Results 21-40 of 184 for speaker:Peter Roche

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Review of Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 (22 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: Deputy Danny Healy-Rae mentioned the unique projects or schemes in Kerry. Before I close it out, could some of those unique schemes be brought to east Galway and the west of Ireland? Does Dr. Ó Caoimh have any closing remarks?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Review of Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 (22 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: Well said. It has been our pleasure hearing from the witnesses. This session was really engaging. I thank members for their contributions. I also thank our gallant students who have sat there so quietly during the two hours. We will chat to them after the meeting has concluded and we would like to get a photograph taken with them. I thank the secretariat for its support during the meeting.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Review of Our Rural Future: Rural Development Policy 2021-2025 (22 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: The first part of our show has come to a close. I genuinely and sincerely thank the witnesses for being with us. We are going to suspend for ten minutes. We will be back with the next part of the show. The theme will be the same. Deputy Healy-Rae has an interest in the next element, which is all about community and rural development.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Small and Medium Enterprises (21 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: 159. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which Ireland’s diplomatic network is being used to promote Ireland as a tourism destination, particularly in key overseas markets; whether additional initiatives are planned to strengthen tourism ties abroad; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57137/25]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Emigrant Support Services (21 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: 134. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures his Department is taking to support young Irish emigrants who wish to return home, given the practical difficulties many face in securing housing, employment, and basic documentation on their return; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57136/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: 89. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide an update on his Department’s plans to streamline and accelerate the approval process for local improvement scheme and outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme applications, particularly in areas such as Galway east, where shovel-ready projects with local match funding are awaiting sanction; and if he...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: I welcome both Ministers to the House for this worthwhile debate that we are having. Will the Minister for Rural and Community Development and Gaeltacht provide an update on his Department's plans to streamline and accelerate the approval process for local improvement schemes and outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme applications, particularly in areas such as east Galway where some...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: I thank the Minister. First, I am a great advocate, as I am sure many others are, for investment in the infrastructure developments he mentioned such as walkways, greenways and cycleways. We are living in an area where the population, thankfully, is increasing. I am also mindful that people are craving those kind of recreational opportunities, particularly people who want to seek outdoor...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: I can certainly attest to the fact that any moneys that Galway County Council get will be spent very wisely and very prudently. It has quite a comprehensive list of infrastructure that it wishes to develop under these schemes. One of the things I ask about passionately is that the Department continues to invest in these schemes, particularly in outdoor recreation. It is a game-changer for...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: 12. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to expand apprenticeship and skills training opportunities in rural areas such as County Galway, where access to approved training centres remains limited; if consideration will be given to establishing mobile or satellite training hubs in partnership with ETBs to reduce travel and dropout rates among rural apprentices;...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: I welcome the debate here this morning. I ask the Minister to set out the steps being taken to expand apprenticeship and skills training opportunities right across areas such as County Galway, where access to approved training centres remains limited in some instances; if consideration will be given to establishing mobile or satellite training hubs in partnership with ETBs to reduce travel...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: I thank the Minister of State for the comprehensive response. We all need to promote and support apprenticeships and to encourage apprentices to follow through to qualification, because there is a much-needed requirement and demand, particularly to service industry. If we think about construction, that is the core heart of people we will need in the future. We need them now, but the more...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Apprenticeship Programmes (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: I welcome that. The more remote or rural the training courses are, the easier it is, at times, to find accommodation. We almost always hear that in urban settings, accommodation is nigh impossible to secure. In instances where courses could be rolled out in more rural or satellite towns, out of the cities and bigger towns, accommodation is sometimes that bit more accessible. I am...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Youth: Curriculum Reform at Senior Cycle: Discussion (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: I thank the witnesses for the comprehensive statements. In order that nobody feels left out, I have three questions to put. My first one is for Mr. Tattan and it relates to stakeholder buy-in. Given the mixed response from unions, with the TUI accepting and the ASTI rejecting the support package, how is the Department ensuring teacher confidence and classroom readiness in the roll-out of...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Third Level Costs (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: 59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the current SUSI income threshold and related grant supports for students from low and middle-income families in rural constituencies such as Galway east, where transport and accommodation costs are significantly higher due to limited public transport and distance from third-level campuses; and if he will make a statement on...

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: 107. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the measures being taken to ensure a fair and balanced distribution of funding across rural counties, particularly in Galway east, under upcoming allocations for the LEADER, CLÁR, and town and village renewal schemes; if priority will be afforded to rural communities experiencing infrastructure deficits, depopulation, and...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: The witnesses are welcome. Like other speakers, I have a huge interest in the conversation that has taken place thus far. One of the things that strikes me about delays in providing a drug to people, whether they have been recently diagnosed or have been diagnosed for quite a while, is that they might then discover that somewhere, sitting on a shelf in a stock room there is a drug that...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: The value for money part of it is something I have a concern about. I will park that for a second because Professor Barry said twice that we could do better. In what regard, or what is it he believes the NCPE can do to make it better or to expedite the process? Where are the deficits and how can that gap be bridged?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health: Treatment of Rare Diseases: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: In the 30 seconds I have left, I will say that I would welcome something along the lines of a progress report some time in the future. This is a very critical journey we are all on together in terms of access.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Peter Roche: I thank Mr. Egan and the other witnesses here with us this morning. They are most welcome. This is, in many ways, a very challenging conversation we are having and it is a very complex one to resolve. While we all have a national brief, one thing that concerns me is that in the west and north-west region we have the highest percentage of child poverty, and that includes my own county of...