Results 361-380 of 1,040,057 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Damien English OR speaker:Eoin Ó Broin OR speaker:Carol Nolan OR speaker:Denise Mitchell OR speaker:Cormac Devlin)

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (9 Jul 2024)

Cian O'Callaghan: 7. To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on his plan for constitutional amendments. [29564/24]

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 7, inclusive, together. There are a number of proposals for constitutional reforms under consideration. However, no final decisions have been made as yet by Government on the timing of any such referendum. Some of the proposed constitutional reforms arise from the programme for Government, such as housing and extending the franchise for presidential...

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (9 Jul 2024)

Catherine Connolly: There are five contributors, so Deputy McDonald has up to two minutes.

Ceisteanna - Questions: Constitutional Amendments (9 Jul 2024)

Mary Lou McDonald: The matter I want to raise with the Taoiseach is the promise to extend the franchise for presidential elections. As the Taoiseach knows, we are something of an outlier in not allowing any opportunity for citizens living outside of the jurisdiction to participate in any electoral contest. There had been an agreement and wide consensus that the election of the first citizen, Uachtarán...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I will check in directly with the Minister for agriculture on this but my understanding is that the Department has appointed UCD's Professor Paddy Wall to lead a task force aimed at addressing the serious traceability issues identified in the "RTÉ Investigates" programme and, indeed, the approach to approval of such facilities in the future. My understanding is that the expert from UCD,...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Josepha Madigan: I raise the issue of the withdrawal of professional services by barristers practising criminal law. I acknowledge the presence of Seán Guerin, chair of the criminal state bar committee of the Bar Council, along with other members of the profession. I know the Taoiseach is acutely aware of this issue as it has been raised by other members of the Fine Gael Party. He will be aware that...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I, too, welcome Mr. Guerin and some of his colleagues to the Dáil. I begin by reiterating my appreciation, and the appreciation of the Minister for Justice, of the important role played by barristers and solicitors in the administration of criminal justice. We made some progress on this last summer with the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and she secured €9 million to make progress on...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Michael Moynihan: The disability matters committee published its recent pre-budget submission, which contains a number of asks relating to the unmet need in the community. There are a number of issues, such as pay parity for section 39 organisations. The Taoiseach alluded in his earlier contributions to recruitment and retention. There are issues in regard to making sure that kids in particular have access...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I have not forgotten that I want to meet with him as Chair of the disability matters committee. I thank him for the work he does with the committee across government in a range of areas. The Ministers of State, Deputies Rabbitte and Naughton, are very much appraised of the issues he raised, namely, recruitment and retention, services, the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Pa Daly: We all need a functioning justice system. I, too, acknowledge the presence of members of the Bar Council. I support their call for restoration of the FEMPI-era cuts to their fees. I wish to ask the Taoiseach about the direction of An Garda Síochána. Following changes to the management model, a community engagement superintendent is supposed to provide leadership to deal with...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy Daly. I will follow up specifically with the Minister for Justice regarding the community engagement superintendents for counties Longford and Mayo, to which he referred. More broadly, we are beginning to see progress on recruitment of gardaí. I do not have the figures in front of me but a class of about 157 went into Templemore in recent weeks. A new class goes in...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Pádraig O'Sullivan: Last month, data from the latest European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations report showed that just 14% of orphan medicines licensed by the European Medicines Agency since 2019 are available to patients in Ireland. This places us 26th of 36 European countries. One such treatment, ravulizumab, remains unavailable in Ireland since its application in 2019, despite it...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: I thank Deputy O'Sullivan, who has taken a particular interest in this issue during this Dáil term. I will ask the Minister for Health specifically in regard to the drugs he mentioned, which seem to be in the process for a long time. The Minister and his Department have been working on access to orphan medicines but I will ask him to get the Deputy the most up-to-date information.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Frank Feighan: I raise the issue of funding for media and core funding for journalism schemes, which may not have any consideration, and funding for local radio, particular in the context of the public service broadcasting remit. Last month, local radio in my constituency provided absolutely exceptional coverage of the results of the local and European elections. I request that any future proposals on...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: We are currently considering how to sustainably fund public service broadcasting. That includes RTÉ, which does a good job on public service broadcasting. It is not the only outlet that does public service broadcasting. With the Minister, Deputy Catherine Martin, we are considering what a sustainable model of funding for public service broadcasting looks like. We expect to make a...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

David Cullinane: Last week, I tabled a Topical Issue matter on the need to provide funding a runway extension at Waterford Airport. In 2019, I, along with the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, was part of a delegation that met with the then Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross, who gave a commitment to fund the airport. I know there are processes that have to be gone through and in recent...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Simon Harris: The truthful answer is that I would like to see a decision made on this very shortly. I was inquiring about this myself only in recent days. The Minister of State, Deputy Lawless, now has responsibility for this in the Department of Transport. I will ask him to engage with Deputy Cullinane directly. My understanding is an updated submission from Waterford Airport was received by the...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Catherine Connolly: We are outside the time so I ask for the co-operation of the last four speakers. We will take everybody.

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Michael Collins: The reimbursement for cataract surgery under the Northern Ireland planned healthcare scheme has been drastically reduced. The original figure of €1,950 has been mercilessly slashed to a mere €863. This is not just an abuse of power; it is a blatant disregard for our elderly citizens who depend on these funds for essential cataract surgery. The Government's decision is...

An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (9 Jul 2024)

Ivana Bacik: Earlier today, I stood with Labour colleagues outside Leinster House in solidarity with staff from the national advocacy service and SIPTU members who have been left with no option but to resume strike action because of the failure by management to respect Labour Court recommendations. I heard the Taoiseach's earlier response and I listened to it very carefully. He mentioned benchmarking....