Results 321-340 of 1,025,521 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Paul McAuliffe OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae)

Neutrality and the Triple Lock: Motion [Private Members] (29 May 2024)

An Cathaoirleach Gn?omhach: As a formality, I have to ask Deputy Smith to move the motion.

Neutrality and the Triple Lock: Motion [Private Members] (29 May 2024)

Bríd Smith: I move: That Dáil Éireann: notes that: — the Tánaiste, Micheál Martin TD said in 2013 that the triple lock was at the core of our neutrality and described the attempt to undermine it as "an out-of-touch ideological obsession on the part of Fine Gael"; — Fianna Fáil's 2020 general election manifesto states that Ireland will "Fully maintain...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (29 May 2024)

Special Educational Needs

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (29 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach; he is looking good in the Chair. I also thank the Minister of State for taking this Topical Issue. Primary schools principals right throughout Ireland are screaming in an effort to retain their special education teacher, SET, allocations. The new criteria are flawed and are not working. I know this because schools throughout my constituency are...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (29 May 2024)

Seán Fleming: am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Naughton, Minister of State at the Department of Education. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which has been raised at different levels in every constituency. The Deputy has highlighted two schools in his constituency in west Cork and he made the point very clearly. I want to respond as best I can without having the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (29 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister of State. We are hearing that the number of special education teachers has increased and that the allocations are increasing but I am telling him that this is not the reality on the ground. The fundamental point is that schools are being punished for doing their job correctly and for improving numeracy and literacy. We need to go back to taking account of those complex...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank the Deputy. My Department has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding relating to the national road programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, under the Roads Acts, 1993 to 2015, and in line with the national development plan, the planning, design, improvement and upgrading of individual national roads...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (29 May 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the Minister for his response and for the work that he is doing in his Department and that TII and Cork County Council are doing as well. I note the point that it is still part of the National Development Plan 2018-2027 and it is also part of Project Ireland 2040. I also want to point out that a lot of work has been done on this 5 km route. As the Minister said, the preferred...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I happened to be in Cork at the end of last week and was on the road. The Deputy is right. It is not up to the standard for safety that we want and we have to do everything to try and improve the safety standards on the roads. The reality is we have a series of projects. I mentioned the Castlemartyr-Killeagh bypasses. The Cathaoirleach Gníomhach mentioned to me last week that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (29 May 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The key sentence in the Minister's response is: To be clear, in line with public transport remit, the NTA has no plans to operate a dedicated school service in the area. It is the Department of Education which has responsibility for the school transport scheme. That is the problem which prevents something like this happening. No one really has the flexibility, the interest or the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I am familiar with the problem. I was in Douglas last Friday, as it happens. The Deputy is right; a large amount of the morning rush-hour traffic is children being driven to school. People see the difference between the summer period when the schools are not open and the winter period. It makes a dramatic difference. If that 20% or 30% of school traffic can be taken out, it frees up the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (29 May 2024)

Road Projects

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (29 May 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the office of the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this issue, as well as the Minister for being here this morning to debate this with me. When I was elected here for the first time 27 years ago, when I was a lot younger with a lot more hair, the big campaign in east Cork was about opening the railway line to Midleton and I got involved in that campaign. I raised the issue a lot...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (29 May 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: I thank the Deputy.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (29 May 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: If we want more people on buses then we must provide the service. We all know the environmental benefits but we also know all the other benefits that can be provided.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (29 May 2024)

Marc Ó Cathasaigh: The Deputy's time has elapsed. I call on the Minister to respond.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Public Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: It is true. We have a direct relationship with Bus Éireann and even though these are commercially operated services, I have met Stephen Kent, the chief executive, and the chair on numerous occasions in recent weeks at various events. It is important to keep in touch with what is a real issue, namely, the ability of the company to get drivers and mechanics. We must ensure that we can...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (29 May 2024)

School Transport

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (29 May 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I appreciate the Minister being here. I think this is an area where a bit of innovation could get us a long way. I saw the Minister was in Noonan's Road recently. I was glad to see that. I hope Government funding for that project will remain strong. The Minister is familiar with Cork and he may be familiar with the greater Douglas area. It is an area that has seen enormous growth in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (29 May 2024)

Eamon Ryan: I thank Deputy Ó Laoghaire. As he is aware, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding for public transport, which means that neither I nor my officials are involved in the planning of public transport services, such as those referred to by the Deputy. The statutory responsibility for securing the provision of public transport services rests with the NTA, which works with the...