Results 421-440 of 1,096,161 for in 'Dáil debates' OR (speaker:Peter Power OR speaker:Colm Burke OR speaker:Eamon Ryan OR speaker:Aindrias Moynihan OR speaker:Micheál Martin OR speaker:Brian Stanley) in 'Committee meetings'

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Special Educational Needs

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: 78. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children identified by the NCSE by the February deadline who have yet to be offered a school place for September 2025; the total number of children now with a recommendation for a special class or special school place who have not been offered a school place for September; to outline her efforts to ensure that all children with...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Darren O'Rourke: Will the Minister tell the House the number of children who were identified by the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, by the February deadline and are yet to be offered a school place for September 2025? What is the total number of children now with a recommendation for a special class or special school place who have not been offered a school place for September? Will the...

Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain Dóibh - Priority Questions: Special Educational Needs (17 Jul 2025)

Helen McEntee: The NCSE is the national agency with responsibility for the provision of special education places. This year, the NCSE has sanctioned 407 new special classes for the coming school year, bringing to 3,742 the number of special classes in our schools. There are new classes in every county in Ireland and, with the number of special classes doubling in the last five years, this now means that...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Cathal Crowe: I echo the points made by Deputy Séamus McGrath. The EU procurement rules are rather outdated. A lot of the regulation that is stifling what this country is able to do is not domestic but comes from an EU treaty. The time has come for us to be able to procure beyond the EU 27 bloc for very large projects, such as hospitals, large road projects, rail, etc. It has repeatedly happened...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Peter Cleere: Deputy Connolly has been waiting patiently. I will allow him one minute to ask a supplementary question.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

John Connolly: I very much welcome the Minister's response. I have a similar question, Question No. 32, on the commitment in the programme for Government to review the infrastructural guidelines. One of the most frustrating aspects of being a public representative is the time it takes between the concept of a project to its delivery. I was a member of a local authority from 2004 to 2009, and my...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: I thank the Deputies for their questions. To speak to Deputy Crowe's point, there has been a significant consultation on Ireland's procurement strategy and we will have a new national procurement strategy in the coming months. The Minister of State, Deputy Emer Higgins, is leading out on that work. Changes are taking place in the EU and we expect them to conclude during Ireland's...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Procurement Contracts (17 Jul 2025)

Question No. 17 taken with Written Answers.

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Coastal Protection (17 Jul 2025)

Coastal Protection

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Coastal Protection (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Cahill: 18. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide funding to tackle costal erosion and flooding in Rossbeigh, Waterville, Kenmare, Tralee, Listowel, Glenbeigh, Dooks, Cromane Lower, Killorglin and Glosha; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39792/25]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Coastal Protection (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Cahill: I raise the issue of coastal erosion and flooding, which are huge problems in my neck of the woods. I live by a beach called Rossbeigh in Glenbeigh, County Kerry. It is on Castlemaine Harbour. That area in particular is very problematic with global warming and high tides. When the high tides coincide with storms there are particular issues. Homes are flooded and we require funding as...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Coastal Protection (17 Jul 2025)

Kevin Moran: The Government has committed to investing a sum of €81 million for the design and implementation of flood relief schemes for County Kerry. Tralee, Kenmare, Abbeydorney and Banna are all in the first tranche of schemes to be progressed, with Dingle, Killarney, Ballylongford, Listowel, Castleisland-Tullig in the second tranche. Engineering and environmental consultants were...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Coastal Protection (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Cahill: I thank the Minister of State for that response. The towns of Kenmare, Tralee, Listowel, Castleisland and lower Killorglin all need protection works at the earliest possible date. I have been inside homes where there has been 3 ft of saltwater. Rainwater is one problem, but saltwater is a different story completely. I plead with the Minister of State to come down, see for himself and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Coastal Protection (17 Jul 2025)

Kevin Moran: As I said, €81 million in investment has been given to Kerry County Council. The Deputy talked about coastal protection. Since 2009, €4.2 million has been given to the minor flood mitigation and coastal protection scheme. This also includes €2.9 million for coastal erosion work. My Department is very much working with the local authority, particularly in Kerry. We...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Coastal Protection (17 Jul 2025)

Michael Cahill: I thank the Minister of State for confirming he is coming down to Kerry. I look forward to welcoming him. There are so many areas. It is a huge problem that involves expensive work. Rock armour is very expensive, as are other lines of defence. For many of the people affected, the Minister of State is General Custer making his last stand. We are pleading with him to deliver for our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Coastal Protection (17 Jul 2025)

Kevin Moran: I know too well the problems people face. There is nothing as bad as getting up in the morning or going to bed at night when there is rain or wind. I know too well the suffering, worry and stress this causes whole families and the people around them. The Government is very much committed to delivering schemes. As I said, in the last few years we delivered between €68 million and...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (17 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: Recruitment plans around chargeable excess tax and pension contributions are two separate issues. I agree that what happened is unacceptable. That is why we need a full external audit and that will happen. If someone who has worked in the public service is liable for chargeable excess tax, they have 20 years on a normal basis to spread that liability once they retire. For example, if...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (17 Jul 2025)

Mairéad Farrell: It is deeply concerning for most people that this is where it is. When does the Minister expect to have an outcome? Has he been able to identity exactly how this occurred? I do not mean any one person should be blamed for something like this but there must have been some system failures as well. Has the Minister got to the bottom of that? Does he expect that to come out of the report?...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Pensions (17 Jul 2025)

Jack Chambers: The external audit will be important in assessing the wider systems processes and compliance with public policy and with the statutory position the NSSO exists within. That work will commence and be completed as soon as practically possible. The tender process is ongoing with this audit for the NSSO. As part of budgetary preparations, we are being clear we want to make permanent,...