Results 21-40 of 3,954 for in 'Dáil debates' speaker:Brian Stanley

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Water Services (7 Dec 2023)

Brian Stanley: I am asking about the role a private company will play in Uisce Éireann's capital investment plan. As we know, Uisce Éireann is a public body and so the finances will be scrutinised by the Comptroller and Auditor General. There has been talk about having a referendum to ensure it is kept in public ownership. I am concerned this might be the slippery slope to some privatisation.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: I thank the Minister of State for that reply. I am aware the meeting is happening tomorrow with the ETB and Department officials. Laois-Offaly Education and Training Board has a great record of delivering capital builds. Since the old VECs were amalgamated into a single body, it has really expanded and is providing huge education and training opportunities in both Laois and Offaly. I am...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (29 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: I welcome the opportunity to raise this issue. I understand the Minister for Education is out of the country and I hope the Minister of State, who is present on behalf of the Government, will take back the message I am giving here this morning regarding the important matter of Coláiste Dhún Másc in Portlaoise, which was opened in 2017 to cater for the growing population of the...

Neutrality: Motion [Private Members] (28 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: Our position on neutrality is long-held. It is cherished and valued by the Irish public. Neutrality has provided our State with credibility and impartiality to be a voice for peace and for de-escalation in cases of armed conflict. Any attempt to weaken our neutrality or drag Ireland towards a military alliance must be strongly opposed. I have not heard one convincing or valid argument for...

Health Service Recruitment Freeze: Motion [Private Members] (21 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: The embargo on recruitment has been described by the INMO as a kick in the teeth. The Government's decision in the budget to underfund our health service means that 7,000 essential posts have been scrapped, placing a huge burden of work on struggling front-line staff. In Laois-Offaly, there is chronic understaffing of posts in vital services and supports. A total of 42% of all CDNT posts...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (16 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: I thank the Minister of State for her reply. I will deal with the issue of school dentistry first. The problem is that the children are not being seen. In Laois, the school year being completed is 2019-20. According to the previous paragraph in the document that I got, this refers to sixth class, which means that the children are in third year or they are moving into fifth year. I can...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (16 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: Can the Minister of State come back to me with a response?

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Dental Services (16 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: The issue I am raising is dental services in Laois and in Offaly, which are bad in both counties. The service in Laois is the most chronic, as far as I can ascertain, in the State. Dental services are important for oral health. If oral health is not good, general health is not good and it leads to problems down the line. This week, the Committee of Public Accounts, of which I am...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: I want to raise with the Taoiseach support for the LGBT community. Funding under the community services fund, which is very important, is supposed to have a rural dimension. The Midlands LGBT+ Project, which runs a dedicated service for four counties in the midlands - Laois, Offaly, Westmeath and Kildare - is the only service for the LGBT community in those counties. It provides services...

Escalation of Violence in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (14 Nov 2023)

Brian Stanley: I welcome the opportunity to contribute on this motion. What we have seen over the past six weeks in the Middle East has shocked all decent people in the world, including in this country. I condemn the actions of Hamas on 7 October and its attacks on Israeli civilians. In particular, I extend my sympathy to the family of Kim Damti. They are related to the Cooper family in Coolrain near...

Health Service Funding: Motion [Private Members] (24 Oct 2023)

Brian Stanley: I have serious concerns about the underfunding of our health service. We were told today that it is to the tune of €1.3 billion. We must also factor in the additional capital funding needed for the much-promised 1,500 acute additional hospital beds and the growing cost of the national children's hospital ,both of which have not been allocated extra funding in the budget. Such a...

School Transport 2023-2024: Statements (3 Oct 2023)

Brian Stanley: There is a serious issue with the school transport system due to a lack of local knowledge and co-ordination by those people who are charged with running it. This year we have witnessed chaos in several areas of Laois and Offaly regarding the operation of the scheme. I have seen this problem reoccur every year and we need a solution to be put in place, which is what I want to focus on. ...

Mortgage Interest Relief: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (20 Sep 2023)

Brian Stanley: The situation we are in at the moment is that we have thousands of householders who are in serious arrears. I am meeting mortgage holders across Laois-Offaly, who are struggling. Some 21,400 are confirmed to be in serious arrears. Serious arrears means exactly that. Tens of thousands more are in arrears. Some households are paying interest rates of 7%, 8% and 9%. One man I met at the...

Matters Arising in RTÉ: Statements (4 Jul 2023)

Brian Stanley: I welcome the announcement by the Minister earlier that a forensic accountant will be appointed, under the Broadcasting Act 2009, to audit the accounts of RTÉ, starting with the now-infamous barter account. At a hearing of the Committee of Public Accounts last week, we got an insight into how the €1 million-plus slush fund has been used by RTÉ's top executives, with...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (4 Jul 2023)

Brian Stanley: There is a commitment in the programme for Government to reduce class sizes, which is welcome. However, in Portlaoise town, 200 children who are in need of school places at primary level cannot get them. Children are being bussed to Mountmellick, Stradbally, Ratheniska, Mountrath, Timahoe, Barnashrone and The Heath every morning. Existing primary schools are bulging at the seams. Some new...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (21 Jun 2023)

Brian Stanley: I ask the Taoiseach about the promise made on budget day with regard to medical cards for those on the median income or below. As I understand it, such a measure would bring nearly 400,000 people into the medical card scheme, albeit for GP visits only. As I understand it, this was to be in place before June. The reply I got to a recent parliamentary question raises questions as to where it...

Education Costs: Motion [Private Members] (20 Jun 2023)

Brian Stanley: I am glad to see both Ministers are present. This year, the cost of education is a bigger worry for families, as we are in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis. The Government can and must do certain things to ease that pressure on parents and students. At primary and secondary level, not only do parents face the expensive cost of schoolbooks, with an average cost of €200 plus,...

Retained Fire Services: Motion [Private Members] (13 Jun 2023)

Brian Stanley: We are talking the retained firefighters and their families for granted. The Government needs to put a realistic offer on the table. The two counties I represent, namely, Laois and Offaly, are completely dependent on retained firefighters. I met delegates yesterday from all the stations in the county and they outlined the crisis. This is not just the crisis of the firefighters but the...

Hospital Waiting Lists: Motion [Private Members] (23 May 2023)

Brian Stanley: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this motion. The reality is we have 888,000 people on hospital waiting lists, record waiting times, record numbers of people leaving emergency departments without treatment. We got the figures this week on that. Figures released to Sinn Féin show that 497 people left Portlaoise emergency department between January and March 2023 without being...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (23 May 2023)

Brian Stanley: It was refused.