Results 1-20 of 485 for speaker:Louis O'Hara

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: I thank Ms Considine and Mr. Kenny. I congratulate Ms Considine on her new role. I want to begin by talking about capacity because I have raised overcrowding on rail services arriving into Galway city at peak times with Irish Rail many times. I welcome the new 6.50 a.m. service from Athenry to Galway. That is a help. It allows people to get into Galway city earlier in the mornings. That...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: Of course. I have made representations on this before to Irish Rail and to the Minister and the response has been that the existing diesel carriages from the DART fleet will be provided to the regional routes. I am very concerned to hear today that there are even further delays in the deployment of the new carriages and that we are talking 2027 or 2028, realistically, for regional routes...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: Okay. I urge Ms Considine to look at any and all possible alternative solutions because this is causing chaos in my constituency for people who are commuting in and out of Galway city. In terms of the western rail corridor, there is a recommendation in the rail review for Athenry to Claremorris to be reopened. That is very welcome. The key focus now is to see the funding actually...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: I am sorry to interrupt but I am short on time. How quickly does Ms Considine think Iarnród Éireann could have it up and running? We have the announcement coming in the coming weeks in terms of the national development plan and the projects that will be funded. If the western rail corridor is included in that in the coming weeks, how quickly, realistically, does Ms Considine see...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: The section from Claremorris to Collooney has not been included in the rail review, but I ask for Ms Considine's views on that and whether it is a project she thinks is feasible in the medium to long term - say, in the next ten, 15 or 20 years.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: All-Island Strategic Rail Review: Iarnród Éireann (22 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: That is very welcome. I thank the witnesses.

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Special Educational Needs (22 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: 53. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if additional funding will be provided to a school (details supplied) for speech and language therapy and occupational therapy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57440/25]

Ceisteanna ar Pholasaí nó ar Reachtaíocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation (16 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: Last week, the Happily Ever After childcare service in Tuam, County Galway, informed parents that it will be forced to close its doors at the end of this month. The building does not meet fire safety requirements. The landlord has reneged on previous commitments to carry out the necessary works on the building to make it safe and has said these works would be too costly. This has left the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (16 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: I understand it is a complicated formula but there is clearly a discrepancy between our area and other parts of the State. Will the Minister take a look at it and engage with the local development company on it? We feel very hard done by in Galway. We are not just missing out on the LEADER allocation. Our local authority is very underfunded and is not receiving the same funding per capita...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (16 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: There are serious concerns about CAP. It seems the onus is now going to fall on the Government to ensure there is a sufficient budget to maintain the work that local development companies do. Will the Minister outline the Government’s plan for the future of the programme and give assurances that the budget will be protected and increased?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (16 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: 87. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will consider increasing the LEADER allocation for County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54825/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (16 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: Will the Minister consider increasing the LEADER allocation for County Galway? As he might be aware, there are concerns about the allocation for east Galway in particular, relative to other areas. Galway Rural Development is the local development company. I ask the Minister to outline whether this is something he is considering.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Departmental Funding (16 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: I want to outline the current situation with regard to LEADER funding. East Galway is receiving €37 per person which compares very unfavourably with all of our neighbours. Roscommon receives €97 per person, Offaly gets €76 per person while in Mayo, the figure is €64. This really restricts what our local development company can do because it has such a limited...

Written Answers — Department of Education and Skills: Student Accommodation (16 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: 15. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the actions his Department is undertaking to increase access to student accommodation in County Galway; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54815/25]

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

Louis O'Hara: 123. To ask the Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if a rural regeneration and development fund (RRDF) application (details supplied) will be expedited; when he expects to announce the RRDF funding allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54824/25]

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: Rural Bus Transport: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: I will start with the issue of Connecting Ireland bus services. It was mentioned that in 2024, 45 new or enhanced bus routes were introduced under Connecting Ireland. What is the expected figure for 2025?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: Rural Bus Transport: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: Is that 35 for all of 2025?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport: Rural Bus Transport: Discussion (15 Oct 2025)

Louis O'Hara: Is there a reason that figure has dropped since last year?