Results 1-20 of 4,786 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Presidential Voting Rights: Motion [Private Members] (24 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I really appreciate the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I can confirm the Government is of course not opposing this motion. From my time in this Chamber and before that in the Upper Chamber, I know we all share a long-standing desire to deepen the connections between Ireland and the global Irish, but especially on this island. I know there are very few of us in the Chamber who...

Healthcare (Transparent Payments) Bill 2022: Second Stage [Private Members] (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I thank the cosponsors for bringing the Bill to Second Stage and all the Deputies for an engaging discussion on the issue. It is an important matter and, as previously stated, the Government fully supports transparency in the relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare professionals regarding transfers of value to healthcare professionals or organisations. It is clear...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Antisocial Behaviour (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I sincerely thank Deputy O'Donoghue for raising this timely and important issue. At the outset, and before I get into the specifics, I condemn any incidents of racially motivated abuse. I know the Deputy shares that view, as does everyone in this House. It is important to say that sometimes because we can tend gloss over it. Such behaviour is a scourge that we must all stay united in our...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Antisocial Behaviour (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I really appreciate the opportunity to come back in. I cannot stress enough how important it is that any of these issues that are brought to the attention of the House are solved by all of us. None of us can claim responsibility. None of us can shoulder all the blame. If we work together, however, we can alleviate the impact of what is happening. Community gardaí play such an...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Funding (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I had to check my phone because in the Deputy's new guise as Oireachtas AI committee chairperson, I had to see if he had been reading my phone for the correspondence I have just had with the principal of a local national school in my area on more or less this exact point. This is an issue that regularly comes up for every Member of this House and I thank the Deputy for giving me the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Funding (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I will address three points in response. I will come to a broader point, but the first is that if there are specific schools, the FSSU on behalf of the Department plays a crucial role in seeing where there are funding gaps. In order for the Department to assess the current financial situation, the school needs to engage with the FSSU for the purpose. The Department will refer this school...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Sports Facilities (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I sincerely thank Deputy Ó Muirí for raising this topic, which he knows is extremely close to my heart. He has years of experience of involvement, in his local community of Clontarf and beyond, in this specific area and this is a great opportunity to delve into it a little bit. Since 2020 the Department of education has invested more than €6 billion in our schools...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Sports Facilities (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I fully empathise, especially with the comparison with Manor House School. I happen to know the pitch quite well from previous exploits as a really bad coach. I appreciate a pitch of that size represents serious capital work that is obviously way beyond the schemes laid out that are open at the moment. However, we have seen examples where there have been what I would not call...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: EU Directives (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Senator raising this important matter and for her ongoing advocacy and engagement, in a very constructive manner, on a key issue of importance not just to Ireland and Europe but to the wider world.It is extremely important. The increased focus on burden reduction, or simplification, at EU level is inherently linked to efforts to enhance European and Irish competitiveness in the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: EU Directives (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: It is clear that this is a moment of change in the EU. It is clear that the need for Europe to become more competitive is existential. However, in just over 12 months Ireland will take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union and our role in the simplification of the competitiveness agenda will be pivotal. Our role is not only to deliver on that agenda but also, as the...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Residential Institutions (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I am grateful to Senator Boyhan for raising this important issue. To clarify for the Chamber, before I get to the specifics, as Senator Boyhan will appreciate, the mother and baby institutions payment scheme opened for applications in March 2024. It provides payments and health benefits to people who spent time in any of the mother and baby or county home institutions that were identified...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Residential Institutions (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: As of 8 June more than 6,500 applications had been received for the payment scheme. More than 5,200 payments had been processed and completed or were in the process of being made. More than 5,800 notices of termination had issued applicants, over 82% of which contained an offer of benefits. The value of financial payments to date is more than €65 million, a not insignificant amount...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Safety (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Senator. This is our first official engagement. He should not tell the world we had dinner together last night. Let us keep it official as far as possible. As the Senator is aware, the Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with Transport...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Safety (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I am more than happy to take that up with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and would suggest that the Senator puts those concerns in writing to TII, as I think he already has. A lot of this is about getting people together in the one discussion. There are multiple local authorities involved, a State institution and the Department over all with the budgetary and policy purview. I completely...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: I thank both Senators for their contributions this morning, particularly Senator Crowe for placing this. I will be quite frank; this is the second time I have taken a Commencement matter of this nature. Admittedly, the first time was not in this iteration of the Seanad but it is remarkable that, two years on, we are dealing with the same question. I hope we will be able to give more of a...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Special Educational Needs (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: The key point is that this will be concluded and communicated in order that it will be in place for the examinations in 2026. We are at an advanced stage. The work is largely done. Let us finish it off. Changing this in order that we implement this in September rather than December will not make a difference for those sitting the State examinations in 2026. Let us make sure that due...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: The Government remains firmly committed to Ireland’s international development assistance programme and to its overriding priority, to reach the furthest behind first. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been closely following the reports and announcements in relation to USAID. Ireland’s Embassies and Missions, particularly in developing countries, have also been...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Overseas Development Aid (19 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a longstanding and highly valued partner for the Government's international development programme. In 2024 and 2025 to date, Ireland has provided a total of €18 million in support to UNFPA: €13.1 million in 2024 and €4.9 million to date in 2025. The 2024 funding of €13.1 million involved a core grant of €4.5...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Foreign Conflicts (17 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: The Government remains deeply concerned about the humanitarian crisis as a result of the ongoing conflict in Sudan. Since the outbreak of conflict in April 2023, over 15 million people have been forced to flee their homes and over 24 million people are in acute food insecurity, with some facing famine. Working with like-minded EU member states, Ireland has supported strong EU...

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Official Engagements (10 Jun 2025)

Neale Richmond: The 2025 United Nations Ocean Conference will be co-hosted by France and Costa Rica in Nice, from 9 to 13 June. The Conference will be an opportunity to focus on the intrinsic link between our societies and our lives and the the health of the ocean. We believe that it will not be possible to meet the demands on sustainability, food production, and the ambitions for a sustainable blue...