Results 1,141-1,160 of 3,337 for speaker:Patrick Costello

Written Answers — Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Greyhound Industry (3 Oct 2023)

Patrick Costello: 470. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the greyhound track attendance figures for Shelbourne Park for the semi-finals and the final of the 2023 Derby, with a breakdown of the figures into paid and complimentary entry and entry by adults, children, greyhound owners and trainers, bookmakers, and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42172/23]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Irish Prison Service Bill and of the Criminal Justice (Legal Aid) Bill: Discussion (3 Oct 2023)

Patrick Costello: I thank the witnesses who are before us today. I will try to keep this quite brief. I echo the comments of Senator Ward on the importance of legal aid. It is hard to overstate its importance. It frustrates me when I hear people in here - not members of this committee, which is perhaps quite telling - talking about how we spend too much on legal aid or saying legal aid should be provided...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Children in Care (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: I thank the Minister for his detailed response. I know he understands the issues facing Tusla in general and the issues facing special care in particular. The issues we see in special care are replicated in other parts of Tusla. There is a challenge in terms of recruitment and I appreciate that. The agency conversion aspect the Minister spoke of has been incredibly important in terms...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Children in Care (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: I thank the Minister for his attendance. It is nice to have the actual Minister responsible for a Topical Issue appear before us, so I look forward to a deeply informed response. I wish to raise the challenges in special care, particularly staffing of special care units. It is important that we contextualise this discussion by remembering that special care is a small part of our overall...

Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Agency Bill 2023: Second Stage (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: As has been said before, the Minister was totally right to say we need zero tolerance on the issue of domestic and gender-based violence. This is a scourge that still haunts our country and still exposes many people, many women and girls, to threats, violence and death. Their very lives are at stake here. This Bill proposing to establish a new agency is incredibly important because it...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: Irish school libraries are underfunded, under-resourced and are falling short international standards. The Department of Education only funds 4% of school libraries. This morning I was in my local Mercy Secondary School. It is a DEIS school where parents fundraise for the library but there is no librarian to bring this to life. Funding school libraries is the best way to ensure access to...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: I would highlight the difference between calling out and action. We have certainly taken much action in terms of economic sanctions against Russia that we have not against Israel. If we are supporting international law, let me ask this question. The International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, conference is happening now. Israel is well known to have nuclear weapons. The Department of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: 5. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade following his recent trip to the Middle East, if he believes that a two-state solution is still possible, and what steps Ireland will take individually and at a European level to realise a two-state solution in the face of continued breaches of international law by Israel, ongoing illegal settlement building and expansion, forcible transfer...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: The first part of my question has been answered with regard to whether the two-state solution is possible. For me there is frustration. Why do we continually allow Israel to commit vast numbers of war crimes and breaches of international law with complete impunity?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Middle East (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: I thank the Tánaiste. I find his language quite diplomatic, which is perhaps appropriate given his position, but I tend to agree with Deputy Gannon that we should call things what they are. In the question I have mentioned settlement building, settlement expansion, state-supported settler violence, demolitions and the forced transfer of Palestinian populations. What we are witnessing...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: 44. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade what action Ireland will take individually and at a European level in response to renewed aggression by Azerbaijan against Armenia, including military attacks on civilian areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41756/23]

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Departmental Data (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: 118. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department has studied polling (details supplied) reporting that 10% of the State’s population were victims of the Troubles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41904/23]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: 217. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the specific supports available for victims of the Troubles resident in this State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41914/23]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: 218. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his Department has studied polling (details supplied) reporting that 10% of the State’s population were victims of the Troubles; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41915/23]

Written Answers — Department of Justice and Equality: Departmental Policies (28 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: 219. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if he will introduce a specific ‘Troubles pension’, similar to the one available to people in Northern Ireland and Britain. [41916/23]

Written Answers — Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: Animal Culls (27 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: 70. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated number of deer in the Phoenix Park annually from 2010 to date and the number culled by the OPW for each year, in tabular form. [41836/23]

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Education Policy (27 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: 83. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills following harassment, threats, intimidation and assaults directed towards librarians, health care workers, staff in bookshops, activists and elected politicians, what steps she is taking to ensure the safety of teachers and students from such threats; what steps she is talking to prepare schools to recognise and respond to such threats; and if...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: Assisted Dying in Europe: Discussion (26 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: I was struck by what Professor Boer said about the difference and how we should perhaps not legalise but just decriminalise or make assisted suicide not illegal. I cannot help but feel that that could be the worst possible outcome because we are essentially allowing assisted dying but without any safeguards, without any regulation and without any of the things we are talking about, such as a...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Assisted Dying: Assisted Dying in Europe: Discussion (26 Sep 2023)

Patrick Costello: In that case, I will leave it at that.