Results 501-520 of 1,036,649 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Tom Kitt OR speaker:David Stanton OR speaker:Danny Healy-Rae OR speaker:Cathal Crowe OR speaker:Réada Cronin)

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters (9 Jul 2024)

Catherine Connolly: I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 37 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Mattie McGrath - To discuss the functions and operations of Tusla. Deputy Bernard Durkan - To discuss the current impasse at Castletown House, Celbridge, County Kildare, and the lack of State access to the property from the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Heritage Sites (9 Jul 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank Deputy Stanton again. I was in Barryscourt Castle on a fine summer's day. I commend the OPW staff on the fantastic work and their utter commitment to it. Many of them are from the area. I was really impressed by the work. As Deputy Stanton is aware, the initial phase of the projects, which have been ongoing for some time, involves progressively drying the entire castle structure,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Heritage Sites (9 Jul 2024)

David Stanton: I join the Minister of State in acknowledging the fantastic abilities and hard work of the OPW staff and the skill levels they have put in here. It is an amazing project and it will be of huge benefit to the local area. Will the Minister of State outline his vision for the castle in the context of the greater east Cork area and nationally given its importance, the plans for the curtilage of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Heritage Sites (9 Jul 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: The context here is that it is an Anglo-Norman castle, the seat of the Barry family, and one of the finest restored Irish tower houses. It dates back to 1392 and 1420. The castle has an outer bawn wall and largely intact corner towers. The ground floor contains a dungeon in which prisoners were dropped via the drop hole located on the second floor. I did not actually go near that point....

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Heritage Sites (9 Jul 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the Minister of State for his response. It is one of the finest castles and tower houses of its type in the country. It is also part of a wider plan for Carrigtwohill and east Cork, the Carrigtwohill 2040 project, and that will require further resources later on with respect to the purchase of land, possibly locally, for the parking of buses and that kind of thing. Is the Minister...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Heritage Sites (9 Jul 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I am aware from meeting people locally of this particular plan for in Carrigtwohill. I had a relatively short visit there but we and the OPW would always be looking at particular historical sites and the comparative advantage in terms of the area around it. That is something we are open to in terms of the OPW considering any proposal. In most cases when we are looking at them, they are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Public Sector Staff

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 46. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is planning budgetary measures to address the problem of staff shortages across key areas of the public service, and the pressure these shortages are putting on existing staff and the quality of services for the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29516/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: 67. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the public expenditure measures he is considering in the forthcoming budget to address the growing problem of labour and skill shortages; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29517/24]

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: Many areas of important public services such as mental health, disability, special needs, the health service and schools have chronic problems in recruiting and retaining enough people. We have staff shortages and this leads to a lot of hardship for many people who need those public services. Has the Minister any plans, especially in the context of the upcoming budget, to address this problem?

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 46 and 67 together. I thank the Deputy. The main way we have of addressing the challenges to which he referred is through the pay agreements that are in place up to 2026, aiming to bring forward wage increases of more than 10% over a two-and-a-half year period. That will be accompanied by the continued investment the Government will put in place in...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Richard Boyd Barrett: In my opinion that is not enough. It is not working. The child and disability network teams are chronically understaffed. They cannot recruit and retain people. CAMHS teams have half the staff they need. We had school principals in the Houses last week saying they and teachers are burnt out and stressed and they cannot recruit people. They are actually relying on people who are...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Public Sector Staff (9 Jul 2024)

Paschal Donohoe: Of course I accept and am aware that we have many cases across our public services of patients who are being let down and of constituents who are not receiving the attention and care we believe they should. However, the analysis the Deputy put forward, that this is due to our inability to recruit and keep staff, is completely at odds with the reality of what has happened in the growth of our...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (9 Jul 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the Minister of State for his commitment to this and for visiting the area on more than one occasion and for spending quite a bit of time there. I am sure he will join me in my frustration at the lack of progress. It is not his fault at all. With respect to Mogeely, the council is going to appoint a number of consulting engineers in the coming weeks. It has been almost nine months...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (9 Jul 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: I thank the Deputy. I appreciate his utter frustration. In my role as Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW, my main purpose in visiting Midleton recently was to get a full picture as to where the schemes were at. The OPW is actively engaging with Cork County Council on progressing the substantive main scheme. The only timeframe that is within the control of the council is the...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (9 Jul 2024)

David Stanton: I thank the Minister of State for his personal commitment to this. If the tide was in and if it had happened at night, we would have been hauling coffins down the road a few days later. People would have drowned in Midleton because it was that serious, it happened that fast and the water was that deep. It made headlines all over the world because it was so devastating. The Minister of...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (9 Jul 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: There were elements-----

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (9 Jul 2024)

David Stanton: That is nine years later. Why does it take so long to deal with so important and devastating an issue in this country? It will have taken nine years for people to get their act together and put a plan in place. The planning application has to be lodged but we do not know how long it will take for a decision on that application to be finalised. There may also be objections. The Government...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Flood Relief Schemes (9 Jul 2024)

Kieran O'Donnell: Has it taken longer than one would have liked? Yes. I have been in this role for a short period. Storm Babet was certainly a factor. Anything being put forward had to be proofed against such a storm. Once again, I will note that the main scheme will take a number of years to complete. We therefore must look at what must be done now to protect people's homes in Midleton, Castlemartyr,...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Heritage Sites (9 Jul 2024)

Heritage Sites