Results 81-100 of 608 for at speaker:Pádraig O'Sullivan

Special Report by the Ombudsman for Children on Direct Provision: Motion (30 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: ...petitions committee and we were discussing the White Paper on ending direct provision. The context was very different back then compared with where we are today. It is important we understand that context and appreciate the difficulties the Minister and his Department have to deal with in terms of the sheer volume and number of people, children in particular, who are coming here looking...

Planning and Development Bill 2023: Second Stage (30 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: Like most people, I will start by saying I have not read all 700-odd pages of the Bill. To be fair, most people have been truthful in that regard tonight. I have, however, cherry-picked bits and pieces in which I have a personal interest. Going back to my days as a councillor, the one fundamental power or responsibility I felt I had as a councillor, as a local rep, was my input to the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Foreign Conflicts (30 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: The Tánaiste is correct. As an observer to what is going on from the outside, I suppose many countries have shifted in their attitudes and their outlook in regards to the conflict over the past few weeks. At the Union for the Mediterranean meeting that was attended by High Representative, Mr. Josep Borrell, and the Tánaiste attended, it was agreed that, ultimately, a two-state...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Schools Building Projects (30 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 98. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when a three-classroom extension project at a special school (details supplied) in County Cork will progress; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52739/23]

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I welcome the Minister and her officials. I have five questions and I will just rattle through them, so that she will have the remaining time to answer them. My first question is in respect of the arrears due to school secretaries. I understand that there is an agreement which affects over 3,000 school secretaries and I further understand it is to be backdated to September 2021. Could the...

Select Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 26 - Education (Supplementary) (29 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: Yes, it was with regard to the inflationary side of things. I ask the Minister to provide to the committee any details she has on that and if it is still the same position where it is an opt in or voluntary system. Could the Minister provide any analysis that has been done at departmental level, even to be provided as a supplementary reply after this meeting as I do not expect her to have...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: National Development Plan (28 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I thank the Minister of State for his response. NSO 8 covers a variety of topics. As I mentioned at the outset, the issues around flooding and flood prevention schemes are most pertinent to me. It is my understanding that is also included under NSO 8. If the Minister of State does not have the details of the 150 active schemes at the moment, I would appreciate if he could provide a...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Housing Policy (22 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I would like to raise an issue that the Taoiseach spoke about at the recent progress report update for Housing for All. It is something I have an interest in as a person who bought a house in the last few years, namely, the difficulties that people have when they go through the process itself. The Taoiseach and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, have spoken about the establishment of an expert...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (21 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: The impacts of climate change are there for most of us in this Chamber to see and to acknowledge. The change was evidenced recently in the magnitude of the flooding events in Cork and nationwide. We had our various ministerial visits over that month but the most important one for me was the visit of the OPW. At the time genuine conversations were had with locals about interim measures that...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: Last week, I raised with the Taoiseach the issue of the appointment of a HSE rare disease liaison officer. To be fair, he said he would come back to me on the matter. It has only been a week since then and I do not expect a response from him at the moment. I submitted a question to the Department of Health at approximately the same time, however, and received a response this morning. The...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Departmental Staff (21 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 522. To ask the Minister for Health if will provide additional information on his Department’s Rare Disease Liaison Officer; if the position is vacant at present; if not, if a person has been appointed; if so, the contact details for them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50753/23]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (15 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I wish to raise the issue of rare diseases. I have a number of questions and would appreciate it if the Taoiseach's office could come back to me on them. The first concerns the current rare disease liaison officer. Could the Taoiseach clarify whether he or she is on leave from the Department of Health and is likely to be replaced? Has there been an appointment or even an interim...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (9 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: Over two weeks ago we had a major flooding incident in Cork as well, around the city and in east Cork. I am lucky in that my home town of Glanmire has a flood relief scheme that just started. That did not mitigate the worst impacts of what happened but at least we have a scheme under way. Unfortunately, many other areas in Cork do not. The contractor on site in Glanmire is due to do works...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (8 Nov 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I join the Taoiseach in acknowledging the progress that has been made under Housing for All. That is lost in here sometimes. We are making progress and we are likely to exceed our targets again this year, which is to be welcomed. However, I want to raise the issue of wastewater. It really irks me, at a time so many other variables are beyond our control and the control of builders, such...

Written Answers — Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth: Special Educational Needs (26 Oct 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 261. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth when therapists will be reinstated at a special school in Cork (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47096/23]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Oct 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: It is said that a picture paints a thousand words and that is very true with the flooding which Deputy Mattie McGrath just mentioned across the southern part of the country and in particular in Cork and west Waterford in recent days. I will not elaborate on the damage there, which has been well documented across news and social media. I welcome that the Taoiseach, the Minister, Deputy...

An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) (17 Oct 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: I raise once again the issue of rare diseases. I am fully aware of the budgetary pressures involving the Department of Health in recent weeks. However, I feel this is an issue that warrants raising again. I raised with the Taoiseach earlier this year that there was an underspend for 2022, particularly in the area of new drugs. I received a response to a parliamentary question to the...

Written Answers — Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport: Bus Services (5 Oct 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: 45. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the reason the most industrious bus routes in Cork city and county are under resourced and unable to fulfil their obligations at peak times; the reason that schoolchildren are waiting up to two hours to get on a bus (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42833/23]

School Transport 2023-2024: Statements (3 Oct 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: ...done over the past few months. It is a busy time of year for them every time this issue arises but I genuinely commend them on their work. Deputy Sherlock is exiting the Chamber. He mentioned that a lot of good work has been done in a lot of villages across Cork North-Central and Cork East on trying to supply additional buses. Once again, I commend the Minister on the fact that over...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills: Current and Future Plans of the School Building Unit: Department of Education (3 Oct 2023)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: ...positive, which is not normally like me. I acknowledge the work the section has done. When I became a Deputy in 2019, Cork was in a very dark place, particularly in the area of special education. In that context, I wish to put on record that, to my knowledge, the vast majority, if not all, students who are willing and able to go to school who required a special education place in a...