Results 7,501-7,520 of 25,732 for speaker:Darragh O'Brien

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Rather than fleecing families, we have done the exact opposite. Aontú opposed the budget of €12 billion in cost-of-living measures, equivalent to 4.5% of our national income. That is what this Government introduced to help working families right the way through. That fact is indisputable. We did reduce the excise on petrol and diesel by 21 cent and 16 cent per litre,...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Thankfully, because we have an economy with near full employment-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: -----and surpluses in the Exchequer, we will continue to help families. We will look at those families and individuals who need it in advance of the budget.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: We will continue to roll out the payments.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Workers deserve to be treated well, to have the pay that is due to them paid, and to have conditions upheld by any employer. I am not sure whether that meeting has happened but I will speak directly to the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, in that regard. I will get the Minister of State to contact the Deputy directly to provide the Deputy with an update on the situation and how the...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: A commitment was given in 2022 to close the driver testing centre at Marian Park in Drogheda by the end of February, as the lease on that site expired. This test site was always a temporary solution. There is no question, however, that with a town and region as large as Drogheda and the surrounding areas, the provision of alternative driver testing facilities is very important. I do not...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: There is no prejudged outcome to the consultative forum on international security policy. That has been convened with a view to initiating an open and evidence-based discussion on the State's foreign and security policy. The consultative forum will take place in three different locations across four days this month, that is, at University College Cork on 22 June; at University of Galway on...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The allocations for the housing adaptation grants for all local authorities, including Louth, have been issued to the local authorities, with a further increase in that regard. The issue of a backlog of applications in Louth County Council has been raised by other Deputies too, including Deputy O'Dowd who is here also. My Department officials are engaging directly with them. We overspent...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: As Deputy McAuliffe has rightly said, the grant will be paid out for 125,000 carers. The overall cost of this grant is expected to be in the region of €260 million. Very importantly, the Government is committed to enhance the State pension provision for carers who have spent more than 20 years of their lives caring. This is part of our response to the Government's Commission on...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I agree with Deputy Nolan completely. Carers carry out an incredible role across the State in looking after loved ones. Even if we set aside the financial costs, the work they do and their commitment to it is something we absolutely support. In my response to Deputy McAuliffe just now I mentioned the additional grant payment that is being paid out to 125,000 carers at a cost of €260...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: The fact of the matter is-----

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Deputy Doherty needs to calm down a little.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I have given the facts about everything the Deputy's party has opposed. He does not want an answer and he does not like to hear the truth. He is opposed to first-time buyers and home ownership. It is as simple as that.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I share the concerns regarding the omission of the partial remains to which the Deputy referred from the list of unidentified remains. In recent weeks, for the first time, we saw data being produced. That is important. I will engage with my colleague, the Minister for Justice, to see whether a more comprehensive list can collated. I agree with the Deputy's concerns regarding the specific...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Last year, my Department spent €3.5 billion on housing alone, which is more money than has ever been spent on it in the history of the State. As the Deputy knows, there were issues with supply chains, particularly following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, that led to some projects falling out of 2022 and into 2023. That is just the reality of what happened. Even though it...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I absolutely recognise the result of last night's vote. As the Deputy knows, a review of the 2018 Act is under way and we await its findings. The Bill that passed last night will go to the health committee. It will be a matter for the committee to schedule Committee Stage hearings.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I did not watch the meeting of the Committee of Public Accounts this morning but I will review it. I respect the committee greatly. I served four years on it as Vice Chairman. I will raise directly with the Minister for Health the situation regarding the 97 beds in Wexford and ask him to respond to the Deputy.

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: I am glad the Deputy and others have raised this matter, which shows the importance of the retained fire services. I commissioned the review to which the Deputy referred and the Government has accepted its 13 recommendations. We have been working with all stakeholders to move the process forward. We are very close to achieving that. The best place for any of the outstanding issues to be...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Why would that be anathema to me?

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (1 Jun 2023)

Darragh O'Brien: Just to bring the Deputy back, it is important to state that I have great respect for the men and women in the retained fire services. I met many of them throughout the country. That is why I commissioned the report into the retained fire services in Ireland with an emphasis on issues the Deputy mentioned, namely, recruitment and retention. As I said to Deputy Duncan Smith earlier, we had...