Results 61-80 of 3,000 for speaker:Pat Buckley

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: I do not have a question. We have discussed the topic and a lot of it has been negative. However, we have to note what our Defence Forces has done over the years. It has been amazing. I had an unfortunate bereavement in the family two weeks ago. They were an ex-member of the Defence Forces, and my God, did they go above and beyond with their respects. We have to remember that we are...

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: I welcome the fact the ombudsman said at the end of his statement that he is happy to report that he continues to receive excellent co-operation from the Department and from the Defence Forces. Things have improved, therefore, but going back to the Women of Honour, while complaints have increased in percentage terms, the complaints are not so severe. Is that right? There are no sexual...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: Thank you, Chair.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: The Chair and I have sat on a number of committees. I loved the honesty expressed a while ago. I wrote in my notes that there is no joined-up thinking between housing bodies, no sharing and no caring. I have listened to what was said. With the last group that was in here, I talked about workforce planning and supply. We have heard about the issue of land. The witnesses have plenty of...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: It seems to be across all Departments that everything is working in silos and there is no joined-up thinking. I keep saying there is no "I" in "team", and if you do not have joined-up thinking, it does not work. I thank Professor Norris for that answer.

Committee on Public Petitions and the Ombudsmen: Engagement with the Office of the Ombudsman for the Defence Forces (23 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: I thank the ombudsman for his statement today. It would be remiss of me not to draw attention to the following from the opening statement: A possible explanation is some decrease in confidence that the internal section 114 process is yielding satisfactory outcomes for complainants. Additionally, the IRG report over 12 months ago did little to create confidence in the internal...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: I apologise for coming in late. However, I have read everything and I was watching. There were two things. Members mentioned the serviced sites. Going back a long time, I remember when you could purchase serviced sites from the local authority. One of Sinn Féin's housing policies suggested we go back to that and that each council would provide the serviced sites. The purchaser would...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: May I come back briefly on that? I do not envy the officials in their job. This is for us as public representatives. I deal specifically with Cork County Council and it has been exceptional but I just feel it is not being supported by the Government bodies or the Government parties, even. A lot of people come into my office who have children with additional needs who are in totally...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage: Affordable Housing: Discussion (23 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: I apologise.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Tax Code (17 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Minister of State for a pretty in-depth response. Sometimes, it can be fairly flippy-floppy here. I welcome her response. I have had a case where a beneficiary was living for more than three years in a house but did not know what the actual rules were and was panicking because that person did not know whether to buy it. Since there has been a proper response, I will delve...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Tax Code (17 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: I congratulate the Minister of State. They say love is blind and marriage is an eye-opener. We in Sinn Féin believe in a tax system that is fair. As part of this, inheritance tax is an important tool to tackle inequality and invest in public services to deliver a fair society. However, the current system is highly discriminatory towards beneficiaries of estates left by people with...

National Human Rights Strategy for Disabled People 2025-2030: Statements (17 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: I welcome this opportunity to speak on the strategy this evening. The aim of this national human rights strategy for disabled people is about ensuring disabled people are supported and empowered to live a full life. I will touch on a few issues. Regarding transport and mobility, the strategy commits to taking the whole journey approach. I have raised it here through parliamentary...

Written Answers — Department of Environment, Community and Local Government: Fuel Quality (17 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: 130. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government to establish an independent fuel quality control body; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48484/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Departmental Policies (17 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: 566. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) will be included in the DEIS scheme at the earliest opportunity. [48871/25]

Written Answers — Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment: Heritage Projects (17 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: 588. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if a walk (details supplied) will be added to the National Trails Register, to ensure it stays maintained and open for generations to come. [48282/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Funding (17 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: 1444. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding allocating funding to a walk (details supplied) to allow urgent maintenance and restoration works to be carried out on it ensuring that it can remain open. [48283/25]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Teaching Qualifications (8 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: 758. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date when entrants and students undertaking the montessori teaching course at a college (details supplied) were informed that route 4 would no longer be available to them for securing teaching council registration; if she is aware that four graduates of this course are unable to register permanently with the Teaching Council despite...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: School Transport (8 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: 982. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to using more small buses for school transport in rural areas where big buses cannot turn corners; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46672/25]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (8 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: 1156. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to conduct a review of how strategic infrastructure developments can bypass local planning safeguards. [45219/25]

Written Answers — Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government: Housing Policy (8 Sep 2025)

Pat Buckley: 1157. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to implement reforms in the planning process to ensure that local voices are not excluded from high-impact energy infrastructure decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45220/25]