the changes needed to the defective concrete scheme. However, I have communicated to him there are a few issues that need changing. The decision, for example, to fix a cut-off date for the increased scheme cap and updated grant rate as 29 March 2024 is simply...

Written Answers — Department of Finance: Customs and Excise (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: 391. To ask the Minister for Finance the duty allowance permitted for airlines staff regarding bringing in cigarettes, tobacco products and alcohol products when arriving into the State from both EU Member States and non-EU countries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29140/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: 664. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a new modular classroom which has been approved by her Department, will be in place for a Donegal school (details supplied). [30304/25]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Departmental Inquiries (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: 840. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the plans in place to raise the current means limit to qualify for social housing in Donegal and nationwide (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30306/25]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: 979. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of Gardaí, by rank, attached to the Donegal roads policing unit as of 20 May 2025; if he will provide the corresponding figures as of 30 June 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29138/25]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: 980. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of juvenile liaison officers within the Donegal Garda division as of 20 May 2025; if he will provide the corresponding figures as of 30 June 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29139/25]

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Veterinary Services (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: 1092. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the number of WTE staff, by job title currently at the regional veterinary offices based at Raphoe, County Donegal; the WTE vacancies at the office, by job title; the expected timeframe for filling each of those vacancies, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29150/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Data (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: 1271. To ask the Minister for Health if she will provide data on the prescribing of mental health medications in County Donegal, over the past ten years; if she will provide a breakdown, by medication type and age profile; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28981/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Disability Services (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: 1313. To ask the Minister for Health the number of WTE speech and language therapists based at primary care centres within CHO1 in the years of 2024 and to-date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29151/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Dental Services (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: 1315. To ask the Minister for Health the number of dentists working in the school dental scheme within Donegal in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29154/25]

Written Answers — Department of Health: Community Care (10 Jun 2025)

Charles Ward: 1582. To ask the Minister for Health the number of closed beds in Killybegs Community Hospital (details supplied) due to staff shortages; the steps being taken to have enough staff in place to open these beds; when the 13 beds will re-open in order for the hospital to return to full patient capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30305/25]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Defective Building Materials (29 May 2025)

Charles Ward: 396. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the reason Government bodies have been to Wexford and tested a number of properties for defective concrete, over a year ago, yet test results have not been made available; and when the results will be available to homeowners in Wexford. [28808/25]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Charles Ward: I met members of the Irish Wheelchair Association outside the gates of Leinster House yesterday. Listening to them describe their experiences of trying to live a normal life in our country was truly heartbreaking. Wheelchair users face daily challenges in our cities and towns, in particular when dealing with public transport. It is a disgrace in this day and age that public transport is...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 May 2025)

Charles Ward: Yes, in rural Donegal.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (27 May 2025)

Charles Ward: I have highlighted here a few times now that changes urgently need to be made to the defective concrete block scheme. I acknowledge the engagement of the Minister for housing in this matter. The Minister, Deputy Browne's, visit to Donegal was a positive step. His commitment to amending the Bill to improve the scheme to reflect the necessary changes by I.S. 465 was reassuring to the...