Results 21-40 of 24,555 for speaker:Jerry Buttimer

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Public Transport (7 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: As Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport I recognise the importance of boosting connectivity in Counties Kerry and Cork. In the new Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, this Government has committed to continue the roll-out of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan. As with all plans, any additional funding for...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (7 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: As Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport I recognise the importance of boosting connectivity in County Cork. In the new Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, this Government has committed to continue the roll-out of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan. Under Budget 2025, the Department secured a funding...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (7 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: As Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport I recognise the importance of boosting connectivity in County Cork. In the new Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, this Government has committed to continue the roll-out of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (7 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: As Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport I recognise the importance of boosting connectivity in Counties Kerry and Cork. In the new Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, this Government has committed to continue the roll-out of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (7 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: As Minister for Transport, I have responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport; however, I am not involved in the day-to-day operations of public transport. The query raised by the Deputy is an operational matter for Bus Éireann. I have, therefore, referred the Deputy's question to the company for direct reply. Please advise my private office if you...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (7 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: As Minister of State at the Department of Transport with special responsibility for Rural Transport, I recognise the importance of boosting connectivity in Counties Wexford and Carlow. In the new Programme for Government, Securing Ireland's Future, this Government has committed to continue the roll-out of the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan. The National Transport Authority (NTA)...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Transport Policy (7 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I think the Deputy will agree with me when I say that the Connecting Ireland Rural Mobility Plan has been a huge success, with over 175 new or enhanced services introduced since 2022. This means that over 240 towns and villages have been connected to the public transport network, and approximately 600,000 people have access to new and enhanced bus services. 61 new connections have been...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Social Enterprise Sector (7 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: In July 2017, Government assigned policy responsibility for social enterprise to the newly established Department of Rural and Community Development, and first National Social Enterprise Policy was published by my Department in 2019. Following on from that first policy, Trading for Impact was launched by then Minister Heather Humphreys in July 2024. Trading for Impact has been designed, in...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Poverty Data (7 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: Pobal’s HP Deprivation Index is Ireland’s primary social gradient tool, used by many Government Departments, including my own, and state agencies for the identification of disadvantage, in order to target resources towards communities most in need. The Index is a robust and reliable tool, using data from Ireland’s census to identify relative levels of affluence or...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (2 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I propose to take Questions Nos. 479 and 480 together. Community cafés are a vital part of many communities. I recognise the enormous benefit and impact that these social enterprises have in both urban and rural locations, offering training and employment opportunities, a place to volunteer and providing, in many cases, an important ‘hub’ where members of a community...

Seanad: National Social Enterprise Policy: Statements (1 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: As it is my first time here since the recess, I wish to pay tribute to Mr. Martin Groves and Ms Bridget Doody, who have left us. They are two fantastic public servants who have served this House and the Houses of the Oireachtas with distinction. I wish them every success in their next chapter. I thank them for their professionalism and dedication. I also wish the new Clerk of the Seanad...

Seanad: National Social Enterprise Policy: Statements (1 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the Members for their very important contributions. I will work backwards from the final speaker. I look forward to visiting that project. If Senator Byrne wants to give me the details, I will happily engage with him on it. In the context of the debate, there is more that unites us than divides us. In terms of the Cavan model or the Cavan numbers, we have to engage further...

Seanad: National Social Enterprise Policy: Statements (1 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: Look at what SWIBN does as an example.

Seanad: National Social Enterprise Policy: Statements (1 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: It is magnificent. I will happily visit with the Senator.

Seanad: National Social Enterprise Policy: Statements (1 Oct 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: They are in Ballina, Tipperary, Cork, Wexford and Cavan. It is just fantastic. I do not say this to be patronising, but it gives me hope, warms me and motivates me because they are risk-takers outside their comfort zone in many cases, but they are committed, dedicated, passionate and driving each other on and challenging us to continue to do better. I do not come to this job in terms of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: Can the Deputy tell us which tractors?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I want to get the details of the tractor the Deputy is referring to because that would be a fair old tractor no matter where you are coming from. Without being flippant, the Deputy is right. The Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan is important. As he knows, the Government is very much committed to rural Ireland. This year's all-island strategic rail review made 33 strategic...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank Deputy Lawless and remind him that the Government has invested €84 million in the rural transport programme. Some €116 million has been allocated to regular rural services. In addition, €40 million has been allocated to new services including new town services under Connecting Ireland and BusConnects. There has been success in rural transport. Some 70% of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Transport (30 Sep 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank Deputy Lawless for raising the importance of rail and bus connectivity in County Mayo. As Minister of State at the Department with responsibility for rural transport, I am delighted to say we have seen considerable investment in services throughout the country under the Connecting Ireland rural mobility plan. In County Mayo especially, funding has gone up by 56% over the past two...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Road Network (30 Sep 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the Deputy for the question and his ongoing advocacy on the need for the N20-M20 Cork-Limerick motorway. He and I share an urgent need to have this road completed. I wish he and I were not in the House again discussing this. It is a project of gargantuan importance. As Members will know, it involves 80 km of refurbishment and, at its core, the project will address many of the...