Results 1-20 of 373 for cork speaker:Christopher O'Sullivan

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (29 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: In a slight departure from the triple lock, I will bring the Taoiseach back to Bere Island off west Cork. The Department of Defence has an important training facility there for naval personnel. Unfortunately, there is an issue with Department of Defence-owned infrastructure there, namely, a slipway at Lawrence Cove. It is an important slipway used by naval personnel but also by a car ferry...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (29 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I do not say this lightly, but when it comes to our islanders and healthcare, they are treated as second-class citizens. This is especially the case in the west Cork islands and I will explain why. On Bere Island, which is near Castletownbere, at one point they had two full-time nurses. They had nursing cover on the island for 24 hours a day, seven days per week, but they now only have one...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action: Finalisation of Draft National Energy and Climate Plan and the National Long-Term Strategy: Discussion (28 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...of the fleet is not the entire answer to reducing emissions in transport but I genuinely feel and I consistently say that in rural parts of Ireland, in places like where I live in west Cork, EVs can play a significant role in reducing emissions in transport. By its nature, we do not have the same amount of terraced housing. Therefore, the issue of installing chargers at home is not as...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Support for Development of Regional Film and Television Production: Discussion (Resumed) (22 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: The Leas-Chathaoirleach mentioned at the outset that it was a west Cork love-in. I would particularly like to welcome Anthony, who is pretty much a neighbour of mine in Clonakilty, and Gar. It is odd having Gar O'Brien across from me in an Oireachtas committee. We started school together, say, when we were five.

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Support for Development of Regional Film and Television Production: Discussion (Resumed) (22 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...report and get it done quick and in time for any pre-budget discussions. That is vital. This is why the witnesses contributions here are far more important than anything I have to say about west Cork and they need to use the opportunity so that it is put into the report and we can use that as leverage. In terms of the regional uplift, places like Cork did not fair well under regional...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Support for Development of Regional Film and Television Production: Discussion (Resumed) (22 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...do so. We had representatives of the Department before us and they talked about the idea of direct investment in studios and the capital side of things. I was talking specifically about west Cork. The delegates present might have heard me talk previously about a budding studio being developed in west Cork and its benefits. One of the challenges mentioned was that a skilled workforce...

Housing for All: Statements (Resumed) (21 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: As I stand here this evening, there are families, individuals and couples, all prospective first-time buyers, in the Clonakilty area of west Cork who are gutted. I am gutted too. I will explain why. For the first time, west Cork was going to see the delivery of an affordable housing scheme - something that I and the people of the area had been seeking for years. There was finally going to...

Housing for All: Statements (Resumed) (21 May 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...of the village. It is not just a wastewater treatment solution. I want to emphasise that point. I repeatedly raise the issue of housing solutions for our islands. We have a problem, especially in the west Cork islands, where we are seeing depopulation. We are struggling to fill schools. We are struggling to fill job opportunities. The problem is that the islands are subject to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Hospital Waiting Lists (30 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...with scoliosis, specifically in the context of the length of time they have to wait for surgery. I want to raise the issue of Anna Russell, who is 13 years old and is from Glengarriff in west Cork. She is truly a great kid. If the Minister of State ever has the pleasure of meeting her, he will see her charm. She is absolutely charming and I am sure the Minister of State will be taken...

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (25 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...of neurologists. In fairness, the Minister created extra neurology nursing posts, but most of those have not been filled. We need to examine this matter. The issue is particularly acute in west Cork. The neurologist in the largest hospital in my area, Bantry hospital, will retire in May. As yet, CUH, which administers the hospital, does not have the resources to fill the position....

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Éileamh don Ghaelscolaíocht: Plé (24 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: That is important. I apologise that I am directing my questions to Traolach Ó Donnabháin and Carmel Nic Airt but Clonakilty and west Cork form the area with which I am most familiar. They have backed this up with statistics of the increase in those enrolling. Regarding the Gaelscoil in Clonakilty, this is only anecdotal but it appears to me that the increase in enrolment numbers...

Joint Committee on the Irish Language, the Gaeltacht and the Irish Speaking Community: Éileamh don Ghaelscolaíocht: Plé (24 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...is already under pressure for numbers. It got an extension which involved about €12 million of an investment, from what I can remember. Carmel Nic Airt mentioned in her presentation that west Cork is a growth area. The population is growing. Within two years of that extension being built, the school was already at capacity. It reached a point where there was a waiting list of...

Road Safety: Statements (17 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...am sharing time with Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan. I thank the Minister of State for attending the debate on this very serious issue. I will focus on one aspect of road safety in my constituency of Cork South-West, namely, road conditions. As I have pointed out time and again in the Chamber, Cork county has not been getting an allocation for road funding in recent years that reflects...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Cabinet Committees (16 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...Byrne, are tied in that he has been told he has to get advice about the economic value but I can tell the Taoiseach this from my own perspective. I am from Clonakilty, where we host the West Cork Rally. It is a much smaller rally but the economic value and buzz that the event brings to my region is incredible. It is not just the crowds, the people or atmosphere but every hotel,...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Integration of LGFA and Camogie Association with the GAA: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...exactly why this venture has to work. I will ask Mr. Ó Broin a question and I am not trying to catch him out, because he may not know the answer. For example, does he know whether the players on the Cork senior hurling team would ever be involved in or organise fundraising events to fund the running of the team? Would he be aware of that?

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Integration of LGFA and Camogie Association with the GAA: Discussion (10 Apr 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I agree. That is why I found it extraordinary. If I had someone like Patrick Horgan rang me to say "Christopher, can you help us out? We are organising a greyhound racing night in Cork, can you sponsor a race?", it would absolutely floor me but this is exactly what happened with the great Cork camogie team that just won the All-Ireland. This is an amazing group of players. They are...

Joint Committee on Tourism, Culture, Arts, Sport And Media: Support for Development of Regional Film and Television Production: Discussion (20 Mar 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...before last. He is my third cousin. I do not think he is aware that he is my cousin. Cillian, if you are listening, you have always been my favourite third cousin, and next time you are in west Cork - I know he is a fan of Connolly's in west Cork - we will go for a pint. It was an extraordinary moment. Certainly, Cork people were walking taller that weekend. There was a lot of...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (13 Feb 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: I ask the Taoiseach to comment on reports emanating from County Hall and Cork County Council that the roads budget for this year will be slashed by €33 million. It is very serious if this is the case. In west Cork, local and regional roads are crumbling. They are under pressure because Cork County Council remains at the very bottom of the league table of road funding allocations....

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (31 Jan 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...a budget of billions. The funding has to be found from somewhere. The response is not good enough and I will be raising this issue again. Uisce Éireann has much to answer for throughout west Cork. I was at a public meeting in Kinsale yesterday. Residents of Abbey Fort and Kinsale Manor estate have had to put up with six water breaks since November. We must bear in mind that...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Wastewater Treatment (31 Jan 2024)

Christopher O'Sullivan: ...will pass on the comments I will make on Dunmanway. The situation with the wastewater treatment in the town is nothing short of a scandal. Dunmanway is one the biggest towns in my constituency of Cork South-West. Within the past ten years, a brand-new wastewater treatment plant has been built there. The plant was built with capacity for 3,500 people, but the population of Dunmanway is...