Results 161-180 of 588 for speaker:Pat Buckley in 'Dáil debates'

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (18 May 2021)

Pat Buckley: Some of this is ironic. I have a reply to a parliamentary question in 2018, and much of the Minister's response is actually in it. The Minister mentioned a review. I am sure she is aware of the document "The East Cork Secondary School Crisis - A Profile of East Cork Population Demographics and Other Rationale". I do not know about her office but the Department definitely has a copy. It...

Companies (Protection of Employees' Rights in Liquidations) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (12 May 2021)

Pat Buckley: I commend Deputy Barry on bringing this important Bill to the floor of the House. I had one thought when I listened to some of the speakers but it was more pronounced when I listened to the reply from the Government side. If this Government was a doctor, I would be very frightened. If I arrived into a hospital with a broken leg and my doctor was the Government, I would be told that it...

Covid-19, Mental Health and Older People: Statements (29 Apr 2021)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Minister of State for her opening speech and for her honesty. We can sometimes have a fairly heated debate in here, but when progress of any kind is made it must be welcomed. It would be remiss of me not to congratulate the Minister without Portfolio, Deputy McEntee, on the birth of her baby boy this morning. I wish to touch on the surge capacity requirements in mental health...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (21 Apr 2021)

Pat Buckley: I wish to raise the issue of school investment. The Taoiseach will be fairly familiar with east Cork and the problems we have with school places and, in particular, the more than 50 children with special needs who have no school places for September. I seek the Taoiseach's commitment that no child will be left behind when it comes to school places in east Cork or to school transport. I...

Mental Health Surge Capacity: Motion [Private Members] (21 Apr 2021)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler and Minister of State, Deputy Feighan for their responses to the motion. My only disappointment is that while they said they will not oppose it, they are not supporting it. A great deal has been already said so I do not propose to get into the nitty-gritty of the issues. It was mentioned earlier that the Government inherited this crisis and I...

Civil Registration (Right of Adoptees to Information) (Amendment) Bill 2021: Second Stage [Private Members] (10 Mar 2021)

Pat Buckley: I congratulate Deputy Funchion on bringing the Bill forward. I welcome that the Minister is not opposing the Bill but, unfortunately, he is not supporting it either and is sitting on both sides of the fence. What this Bill does, and why it is so important, is that it would immediately provide access to birth certificates for adopted people in the short term before comprehensive...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (25 Feb 2021)

Pat Buckley: On the same issue, we have the same situation in Cobh. More than 60 appointments for people over 85 years to get their vaccinations were made for last weekend and two surgeries in the town did not got their vaccines. It is very confusing and disheartening for the patients. They are elderly and very nervous. There must be clarity in this regard because it is starting to cause hysteria,...

Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Motion [Private Members] (24 Feb 2021)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Social Democrats for tabling this motion. We have been here many times and I cannot believe that this has been going on for five or six years. I have been speaking to survivors. They still have no clarity or trust. Some simple redress has been mentioned a number of times in the Dáil. For four, five, six or seven years, or even since the final report, the Government has...

Covid-19 (Drug and Alcohol Services, and Homelessness): Statements (18 Feb 2021)

Pat Buckley: I will give the Minister of State a good news story for a change to start. Bernard O'Hehir is from Cork City. I know him well. Many years ago, he went through the addiction services. It is well documented. He actually had to lie to get help - that will tell you how serious the service was. He has formally now just finished a little book, Memories & Hope: my long journey from...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Broadband Infrastructure (4 Feb 2021)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Minister of State for her reply. She was spot on with her figures, and while many of the names of those little towns and villages are a challenge, she was spot on with them as well. On a serious note, I welcome the news of the Cobh-Midleton deployment area and the service being completed. I reiterate that Cobh is an island. It has only the one little bridge to enter it, in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Broadband Infrastructure (4 Feb 2021)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Minister of State for taking the opportunity and the time to listen to us. Cobh is an area in east Cork I represent and I have worked with many lobby groups and activists down there over the years. There seems to be a problem. From the emails I have, one specific question resonates most in terms of what people are feeling throughout Cork East, particularly Cobh: Please ask...

Ceisteanna ar Reachtaíocht a Gealladh - Questions on Promised Legislation (4 Feb 2021)

Pat Buckley: Over 5,000 children are on a waiting list for assessment of need appointments. It is totally detrimental to the development of children. What can this Government do to reduce these waiting lists and support these children and their families?

Covid-19 (Mental Health): Statements (4 Feb 2021)

Pat Buckley: Just a statement. I thank the Minister of State for her opening speech. I will tip on two issues. I am glad the Minister of State noted in her speech that the availability of staff is and has been an ongoing issue. She stated in her opening statement: While we do not yet fully understand the impact of Covid-19 on mental health and any subsequent demand on services, it is acknowledged...

Household Utility Bills Support: Motion [Private Members] (3 Feb 2021)

Pat Buckley: I have listened to the Minister and many of the speakers this morning. There are more than 48,000 people on the PUP in Cork alone. I have heard the Government speakers talk about the living alone allowance, the exceptional needs payment - let us get it right, the exceptional needs payment is only a once-off payment - the other payments and the retrofitting scheme. These speakers are...

Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes: Statements (Resumed) (20 Jan 2021)

Pat Buckley: 6 o’clock I genuinely believe the Minister wants to do the right thing and I appeal to him now as I have done before. He is the captain and manager of this team and when things change, it is time to go back and talk to the team before coming out for the second half and tell them they are taking a different approach for a better result. I spoke to many survivors and adoptees over...

Ceisteanna ó Cheannairí - Leaders' Questions (17 Dec 2020)

Pat Buckley: I want to raise very briefly the national development framework. We have been speaking for months and years about housing. The local authorities must follow this framework. I am also aware Irish Water does not follow the framework and it seems to be hindering a lot of development. Is there any way we can get Irish Water to follow the exact same rules as all local authorities do? It would...

Impact of Covid-19 Restrictions: Motion [Private Members] (16 Dec 2020)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Rural Independent Group for bringing forward this important motion. We have listened to all the praise here for student nurses, healthcare staff, services workers, childcare workers, people who work in the area of mental health, small and medium businesses and those who run the traditional pubs, yet there is very little support for them. People have contacted my office in the...

Homeless Prevention Bill 2020: Second Stage [Private Members] (15 Dec 2020)

Pat Buckley: I am sharing time with Deputies Gould, Patricia Ryan and Mythen. I welcome most of the Minister's comments. As he said, it does not matter on what side of the House we are. If we can work together for the right reasons, we can improve the Bill. I see no reason that cannot be done. The Minister also mentioned people with complex needs. I want to give an example of where, possibly, there...

Central Mental Hospital (Relocation) Bill 2020: Second Stage (10 Dec 2020)

Pat Buckley: I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill. As mentioned by the previous speaker, Sinn Féin will be supporting it. I am happy with the Minister of State's honesty in her opening speech in regard to the existing hospital not being fit-for-purpose. She is spot-on. It is archaic. An article I read recently states: It is sobering to think that the brand new, and long-awaited,...

Mental Health Policy: Motion [Private Members] (9 Dec 2020)

Pat Buckley: I thank the Regional Independent Group for tabling the motion. I will cut straight to the chase with some headlines published in the media between June and four days ago. The headlines are: "Children with mental health issues forced to wait up to 18 months for help"; "Mental health budget allocation falls by 1% - PNA"; "More than 2,000 children waiting to access mental health services";...