Results 1-20 of 1,065,868 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' speaker:Olwyn Enright

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Aidan Farrelly: I want to reiterate my thanks to the Minister of State for taking this tonight. I really do appreciate it and I ask that she pass on my thanks to the Minister of State for such a considered reply. I do not doubt for a second the sincerity with which the Ministers of State are approaching this at all. I hope she can hear that I am not here to critique Government policy on this issue...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I really appreciate the Deputy’s considered and genuine comments on this. I mentioned the network of crisis resolution teams. These are teams of mental health professionals who work out of hours to meet people in mental health crisis and provide rapid assessment and intensive intervention in the community in calm environments known as solace cafés. Connecting for Life, our...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 10.55 p.m. go dtí 9 a.m., Dé Céadaoin, an 2 Iúil 2025. The Dáil adjourned at at 10.55 p.m. until 9 a.m. on Wednesday, 2 July 2025.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Swimming Pools (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: All I can say is what I said in response to the Deputies earlier, which is that further discussions will be required on the future operating model. I cannot say more than that. The appropriate funding mechanisms will have to include the local authority and local sports partnerships given the scale of the investment required and, as the Deputies are aware, the ongoing costs of operating a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Suicide Prevention

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Aidan Farrelly: I thank the Minister of State for taking the time to be here this evening. I am really grateful for the opportunity to raise the very important issue of suicide prevention. I am raising it from a place of concern and from a place of care - care for anyone who is grieving the loss of a partner, a family member or a friend and care for everyone who has dedicated their professional life to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Suicide Prevention (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: On behalf of the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, who regrets not being able to be in the Chamber this evening, I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I will pass on his comments to the Minister of State. I fully accept that he comes from a place of care. That is very clear from what he said, especially when he powerfully articulated the specific...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Swimming Pools (1 Jul 2025)

Mattie McGrath: I thank the Ceann Comhairle and her team for allowing both of us to contribute on these Topical Issue matter tonight. I also thank the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach for his latitude. I also appealing to the Minister of State regarding this issue. I have many question about Tusla and its operations. This facility we are talking about has been renowned for half a century and more. The...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Swimming Pools (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputies. I can hear that both of them are greatly concerned about what has happened. Regarding the length of time the pool has been out of action, significant mechanical and electrical issues have been identified at the Ferryhouse pool and sports complex. The pool was closed due to a failure of the electrical periodic testing in response to a notification of hazard issued by...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Swimming Pools (1 Jul 2025)

Michael Murphy: I have to ask where the report is. There has been no engagement with local stakeholders. This is the reality of the situation. I fully accept Tusla's core competencies in respect of looking after children, but is there a greater gift to give to a child than the opportunity to learn how to swim? The wonderful thing about most activities in the water is that in many cases mobility issues as...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Swimming Pools (1 Jul 2025)

Mattie McGrath: I too support my colleague and implore the Minister of State in this regard. I have an issue with Tusla. God forgive me, it cannot even account for the approximately 50 children who have gone missing in State care in recent years. There is a meeting here to discuss this tomorrow as well. Why is Tusla involved in this premises at all? It is a wonderful facility. As I said, we have two...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Education and Training Boards (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I thank the Deputies for raising the issue. I had a positive meeting yesterday with representatives of Tipperary ETB. I was encouraged to hear about the good work ongoing. We had a good conversation and agreed that there are challenges. We are trying to work to manage those challenges in the best way possible. To come to the issue raised by the Deputies, ETBs, as they know, support...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Education and Training Boards (1 Jul 2025)

Mattie McGrath: I am disappointed to hear that. There is clearly a misunderstanding because there are students who have enrolled for courses in September. That is inaccurate information that Tipperary ETB has supplied to the Minister of State. I will quote the comments of a student, who said the course made them come out of their shell a lot. The student said it is the best thing they have done and...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Education and Training Boards (1 Jul 2025)

Michael Murphy: We need to be very honest here. One of the reasons we find ourselves in this position is that while the most recent national wage agreement included a 3.5% increase, only 2% of the funding was provided by the Government. The other 1.5% must be absorbed from the existing budget. I ask the Minister of State to urgently rethink this decision and to engage with the ETB in Tipperary. I...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Education and Training Boards (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: I fully recognise the value of these courses. To be clear, what Tipperary ETB informed my Department is that no current learners are impacted as they have completed their programmes. However, Deputy Mattie McGrath was right to say that the impact is on the availability of places for new learners for the remainder of 2025. The Deputy was quite right to say that. My Department is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Swimming Pools (1 Jul 2025)

Swimming Pools

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Swimming Pools (1 Jul 2025)

Michael Murphy: I will be sharing time with Deputy Mattie McGrath. I want to speak about a reply I received from Tusla to a parliamentary question I asked of the Minister regarding the future of the swimming pool on the Ferryhouse campus, just outside Clonmel. The reply stated that unfortunately, due to significant mechanical and electrical issues identified, Tusla deemed the pool at the end of its life...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Renewable Energy Generation (1 Jul 2025)

Alan Kelly: I am aware of the group. I also have a degree of sympathy in the sense that I believe the previous Government, of which the Minister of State was not part, did very little on this. The new biomethane group was set up. However, I would like the Minister of State to answer the following. When will the regulatory framework be put in place? What are the timelines on it? She has not told us....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Renewable Energy Generation (1 Jul 2025)

Marian Harkin: Ireland is recognised as having one of the greatest potentials for biomethane in Europe per capita due to our substantial agricultural sector. The Government's target of producing 5.7 TWh of indigenous biomethane by 2030, which is a little over 10% of our current natural gas use, will remain a Government commitment. The Deputy will know that an Irish anaerobic digestion and methane sector...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Education and Training Boards (1 Jul 2025)

Education and Training Boards