Results 761-780 of 2,283 for speaker:Matt Shanahan

Culling the National Herd: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (28 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: Agriculture has been the backbone of the Irish economy for many decades now and it continues to be the largest economic sector in rural and regional Ireland. Ireland is a world leader in beef and dairy production. If we take 2019 as a reference year, our total agrifood exports were valued at €14.5 billion. Of that impressive number, dairy accounted for €5 billion and beef...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Schemes (27 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: 633. To ask the Minister for Health if he will commit to having his Department conduct a review of the long-term illness scheme (details supplied); if he will request his Department to re-examine an application; his views on whether the long-term illness scheme which is governed by the Health Act 1970, is long overdue a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30579/23]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: Reviewing spends on projects such as the Mater Hospital, the Dunkettle Roundabout, the Cork and Dublin runways, the National Children's Hospital, it is clear how important it is to have a Minister to shepherd a project through our cumbersome public spending code. It appears to me that many fine and needed projects that lack ministerial political patronage are left strangled by toxic...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: 20. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will clarify how his Department is carrying a nearly €100 million underspend in the first three months of the year; if there have been projects postponed or delayed which has led to the underspend; if so, if he will list those projects affected; if he will outline how he and his Department plan to address the situation; and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Expenditure (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: On the underspend, how much of the cost is contracted and how much of it is in terms of profile? Is some of the difficulty here related to contracted price, in terms of evaluated prices moving on? BusConnects expenditure was mentioned earlier. There is ongoing discussion in Waterford about BusConnects. There is a proposal to completely change the route of a Waterford to Tramore bus...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: I hope that when this strategy comes out, it will have a long-term focus and be the basis of planning for the next 25 or 30 years, not something looking at five or ten years because rail infrastructure development is a long-term goal. The Minister of State highlighted regional rebalancing and the interconnection of our cities. In our own area in the south east, I would like to see the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: 8. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a timeframe in relation to the yet-to-be-published data relating to the proposed Irish rail review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29766/23]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: The Minister of State touched on it earlier, but could he provide a timeframe for the yet-to-be-published national rail strategy?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Rail Network (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: Hopefully, we will get to see something within this rail strategy that points to better and more focused national and regional development right across the country, including in the midlands and the north west. As I stated earlier, we need to rebalance the distribution of infrastructure in this State. I already mentioned to the Minister of State, and he agreed, about the importance of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: I hear a lot of discussion about the congestion in Dublin and capacity issues in Dublin Port. Last year the Port of Waterford saw €1.7 billion worth of goods imported and exported. There was a turnover of almost €400 million in the adjacent enterprise support area. Over 650 people are employed in that area. There is massive potential for expansion, not alone in respect of...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: I look forward to seeing both of those reviews which are going to be very important in signalling whether the Government and Departments have taken an active and positive look at how we could redistribute some of the activity that is going on. Dublin is creaking at the seams, there is no doubt, not alone Dublin Port. There is a massive opportunity for housing and office development on the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: 2. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if, assuming he is very much aware of the import and export benefit opportunity that has been developed as a result of the Ballina rail corridor that connects through Waterford Port, he can outline his Department’s position on developing a Ballina-type railhead in perhaps the Kildare area to connect to Waterford Port, which would...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rail Network (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: My question relates to the Department's position on developing a Ballina-style railhead in Kildare to provide further connectivity into the Port of Waterford to take pressure off Dublin Port and the capital and give us a more sustainable and balanced regional transport network.

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Driver Test (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: 48. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will confirm what progress has been made in relation to the reduction of waiting times for those waiting to be tested, following the announcement of the addition of 75 new testers earlier in the year; when he envisages the current average wait of 21 weeks will be significantly reduced, and to what level; and if he will make a...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: 73. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide details of the funding allocated to the N24-N25 project for the years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29767/23]

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Road Projects (22 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: 175. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will outline his Department’s position regarding an upgrade investment for the N24 Waterford to Limerick road; when such investment might happen; the scale of investment under consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29765/23]

Youth Justice Strategy: Statements (21 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: I am happy to support these statements on the youth justice strategy. There is an old saying that as the tree is bent so it grows. It is very apt. We know the difficulties of growing up in disadvantage and the effects it has on childhood development. The genesis of much of what the strategy speaks to can be found in the early childhood years. Early childhood may not come into contact...

Home Care and Support Services: Motion [Private Members] (21 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: I welcome the presence of the two Ministers of State at the Department of Health here this morning to debate this motion. I thank Deputy Grealish for proposing the motion, which is very important. I also thank Cáit Nic Amhlaoibh in our office. The Ministers of State will be well aware that, in the Programme for Government: Our Shared Future, there is a plan to introduce a statutory...

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

Matt Shanahan: I wish to split my contribution between the primary and secondary sectors and the third level sector. I know the Minister had to leave. I thank her and her Department for the help and support she has offered to my Waterford office in relation to individual student cases and under the capital schools programme, which is very important to us in Waterford county and city. We are working on a...

LGBTQI+ Equality: Statements (20 Jun 2023)

Matt Shanahan: I am happy to speak on these statements. Ireland has a rich history of challenging adversity, as the Minister knows well, and fighting against injustice. Included in these struggles is our right to exist as an independent State and the recognition of our citizens' civil rights and protections. Since the foundation of our State, our country has embraced change. Part of this change has been...