Results 1-20 of 233 for likes to work speaker:Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

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All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Statements (Resumed) (2 Jul 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I support my colleague. I well understand why Waterford people might want to come to Cork. I do not think we should deprive them of that opportunity at all. Any time there is a debate on rail infrastructure, there is a fair bit of interest right across the country. That reflects a significant shift in people's mentality in the last 20 or 30 years. If we go back 50 or 60 years or even...

Legislative and Structural Reforms to Accelerate Housing Delivery: Motion [Private Members] (25 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I will echo the points made by other Deputies because the Minister of State, like his ministerial colleagues, has come in here and talked about the need for the Opposition to bring forward solutions. I understand Ministers and Ministers of State need to put forward their narrative, but in truth they realise there is plenty of substance and detail. The Taoiseach loves that word; he loves to...

Public Transport Experience: Motion [Private Members] (18 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: ...;in is ambitious for public transport, particularly in Cork. It is an area that has been the subject of a lot of attention recently. It has been a priority for us because we recognise that for Cork to be the fastest-growing city in the State, we cannot simply rely on more and more people getting into their cars. We need a 21st century transport system. There are number of elements to...

Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade: The Work of Dóchas: Discussion (17 Jun 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I thank the witnesses for their attendance and the important work they do. I was with the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, a week or two ago. It was very sobering. The phrase "triage of human suffering" really sticks with you. The invidious choices facing aid organisations around the world, including potentially those of the witnesses, are...

Assessment of Need: Statements (20 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: The failure that is happening here is profound for parents and most importantly for their children, but also for the professionals working in the field. It feels as if the system is shuddering to a halt and is completely choking up, and the situation continues to get worse and worse. More than 15,000 children are waiting for an assessment of need. There are more than 2,000 in my county,...

Housing and Critical Infrastructure: Motion [Private Members] (13 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I was mystified by the approach of the Government to housing. I was mystified during the election campaign but I am twice as mystified now. From committing to things that would make things worse, it has moved on to implementing things that would make things worse, such as the rent pressure zones and effectively getting rid of crucial tenant protections such as the tenant in situ scheme....

Power of Higher Education, Research and Skills as Economic Enablers in a Changing World: Statements (13 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I agree with Deputy John Connolly. We always need to keep education in its broadest sense in mind. Fundamentally, it is about ensuring people can reach their full potential regardless of the area. Notwithstanding that, it remains a strategic consideration for any Government, particularly in the current context. Regarding Ireland's competitiveness, it is crucial that we ensure that Ireland...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Air Corps (8 May 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I put the Tánaiste on notice that I will be bringing this up again in six weeks and six weeks after that too. I am going to continue to pursue this. I would like it if we could bracket the State Claims Agency part and put that to one side because that is not what I am talking about. That needs to proceed and I hope it works out well, or as well as possible, for those affected. One...

Triple Lock Mechanism and Irish Neutrality: Motion [Private Members] (26 Mar 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: ...agus i gcoinne leasú an Rialtais. Tá Sinn Féin den tuairim go bhfuil an Rialtas ag cur na neodrachta atá mar chuid lárnach dár bpolasaí eachtracha i mbaol agus go ndéanann sé laghdú ar an gcosaint atá air sin. Sinn Féin is totally opposed to the end of the triple lock neutrality protection. That is what is at issue here, not...

Report of the Housing Commission: Statements (Resumed) (19 Mar 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: We hear time and again from the Government that housing is the most important social, political and strategic issue. We heard it thrown back at us again today about a monopoly on compassion, which is one of those talking points we hear all the time. That is not contested. We appreciate that there are people on every side of this House that have compassion but the sobering, depressing,...

Maximising Artificial Intelligence: Statements (19 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: ...significant opportunities and potential for improving the quality of our public services as well as delivering economic growth so it must be carefully managed. We need a strategy for it. We are probably a bit behind the curve in that regard. There is a need for the State to get ahead of developments in the AI space, to shape its direction of travel at a national and European level,...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Passport Services (11 Feb 2025)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I echo that. The sooner people check, the less likely there are to be difficulties. In most instances, the passport service works quite well. It can be very efficient at times, with a significant improvement in recent years, especially for renewals. People are often impressed at the speed at which the passport arrives. This is a huge credit to the staff and the development that has gone...

Carer's Allowance: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (6 Nov 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: In response to the speeches of the Ministers of State, while I appreciate the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, is doing Estimates, it is a pity she was not able to pop in for some of the debate, in particular in relation to the delay in threshold increases. Sinn Féin would have gone a lot further, committing €100 million to significantly increase the thresholds, than the Government...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Housing Provision (8 Oct 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I bring to the attention of the Minister of State six blocks of flats in the Togher area. They are all of the same type, and I will come to that in a while. These flats at Cherry Tree Road, Hazel Road, Sycamore Place, Maple Place, Togher Road and Clashduv Road were built in the 1970s by what was then Cork Corporation. The flats are part of a very strong community in the Togher area, but on...

Financial Resolutions 2024 - Financial Resolution No. 5: General (Resumed) (2 Oct 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: ...xe1;iríre, nach bhfuil aon chrot air. Tá sé gan tuairim nua mhór agus gan phlean mór agus nach mbeidh aon rian de nó tionchar aige go fadtéarmach. Budget 2025 has shown us that this Government is out of time and out of ideas to fix the problems in our society. I have heard the Government try to take the narrative or the rhetoric of the future in terms...

Health Information Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) (25 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: ...will be very familiar with some of the commentary that has existed for years around the HSE and the health service. The kind of things one hears when in conversation with people is that there is too much administration, there are individuals with clipboards and things like that. Some of that commentary is unfair and maybe people do not necessarily understand that a person with a...

Carer's Allowance Means Test: Motion [Private Members] (25 Sep 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: ...is that when one looks at people in poverty or at risk of poverty in Ireland, three categories of people, namely, people with disabilities, single parents and carers, are consistently up near the top. I commend the Regional Group on the motion. It is a very good motion that we will support. Countless speakers have identified the significant scale of the number of people who are...

Tackling All Forms of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence: Statements (3 Jul 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I join other colleagues who have acknowledged the great bravery and courage of Natasha O'Brien and Bláthnaid Raleigh. It takes a great deal of courage to come forward and it is important because it leads to discussions such as this and to a focus on the huge challenges that are there. The scale of this problem is frightening and what is worrying is that in many respects it seems to be...

Residential Tenancies (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (Resumed) [Private Members] (2 Jul 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: I welcome the fact that the Minister of State is not opposing this legislation, albeit I would have to say the some of the speeches have been decidedly lukewarm. I sensed that much of what the Minister of State - he has said many things - has said is about striking the balance and I actually agree. The balance does need to be struck and I do not think that anyone on this side of the House...

Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024: Second Stage (2 Jul 2024)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire: As in the case of most miscellaneous provisions Bills, nearly all human life is here, and while there are an awful lot of different topics and agendas, a great deal of them are very important. I will pick up where Deputy Daly left off. The issue of fines for carriers is important. We have been flagging it for some time and are glad the Minister has moved on it. It is not acceptable that...