Results 2,341-2,360 of 3,931 for speaker:Pádraig O'Sullivan

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: My first question is a very basic one. Some might say it is even stupid. I have often had discussions with the Minister of State and she has said her job is to advocate for the children. Over the last while she has been torn between the Departments of Health, Education and Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. Can she clarify where we are now with that process and how...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I welcome Mr. Harris. I am sure we will be seeing a lot more of him in the next nine months. He mentioned that we need to be radical in our approach. I fully agree. The word "radical" is often thrown around in political parlance. I have been a Deputy for two and a half years and I can say that, in general, we are far from radical as a body politic. I am not pointing the finger at anyone...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, appeared before the committee earlier. We discussed recruitment for the provision of therapies and assessments of needs. We have spoken about how we can address that. There are people moving from the public sector into the private sector. There is undoubtedly a shortfall in the number of qualified therapists in a whole raft of different areas. What...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: Mr. Harris talked about the "radical" word. I do not want to overemphasise it but he said that "A radical plan is needed and excessive waiting lists must end to ensure appropriate, regulated supports are in place." Many of us here are very quick to identify the problems. We know the problems because people come to us every week in our clinics. What does Mr. Harris envisage specifically in...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Autism: Autism Policy: Discussion (12 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I came across something here some weeks ago relating to early intervention classes. I believe there are 137 early intervention classes nationwide. It is clear that the majority of children who avail of those classes obviously would require a diagnosis. The difficulty is that if a child is three, four, five or six years of age, the chances are that he or she will not have received a...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (7 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: The majority of people in this Chamber understand that we need to change the way we work and live to meet our climate change obligations. I say the majority because not all of us do. The majority of us do. I understand the Minister is meeting the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in the next couple of weeks to determine the percentage of emissions reductions targets. The...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (7 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I commend the Minister on the work being done and raise one other issue, about which I have spoken to him privately relating to the early childhood care and education, ECCE, programme. I am aware that those service providers were protesting outside Leinster House recently. ECCE-only providers seem to be under more pressure than those who provide a more diverse childcare service. From what...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (7 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I am asking this question on behalf of Deputy Brendan Smith. This question is on the available provision of additional childcare places, the upgrading of existing accommodation in 2021 and the level of funding for each development in 2022.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Childcare Services (7 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: That is encouraging to hear. As Deputy Bríd Smith said earlier as well, the Minister must be commended for the work he is doing, especially on childcare services. There are still issues and choke points, particularly in urban areas, as well as capacity issues. I am the father of three children. I am facing my first bill for childcare in September. Childcare is still quite expensive...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Ukraine War (7 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 47. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of Ukrainian refugees and students that have fled the war in Ukraine and enrolled in third level courses or due to begin studies here this autumn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36291/22]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Education (7 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 65. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of health care courses or programmes available to persons wishing to enter or remain in therapy disciplines including speech and language, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, social workers and psychology; the number of course places available in each of the years 2019, 2020 and 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Childcare Services (7 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 130. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth his views on the real concerns regarding the viability under core funding within parts of the early childhood care and education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36712/22]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Departmental Strategies (7 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 116. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth if he will detail the progress regarding the development of the autism innovation strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36713/22]

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Direct Provision System (7 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 252. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of inspections undertaken by the Health Information and Quality Authority on direct provision centres to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35739/22]

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services Staff (6 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister of State for the response. I have two questions on the response and then I will conclude with a few other remarks. The Minister of State said the HSE has identified a minimum recruitment target of 5,500 whole-time equivalents alongside a more challenging stretch target. What is a stretch target? What does that mean? Is the Minister of State telling me that the 5,500...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services Staff (6 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister of State for coming in this evening. I also thank the Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte and Butler, for previously taking questions on behalf of the Minister for Health. Some day I might get lucky and he might be able to get here in person to debate these issues. Our health services are stretched. That is evident in the significant waiting lists in various...

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: An Garda Síochána (5 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 21. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if there has been a mid-term review of the Garda reform process to establish effectiveness and organisational buy-in; if there are upward communication channels in place to allow information and concerns to reach the decision makers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35742/22]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Waste Management (5 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 108. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment the powers the Environmental Protection Agency and other agencies have to remove waste and pollution from a site in cases in which the site is an unregistered land and title (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35667/22]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (5 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 241. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the plans that are in place to increase the income threshold to qualify for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35938/22]

Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022: Second Stage (1 Jul 2022)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I welcome the Minister and Minister of State and thank them for bringing forward this new legislation. As they will be well aware, many of their colleagues in Government have called for this intervention for some time so it is very welcome. I will begin by speaking to the Bill and what it does. It is going to empower the National Council for Special Education to take action. As other...