Results 1-20 of 1,048,031 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' speaker:Pádraig O'Sullivan

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Cahill for raising this issue. I know that in his term in the Dáil and prior to that as a councillor, he has very much been an advocate for community hospitals in Kerry, in particular the West Kerry Community Hospital. We know how important the community hospitals are. They are fantastic in the level of care and service that their patients and residents get. We need to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (20 Mar 2025)

Michael Cahill: I ask the Minister of State to get directly in touch with the Minister of State with responsibility for older people? The reply is pretty much the same as that received by the former Deputy for Kerry, Brendan Griffin, last January 12 months. It is not acceptable or fair on the staff in West Kerry Community Hospital, including the doctors and nurses, its patients and, indeed, the patients'...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Cahill again. There are 46 beds registered in West Kerry Community Hospital, 42 of which are currently open and occupied. West Kerry Community Hospital cannot admit more resident at present, as the opening of additional beds is dependent on staffing levels. West Kerry Community Hospital has experienced some difficulties with staff shortages, but all efforts are being made on...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (20 Mar 2025)

Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 8 p.m. go dtí 2 p.m., Dé Máirt, an 25 Márta 2025. The Dáil adjourned at 8 p.m. until 2 p.m. on Tuesday, 25 March 2025.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Stanley. He has highlighted well the challenges they face in Rathdowney fire station. It sounds like they have a fantastic crew and great equipment but they need a new building. The first half of my response will be focused on Stradbally. The Deputy will be wondering why the hell I am focusing on Stradbally, but I will put it in context in the second half of the response,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (20 Mar 2025)

Brian Stanley: I thank the Minister of State for that response. I welcome the news on the Stradbally station. I raised it with his predecessor on a number of occasions in the Dáil. That is very welcome; it was badly needed. I would say to the Minister of State by way of being helpful that there is a design for Stradbally. The plan is done. It is a similar size town and a similar size area. The...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I outlined Stradbally because it is now earmarked for being delivered in 2025, which very much opens the way now for Rathdowney.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (20 Mar 2025)

Brian Stanley: It is good news.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: In December 2024, Laois County Council submitted an updated preliminary appraisal for a proposed new fire station at Rathdowney, noting several issues with the existing station, including, as the Deputy highlighted, the accessibility of the site for responding firefighters due to its central location on a narrow street within Rathdowney, the station's limited size and poor layout and the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (20 Mar 2025)

Hospital Facilities

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Facilities (20 Mar 2025)

Michael Cahill: As the Minister of State is aware, staffing and beds in all our hospitals is a huge issue. This is not just the case in our large acute hospitals but also in all our community hospitals, and West Kerry Community Hospital is no different. A provision was once made for 71 beds in West Kerry Community Hospital. It was capped at 36 beds, and there are only 42 open today, which means there...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I thank Deputy Wall for raising this issue. Clearly he is in touch with the community there and is aware of the anguish that this type of move causes, the anxiety not just among the residents and their families but the community too, as people are worried about the future of residents. I wish to assure the Deputy that every effort will be made to ensure that proper care is given and that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (20 Mar 2025)

Mark Wall: I appreciate the Minister of State's reply. He mentioned that there are a couple of months. Unfortunately, as we all know, a couple of months is a long time for older people. It is an especially long time when someone is asking their caregiver in the morning if they can go back to where they know best, and the caregiver cannot say they can. A person's whole system could be upset by that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I presume when the Deputy says a service provider has visited the site, it is the site of the old centre which St. Vincent de Paul has given notice it is closing. I appreciate that and will get clarification on whether it is something that can happen. I will certainly ask the question. The Deputy also asked whether the Minister might be able to visit the community there. Certainly I can...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (20 Mar 2025)

Fire Service

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Fire Service (20 Mar 2025)

Brian Stanley: I am raising the issue of the need for a new fire station in Rathdowney. This has been sought for a number of years now. The current station was built to house a jeep and the small mobile pump they used to pull behind them. I do not know if the Minister of State would remember them, the old Land Rovers. Smaller towns had them and that is what the station housed. There are three vehicles...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2025)

Jen Cummins: I thank the Minister of State for his comprehensive answer. Yes, it is not the answer I want but God loves a trier. The reconfiguration process has been very slow to date. The previous programme for Government had it that, I think, 400 schools would be transferred. Unfortunately, that number has not been reached yet and I did not see it in the programme for Government this time. The...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Schools Building Projects (20 Mar 2025)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Deputy has asked some questions that I will endeavour to get answers to, namely, how long the survey and the process of reconfiguration will take. On the unmet needs in Dublin 8, I assume it does not take into account whether there is a desire to have multidenominational education or under different patronage. We can find that out. The approach is that, if capacity of any type can be...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (20 Mar 2025)

Health Services

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Health Services (20 Mar 2025)

Mark Wall: I am sure that the Minister of State knows of many great communities in Cork. One of the great communities I am aware of is in Kildare, that being, the community of Ballyteague, Allenwood, Kilmeage, Robertstown and Milltown. It is a great community that comes together. Unfortunately, it is now more than three months since the Allenwood daycare centre closed its doors in Ballyteague GFC....