Results 2,081-2,100 of 6,494 for speaker:Ruairí Ó Murchú

Historic and Archaeological Heritage Bill 2023 [Seanad]: Second Stage (Resumed) (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: There will be a considerable amount of agreement on what we have lost in monuments and heritage sites over many years. There will be a certain element of welcome for the Bill to ensure we have our protective tools in place. There is still room for improvement. I do not think it will come as a shock that I will mention Wood Quay given that my colleagues and others have raised this travesty....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I ask if we could just get the connection rate in relation to NBI, accepting that it is resellers who sell the product to clients and customers. The Minister of State pre-empted what I was going to ask. It is about the work ComReg has done in relation to making assessments. Some people will be at the tail end of delivery and we need to offer them the alternatives easily. The mobile phone...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 78. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide an update on the rollout of the national broadband plan to include the number of premises passed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19763/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: Not for the first time I will ask the Minister of State for an update on the roll-out of the national broadband plan, the number of premises passed, and if he could make a statement on the matter. In fairness, I will be looking to see if there has been any movement in regard to an acceleration of the process, reducing it from seven years to six years and whether we have finalised deadlines...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Broadband Plan (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: If I heard the Minister of State correctly, 147,000 can pre-order and 135,000 premises were passed? I assume that those numbers fall within the updated timelines for delivery, in particular as regards premises passed. I hope there are no hiccups in the future, as there had been previously, accepting the issues in regard to Covid, etc. From my own discussions with NBI, my understanding...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I agree that we need to streamline the amendment system for passports because it is an issue. I would also ask if we have looked into improving the situation where members of the Garda have to sign passport applications. We still occasionally get the situation where the Passport Office rings the Garda station and nobody can locate the book. The fact that we are looking for the book is...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: And the gardaí-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Passport Services (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: They definitely have. I just got a query about it this week; that is the only reason I raised it.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Northern Ireland Institutions (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I will be very brief. I welcome what the Tánaiste said about how following elections we should have a parliament and the formation of an executive. We would all like to see the DUP get into government as quickly as possible. My fear is around how we avoid drift. What does the Government intend to do on that? The council elections are imminent and the North is now facing serious Tory...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: We are obviously all worried about our citizens in Sudan. We welcome the great work that has been done by our diplomats, members of the Defence Forces and others in regard to evacuation. I spoke already to the Tánaiste about Dr. Amin Kheir. He works as a CAMHS consultant in Drogheda. He also worked in Trim. His colleagues contacted me. He was also on RTÉ. He has been in...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 17. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on his engagement with President Joe Biden and his administration during his recent visit to Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19774/23]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Middle East (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 48. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline the efforts being made to engage with the EU to progress the recognition of the State of Palestine among EU member states; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19775/23]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Renewable Energy Generation (27 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 108. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment when the geothermal study conducted at Carlinn Hall, Dundalk, County Louth, in 2022 will be completed; what the plan is when the study results are known; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19762/23]

Anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement: Statements (26 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: We remember the Good Friday Agreement, which was signed 25 years ago. We look back on the period as a time when hope, courage and vision came into place when they were needed. We would like to see that in the future, particularly in light of the constrained circumstances in which we find ourselves. Let us talk about the history of the North. Partition was copper-fastened 100 years ago...

Ceisteanna - Questions: North-East Inner City Initiative (26 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I support Deputy McDonald in her point that it does not make much sense to look at this initiative unless we have a review of it. The same goes for the Drogheda implementation board and its plan. Many things are happening that I definitely support. Some of this is about streamlining the communication between agencies, but I do not think there are sufficient resources to do the business we...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Child Poverty (26 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: If we are serious about tackling child poverty, first of all, we have to deal with those necessary services that are not available to our citizens. We are talking about those in the most peripheral of places and the most disadvantaged. I have spoken to the Taoiseach before to say that what we really need are these early interventions. Those includes family support interventions and also...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Child Poverty (26 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: 5. To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the proposed child poverty unit in his Department. [19260/23]

Rent Reduction Bill 2023: Second Stage [Private Members] (26 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: It is only a week since I was in here having done what everyone usually does, namely, checking daft.ie. At the time, there were 15 houses available in Dundalk. There are now eight. I look through the rents and I see €1,650 and €1,900. These figures are crazy. I do not know how anybody could contemplate or put the money together in relation to that. I note there is a house...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Insurance Industry (26 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: As have I said previously, I welcome any news regarding any new players coming into the market. Obviously, we need them to come into the market and then offer something that is fair and reasonable. I think it was the president of the European Confederation of Outdoor Employers who spoke about what we are dealing with at this point in time as being very much an Irish phenomenon. An example...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Insurance Industry (26 Apr 2023)

Ruairí Ó Murchú: I do not believe that any of us is happy about the issue of public liability insurance. It was in the first six months of last year that we had a drop in the cost of motor insurance premiums of approximately 5%. I do not believe that anybody is of the view that this is sufficiently significant. The Government has indicated that 90% of its action plan for insurance reform is done and that...