Results 421-440 of 1,066,038 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Jim O'Callaghan OR speaker:Micheál Martin OR speaker:Helen McEntee OR speaker:Eamon Ryan OR speaker:Michael Moynihan OR speaker:Seán Ó Fearghaíl OR speaker:Seán Haughey OR speaker:Joe McHugh OR speaker:Mairead Farrell OR speaker:Niall Collins)

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Oct 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: As I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, I must stick to the script. It is intended that, over time, all children with additional needs enrolled in early learning and care in school-aged children services will have access to supports under AIM. To this end, consideration is being given by officials in the Department of children to policy and mechanisms to extend AIM...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (9 Oct 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Ryan. The Minister for Transport has responsibility for overall policy and Exchequer funding in relation to the national roads programme. Once funding arrangements have been put in place with TII under the Roads Acts 1993 to 2015 and in line with the national development plan, NDP, the planning,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (9 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the Minister of State for her response. Again, as she commented, this response is a cut-and-paste of what I have heard many times. I am sure my colleague here has heard it many times too. What is interesting here are the safety measures on the N25 between Carrigtwohill and Midleton, which is an extraordinarily dangerous and busy section of road. There is an intention to apply for...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (9 Oct 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: I thank the Deputy. I take on board totally what he just said and I will relay it back. This is about safety and saving lives. Yet again, though, I must read another such reply. I must read everything I am given because I am deputising. Approximately €411 million of Exchequer capital funds was provided to TII for national roads in 2024. In line with the NDP and Government...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Oct 2024)

Early Childhood Care and Education

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: Next, I call Deputy Wynne to discuss the ECCE scheme's cut-off point for disabled children who need AIM-model funding for equipment to access preschool safety. I ask her not to mention anybody's name.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Oct 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: Yes. We have another name for the child that is not the actual name, if that is okay.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: Yes.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Early Childhood Care and Education (9 Oct 2024)

Violet-Anne Wynne: Lovely. Go raibh maith agat. I am incredibly grateful that the Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is here to take this question. It is of great local and personal importance to my constituents and to me. I had hoped the Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, would take the question, but I was informed late yesterday evening that he was not in a position to do so. I will certainly not waste any time...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Oct 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: It seems that those numbers have dropped off from an earlier parliamentary question I asked. We are now talking about 98, which is the figure the group I met were spoken to about, whereas there was a plan for 101. Three classes have now dropped off. I would like to think everything will be done to make sure that is delivered because we are dealing with a lack of provision. I think the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: We are over time now, Deputy.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Oct 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: I also spoke to the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, about Shelagh National School, a primary school, to make sure it has contact. It is about building autism units already planned. That is another issue across the board.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: We will be late starting the next session.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Oct 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: I will bring back the name of Shelagh National School to the Minister of State. The Deputy is a very strong advocate in this space. With the recruitment of the extra NCSEs - doubling numbers - I have no doubt there is provision for a new NCSE to look after the wee county of Louth to ensure there is proper capacity building in primary and post-primary. When you look at the numbers going...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Oct 2024)

Ruairi Ó Murchú: We need to see the school inclusion model across the board so parents can get therapies.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Oct 2024)

Catherine Connolly: Thank you.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (9 Oct 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: Absolutely.

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (9 Oct 2024)

Road Safety

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Safety (9 Oct 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the Ceann Comhairle's office for selecting this Topical Issue and thank the Minister of State for being here this morning. She is working overtime and should get an increase in wages, she is doing so many Topical Issues for everybody else. I also acknowledge Deputy O'Connor. Both of us are Government TDs from the same constituency and raise the same issue. I do not know if anybody...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Road Projects (9 Oct 2024)

Anne Rabbitte: Over the past 25 years, the Government of Ireland has invested heavily in our national roads network, with an extensive motorway system now in place. The motorway network has seen almost tenfold expansion since 2000. Due to the outlined funding constraints for national roads, a prioritisation exercise was necessary from the outset. In line with the NDP and Government policy, the Minister...