Results 3,001-3,020 of 4,718 for speaker:Malcolm Noonan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: As the initial notes stated, the Department has approved funding to KWETB to undertake refurbishment works. If they have not commenced, it may be a local matter regarding getting contractors to carry out the work.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: We can find out locally. It is positive that the options study was furnished to the Department. That gives a chink of light. The Department is assessing and examining those proposals. It is important that all of the Deputies keep a bit of friendly pressure on the Minister to get this really important matter advanced as a matter of priority.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Passport Services (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Passport Service is experiencing significant levels of demand but there are indications these are starting to decrease. Many countries have experienced that rise in demand after Covid restrictions eased. The Government and the Passport Service have responded. Demand for passports fell by 30% in June, when just over 100,000 new applications were received, compared to 146,000 in May....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Oideachas trí Ghaeilge (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas leis na Teachtaí as an gceist seo. I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley, who is regrettably unavailable. I send best wishes to Deputy Durkan and Deputy Catherine Murphy and thank the Deputies for working on this issue together. It is admirable. I will outline to the House the position with regard to the provision of permanent...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): International Relations (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Gabhaim buíochas arís. As the Deputy said, this is a challenging and concerning case and I thank her for raising it. It is significant that she has raised it here in our Parliament and that is important to maintain that pressure. The Department of Foreign Affairs will continue to closely monitor the case of Mr. Pether and his Egyptian colleague, Mr. Khalid Radwan. We...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Passport Services (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I welcome the opportunity to provide an update on the passport service, particularly during the busy summer period. The service is already outperforming any previous year, despite the challenges that it has encountered over the past two years. Prior to the pandemic, the busiest year for passports was 2019, when in excess of 900,000 passports were issued. The passport service is currently...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Community Development Projects (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is, by law, responsible for the management and administration of An Garda Síochána, including personnel matters and the deployment of resources. The allocation of Garda resources is made in light of identified operational demand. As such, the Minister for Justice has no direct role in the allocation of Garda resources. The...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): International Relations (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I thank Deputy Kerrane for raising this most important issue. I want to extend our best wishes to Robert and his family. What the Deputy has described is a hugely challenging situation. It is desperate for any family to have to face that. I am aware of the case of Robert Pether, who has been detained in Iraq for over a year along with his Egyptian colleague, Mr. Khalid Radwan. Mr. Pether...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Refugee Resettlement Programme (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I reiterate that the Government is not downplaying the issue. This is really, really serious. We understand. I spoke to the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, Deputy O’Gorman, about it yesterday, and to the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy O'Brien. We are facing an increasingly challenging situation from a humanitarian...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla (Atógáil) - Topical Issue Debate (Resumed): Community Development Projects (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am responding on behalf of the Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee. The Minister is pleased that budget 2022 reflects the commitment of the Government to ensuring that our communities are safe and that An Garda Síochána has the resources to be an effective and trusted police service. The budget provided by Government to the Garda Commissioner continues to increase to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Refugee Resettlement Programme (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am replying on behalf of the Minister. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine on 24 February and the invoking of the temporary protection directive by the European Union shortly afterwards, the Department has worked intensively as part of the cross-governmental response to the Ukraine crisis. The operational challenges brought about by responding to the conflict are significant. Our...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: The Deputy will appreciate that this is not my specialised chosen subject. I have served on voluntary boards of community-based childcare services for many years, however, so I have a great interest in the sector. I appreciate the points the Deputy raised. High-quality early learning and childcare that is affordable and accessible is a key Government priority. Before the onset of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Childcare Services (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I agree with many of the points raised by the Deputy. From my experience in volunteering in the sector, there are challenges around the requirements for facilities for children aged under one year. That is perhaps something that has not been responded to by the providers. There is a significant challenge around the actual layout of physical premises in terms of sleeping areas, etc. That...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disability Services (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I am responding to this matter on behalf of the Minister of State at the Department of Health, Deputy Rabbitte. The Deputy highlighted a difficult case and it is important the issue of access to therapies and respite be resolved. The Government recognises how important respite can be for relieving pressure and enhancing the quality of life of families, particularly due to the impact the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Disability Services (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: As the Deputy will appreciate, I do not have those figures to hand, although I will ask the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, to follow up with responses to the specific questions he asked. A letter from Majella Daly, the head of the disability service in Cork-Kerry Community Healthcare, is attached to my prepared response but it does not offer much more information than I have outlined....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I again thank the Deputy. We can work with Irish Water to get a timeline, as that would be useful for the Deputy and the community in terms of when the collation of data will be completed and the different upgrade scenarios that are to be developed. The project will then have to go into a scope of works and move into the project design and statutory planning stage. There are a number of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Water Services (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: I agree with the points made about Castlemagner. They apply to all our small towns and villages. We launched the Croí Cónaithe towns fund this morning. A lot of Government policies are converging to try to attract families back to living in small communities. It is vital that such communities can grow in a sustainable way. I will outline the position in regard to Irish...

Summer Economic Statement: Statements (Resumed) (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: While I am on my feet, I thank the ushers and all the staff here for the past couple of days. It has been a really busy few weeks here and I want to say a huge thank you to them all. It has been long hours on all of them and I want to use the opportunity to say that while I am here. I thank all Deputies for their contributions. I have stayed here for two hours of them. The Cabinet...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: My Department does not provide specific funding for landowners to manage invasive alien species on their land. Under the current legislative framework, responsibility for dealing with invasive alien species (IAS) rests with the landowner. While a good deal of work dealing with rhododendron is carried out by my Department in its National Parks, it does not have the resources to extend...

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Invasive Species Policy (14 Jul 2022)

Malcolm Noonan: Regulation 49(2) of the European Communities (Birds and Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011 (SI 477/2011) makes it an offence to disperse, allow or cause to disperse, spread or otherwise cause to grow any plant which is included in Part 1 of the Third Schedule to those Regulations.  I am aware of occasional reports of the presence of invasive alien species in...