Results 261-280 of 4,377 for speaker:Neale Richmond

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank Deputy Buckley very much for sharing that story in the Chamber. In our constituencies we come across families who face these challenges and it is absolutely heartbreaking for the entire family, entire community but, first and foremost, for the patient at the centre of it. I know the Deputy will continue to make the case for that individual, as he has been doing as a local...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I absolutely agree with the Deputy. That is why the Department of Education has made it quite clear that I relay that the critical step is receiving the data, processing it and then going back to the schools with the data. There are two months where you are dealing with quite a number of duplications. Half of the people in my area apply to far more than one, two, three or four schools for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. At the discretion of the Chair, I thank her for the warm welcome to Carlow last Friday. It was wonderful to be there. As a segue, I met former Deputy Charlie O'Connor yesterday and I told him that the Deputy had assumed the mantle of Jennifer "Carlowman" O'Connor. He was happy to see that his moniker lives on. The National Emergency Medicine...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: School Enrolments (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: Before I give the Deputy the straight reply on behalf of the Minister for Education, both the Deputy and I are in neighbouring constituencies. We do not represent areas that are too different from each other. I am in my 15th year as an elected representative and every year, school places have become an issue and this will continue. Despite seeing ten new schools opening in my constituency...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank Senator Martin for bringing this important issue to the floor of the Seanad and, indeed, for his detailed overview of the situation as it faces Mercy Convent Primary School in Naas, County Kildare. As the Senator has already alluded to, I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley, who is unfortunately detained in other wider Government business. She...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Schools Building Projects (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I fully understand the frustration, disappointment and abject anger that many in the school community feel at this stage. I have laid out where the rough timelines will lead us. One thing I will suggest to the Senator, and I myself will make a deputation to the Minister, is that it is perhaps time for a meeting organised by the Senator with the school community and the Minister directly. A...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Promotion (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank Senator Lombard for raising this very pressing and timely issue. I have been provided with a fairly detailed response from the Department of Education which I may not get through in four minutes but a copy will be furnished to the Senator. The Department of Education works together with the Department of Health and other agencies to support students in the area of health. The aim...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Health Promotion (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: In conclusion, there is an awful lot of work being done in this space. If we reflect on the work that has been done over the last couple of days by the British Government in terms of disposable vapes then that gives an idea of a roadmap where we can move along both from a public health point of view and an education point of view. It is key that the work undertaken by Caoimhín and...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Senator for raising this very important issue. 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 Infrastructure Ireland under the roads Acts 1993 to 2015 and in line with the national development plan, the planning, design, improvement...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Road Projects (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: As I mentioned at the outset, the allocations for 2024 are expected to be announced in the near future. The Senator is right that we have been very fortunate to have a record tax take in recent years, both in terms of income tax and corporate tax. However, the investment being put into infrastructure, society and preparation for the future is very clear, as is the ability to put money away...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Forestry Sector (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I reiterate that the Government takes very seriously the need to make sure that all trees planted are contributing to the shared national vision for trees and forests, while delivering public good for the benefit of all people across the country. I wish to assure the Deputy that there is a robust and comprehensive assessment and public consultation process in place to ensure that all...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Deputy raises an interesting point. I think all of us have had a case or cases across our desk, or even had family exposure to such cases, involving cancer or orthopaedic care of treatment. It is always so much tougher when it is a treatment for a young person or child. Every day people leave the State to go for treatment. Many of them leave the State with the support of the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Forestry Sector (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank the Deputy for this topical question, which I will take on behalf of the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, who has responsibility for forestry. I appreciate this opportunity to also give an overview of the forestry licensing process. While I am not in a position to comment on individual applications for which the licensing process is ongoing, my understanding is that the...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Employment Permits Section of the Department informs me that the applications concerned have been returned to the applicant, together with a full refund of the application fee, as the documentation submitted did not comply with the legislative requirements. It is important to note that an application for an employment permit can only be submitted when the Labour Market Needs Test has...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Joint Labour Committees (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: Joint Labour Committees (JLCs) are independent in their functions.If a JLC adopts proposals for an Employment Regulation Order (ERO) for a sector, it will submit them to the Labour Court for consideration. The Labour Court will then make a decision on the adoption of the proposals. If the Court decides to adopt the proposals, a copy is presented to me and, if I consider it appropriate to do...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Enterprise Support Services (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: Over the last six years Enterprise Ireland has had to write off €54.2 million of equity investments.Enterprise Ireland have confirmed that the amounts recommended for write-off have been identified as uncollectable following Enterprise Ireland’s due diligence procedure. Traditionally, uncollectable amounts stem from company liquidation or dissolution. A subset arises from...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (30 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together. I will answer PQ's 4193/24 and 4194/24 together. The Employment Permits Section of the Department has provided the figures below showing the number of employment permits granted in 2022 and 2023 by nationality. This information is also available on the Department's website through the following link: Statistics - DETE (enterprise.gov.ie)

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Legislative Measures (25 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: In May 2022 a letter of formal notice was adopted by the European Commission in relation to Infringement INFR(2022)4021: Non-conformity of Irish legislation with the European Works Councils Directive 2009/38. The complaint alleged that rights under the Directive cannot be effectively enforced in Ireland. My Department responded to the case by meeting with the Commission and replying in...

Written Answers — Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment: Work Permits (25 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: The Employment Permits Section of the Department informs me that the General Employment Permit held in respect of the person concerned (in the details supplied) is due to expire on 14th November 2024. Renewal applications may be submitted 16 weeks prior to the expiry of the permit (in this case 14th November) or within the period of 1 month after the expiry date. It is important to...

Seanad: Nithe i dtosach suíonna - Commencement Matters: Consumer Prices (24 Jan 2024)

Neale Richmond: I thank Senator Moynihan for raising this vitally important issue. I am through the gap of needing baby formula in our household, but it was not long ago that I absolutely empathised with those parents who are seeing the prices rise and rise. The Senator has raised some key issues that require a direct response, and I will get to that. Before I do, I will talk more generally about grocery...