Results 3,921-3,940 of 23,948 for speaker:Charlie McConalogue

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I assure him that as part of the discussions on the next budget, progressing the services available to those with disabilities will be a key priority. It is something that the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, has focused on and done very strong work. The Government has taken the significant step, as part of its programme for Government...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: -----a €400 lump-sum payment for fuel allowance, a €500 lump-sum payment to families receiving working family payment and those in receipt of disability allowance, blind pension and invalidity pension and €200 specifically for those living alone. We moved to reduce childcare costs by 25% and public transport fares by 20% in general and by 50% for young people. I could...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: No child should have to go through the experience Ivy went through, which has been documented. The failures in her care and the length of time it took for her to receive the necessary operation was documented in the report of the Ombudsman for Children that was published earlier. The Government is working hard to address the issue in order that other children will not have the same...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I have not seen the detail of today's report yet. However, I assure the Deputy that the Government puts massive stock in and prioritises the need to restore nature and the need to protect our environment. In terms of our actions, we have taken the historic step of putting in place targets for emissions reductions in legislation. We have also set targets that show how the country can lead...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: The Government wants to see a strong future for public service broadcasting in this country. This is something we all put a very high value on. That is why it has been so disappointing to see what has emerged in the past couple of weeks in the context of the breach of trust, the lack of transparency in respect of salaries and the challenges and weaknesses with regard to governance. That is...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Tóibín. There is no doubt that the past 18 months have been very challenging for people right across the country and in all walks of life, especially those who are on lower or fixed incomes. That is something the Government has been massively conscious of and to which we have responded very strongly-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: ----- in a way that I do not believe has been seen in any other country in Europe. The fact that we have been sensibly and effectively managing the economy has given us the platform, as has the situation with regard to our national finances, to be able to support people who are under great pressure that this time. Over the past year and a half, we have seen €12 billion, which equates...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Following this direction, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, TII, with all eight public-private partnership, PPP, companies which operate the tolls, achieved agreement on the suspension of these increases for the first six months of this year. As the agreed six-month period will expire on 1 July, the revised toll prices will apply from that date. The setting of tolls is a statutory function...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I have outlined the contractual situation with regard to tolls.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: There are certain constraints within which we must operate. The Government has been massively cognisant of the financial pressures on families during the past 18 months. That is why, in the context of those financial pressures, we have intervened to provide support by means of a range of measures to homeowners. In the budget we introduced last year, there was an autumn double payment, a...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I agree with Deputy Boyd Barrett about the importance of public service broadcasting. It has been massively important in our history. It was particularly important, when we did not have other broadcast stations, to ensure there was a strong public service broadcasting operation in Ireland. RTÉ has provided a massive service to our citizens and country over many years. It is even more...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am afraid if they are looking to Deputy Ó Broin for solutions, they will be looking very hard indeed. I have outlined some of the key supports the Government has in place through Housing for All. I have mentioned the help-to-buy scheme which provides up to €30,000 for a deposit. The First Home scheme provides up to 30% equity. We also have the vacant and derelict property...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: If they are looking to Sinn Féin's capacity to deliver, they should look to Northern Ireland, just a couple of miles from where I live-----

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: -----where it recently had the Minister for housing and Minister for Finance. In the last year for which Sinn Féin had those Ministries for the full year, house prices in Northern Ireland increased by £18,000.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Sinn Féin does not have any magic------

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: Sinn Féin does not have any magic solutions here. The solution here is more supply in every way we can deliver it. Last year we increased the supply providing 30,000 new housing units, a 45% increase on the previous year. We will continue to build on that momentum in every way we possibly can.

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank Deputy Cairns for raising this. The experience of Ivy is harrowing and absolutely unacceptable. We, in government, want to work to ensure that is not the experience of children in this country. Last year, the Minister, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, approved an ambitious plan from Children's Health Ireland, CHI, to reduce the number of children awaiting spinal orthopaedic procedures for...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I will certainly speak to the Minister for Health further on the issue of mental health supports. Like Deputy Cairns, I have met many young people who have been affected by scoliosis and know the massive challenge it presents in their lives. It is heartbreaking for all of us to see them waiting for the operation which would significantly change the course of their lives and provide them...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue because housing - the need for people to be able to own their home and the need for people to have affordable access to rental homes - is the number one issue for the Government. This is why the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and the Government have introduced the Housing for All strategy, which puts in place a very radical set of policies...

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Agriculture Industry (29 Jun 2023)

Charlie McConalogue: I am acutely aware that due to a wet spring and the recent lack of rainfall some growers are experiencing challenges in production and there has been an increase in input costs across all agriculture, which has added to this challenge. To address some of the challenges being faced across the horticulture sectors, the recently published National Strategy for Horticulture 2023-2027...