Results 1-20 of 1,031,157 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:Gino Kenny OR speaker:Peter Burke OR speaker:Michael Healy-Rae) in 'Committee meetings'

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (20 Jun 2024)

Jack Chambers: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy McConalogue. The footage broadcast last week showing instances of animal cruelty was extremely upsetting. The Minister shares the reaction of viewers and the wider public who were appalled and upset by such a blatant disregard for the welfare of horses. He is certain that the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (20 Jun 2024)

Paul Murphy: Unfortunately, I do not believe the Minister of State that no stone will be left unturned, as we have been here before. There have been similar revelations in the past, yet the situation continued. There is an industry that is politically influential and powerful. Every time I raise the matter with the Minister, he spends his time talking about how great the industry is and so on. It is...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (20 Jun 2024)

Jack Chambers: I will pass the Deputy's feedback to the Minister. The footage broadcast last week was abhorrent and extremely upsetting for all of us who have never shown such blatant disregard for the welfare of horses or other animals. What we saw was potentially criminal behaviour by a number of individuals and I do not believe it was representative of the wider horse owning community. The welfare...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (20 Jun 2024)

Animal Welfare

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (20 Jun 2024)

Réada Cronin: I received an email today saying that the Minister would not be here to take Topical Issues. It is increasingly the case that Ministers do not appear to take Topical Issues. They are answerable to the Dáil and should be present. However, I appreciate that the deputy leader of Fianna Fáil is here to take questions. I am raising the horrific situation at Shannonside Foods in...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (20 Jun 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The answer I got was the one I was expecting. I am, though, making a specific plea for this area. The Minister of State is absolutely correct. Bantry is a much closer school in this area. In some instances, as well, it could be Skibbereen. This is based on student needs, however, and we should always put students and what best suits them first. Unfortunately, every summer, certainly...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (20 Jun 2024)

Jack Chambers: I appreciate the specific difficulty being experienced by many of the students referred to by the Deputy. I will definitely reflect this issue to the Minister. Her intention and hope is that the changes being progressed from the wider review of the school transport scheme will bring about a situation that will ensure more students nationwide can qualify for and access the school transport...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (20 Jun 2024)

Animal Welfare

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Animal Welfare (20 Jun 2024)

Paul Murphy: It is hard to know where to start, such is the scale of the horrific abuse of horses revealed in the "RTÉ Investigates" programme broadcast last week. The first thing to do is to thank the makers of the programme and the whistleblowers who spoke to them, and acknowledge the investment of resources and so on undertaken by RTÉ to reveal what is taking place in this massively...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Laboratory Facilities (20 Jun 2024)

Jack Chambers: I appreciate Deputy Naughten's kind words. I am replying on behalf of Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly. I appreciate the opportunity to update the House on the important matter of national laboratory capacity for genetics and genomics. It is important that we increase genomic laboratory capability in Ireland and invest in the infrastructure to drive this advancement....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Laboratory Facilities (20 Jun 2024)

Denis Naughten: I thank the Minister of State for his response. The difficulty is that it is abundantly clear that genetic and genomic services are a low priority for the HSE when no laboratory capacity was provided for in the new children's hospital. We even have the redevelopment of the Crumlin hospital site as an elective hospital without anybody pointing out that this laboratory service would be forced...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Laboratory Facilities (20 Jun 2024)

Jack Chambers: I again thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. The national strategy for accelerating genetic and genomic medicine in Ireland outlines a clear approach to developing a sustainable patient- and family-centred genetics and genomics service. As I said, it is important that we increase laboratory capability in Ireland and invest in the infrastructure to drive this advancement. An...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (20 Jun 2024)

School Transport

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (20 Jun 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I join colleagues in congratulating the Minister of State, Deputy Jack Chambers, on his elevation to deputy leader of Fianna Fáil. As a fellow Fianna Fáil TD, I am delighted he has been appointed as deputy leader. From a party point of view, it is a very proud day, as it is for his community and his constituency. I know how proud he is of his country and he always tries to do...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Transport (20 Jun 2024)

Jack Chambers: I appreciate Deputy O'Sullivan's kind words. I am taking this on behalf of our colleague the Minister, Deputy Foley. Before I address the specific issue raised, I have been asked to provide an outline of the extent of the school transport scheme which is managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, more than 161,600 children are being...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Medical Cards (20 Jun 2024)

Martin Browne: I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I know every effort is made by the HSE to keep it within the framework of the legislation. Will a simpler system be brought forward so that families like Natalia's and Natalia herself, who has lifelong complications, are not faced with an 80-page document, dozens of phone calls and over and back trying to source a medical card? Will the Minister...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Medical Cards (20 Jun 2024)

Jack Chambers: I appreciate the difficulty for certain individuals and families. We all, as constituency TDs, try to work with families and individuals to support them in the application process. The HSE and all Departments and agencies should strive to make sure that applying for public services is a user-friendly process for everyone involved. As the Deputy mentioned, lengthy documents or a lot of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Laboratory Facilities (20 Jun 2024)

Laboratory Facilities

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Laboratory Facilities (20 Jun 2024)

Denis Naughten: I warmly congratulate the Minister of State on his appointment as the deputy leader of the Fianna Fáil Party. I wish him the best of good luck in that new role. Since the start of the year, I have regularly asked the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Health and the HSE about the future location of the genomics laboratory currently based at Crumlin hospital. This question...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Regeneration Projects (20 Jun 2024)

Jack Chambers: The regeneration of social housing flats is within the parameters of the national regeneration programme, which targets the country's most disadvantaged communities, those defined by the most extreme social exclusion, unemployment and anti-social behaviour, as per housing Circular 11/2007, policy framework for the regeneration of local authority estates. It is the responsibility of local...