Results 1-20 of 1,220 for speaker:Mark Wall

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Rural Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: 80. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will outline the new RAPID programme announced in budget 2026; and when he expects the programme to be operational by. [55400/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Library Services (16 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: 92. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if new funding has been allocated to the development of additional public libraries as part of Budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55407/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Meals-on-Wheels Services (16 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: 102. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if CLÁR funding is available from Budget 2026 to be allocated to meals-on-wheels providers outside of designated areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55410/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Rural Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: 111. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the funding allocation for rural development schemes under his Department for Budget 2026 and Budget 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55409/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Departmental Schemes (16 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: 115. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if there has been an increase in funding for SICAP in Budget 2026 compared to the previous year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55406/25]

Written Answers — Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht: Water Safety (16 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: 130. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the Budget 2026 allocation for Water Safety Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55408/25]

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: I welcome our witnesses today. I understand from their introduction that nobody wants a target for child poverty but that there is a target and I get that the Minister is working towards getting rid of child poverty. How much does the Department think it will to cost to get to zero child poverty or to the target the Minister has set and how many years will it take to get there? The...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: I will come back on the working family payment. I have two further questions, if that is okay. A lot of mention has been made of the Taoiseach’s Department in the context of children and well-being. How often do officials of the Department of Social Protection meet with that Department? As far as the witnesses are aware, how often does that Department meet? When there is a...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: I am sorry to interrupt. How often would “very regularly” be?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: Okay. I thank Mr. Egan.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: One of the issues I deal with daily through my clinics and my office concerns additional needs payments. Is there any justification for or a reason behind these payments having been cut? It is a payment that directly helps people with poverty issues. The amount allocated has been cut from €80 million last year to €58 million this year, which was a €22 million cut in...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: To confirm what Mr. Hession just said, there will be no cap on additional needs payments in 2026, as we tackle child poverty. This is a huge issue for me, as I am sure it is for other Deputies and Senators. When people present to a community welfare officer, their applications will be treated and there will be no cap on the payments.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: I thank Mr. Hession.

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: I welcome all our guests. I also put on record our thanks to them for the considerable advocacy and work they do. It really is appreciated by someone like me, who runs clinics and offices. I know that goes for colleagues here as well. We see it on a daily basis. The Community Platform's contribution summed it up by saying the group wanted an evidence-based and credible plan to...

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: I will come in there. There is a child poverty and well-being programme office within the Department of the Taoiseach. I know the Department of Social Protection is responsible for everything Mr. O'Connor is mentioning. My question is have the witnesses met with that officials in that office within the Department of the Taoiseach?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: Dr. O'Connor has not. Have any of the Community Platform members?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: I will come back on that point. We are getting a report which says that things are moving on swimmingly, but the reality being seen by Mr. Ginnell and our other guests is that this is not what is happening on the ground. Is that what Mr. Ginnell is saying?

Joint Committee on Social Protection, Rural and Community Development: Child Poverty: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: That is why I was so interested in how many times Ms Smith had met with the Department. That is very important point.

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2026 (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: 223. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the reason the expenditure allocation for disability activation supports will decline in 2026 to €25.99 million from €26.545 million in this year according the estimates published for Budget 2026; the programmes under subhead A.29 his Department expects to make savings; to confirm the number of people that...

Written Answers — Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection: Budget 2026 (15 Oct 2025)

Mark Wall: 224. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the rationale for a cut of over €22 million in the 2026 allocation for additional needs payments under estimate subhead A.10, with the allocation reduced to €58.134 million in 2026, from €80.671 million this year; the number of payments and the number of recipients the 2025 and 2026 allocations will...