Results 1,141-1,160 of 1,081,115 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Mick Barry OR speaker:Michael McGrath OR speaker:Seán Crowe)

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Primary Care Services (8 Jul 2025)

Rory Hearne: I thank the Minister of State for that. I appreciate the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, is responding by saying she will address this and take action. I am disappointed there was not a specific response to the constituency of Dublin North-West or the rationale for why that area in particular has such high lists. The Minister of State might take that back to the Minister to...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Primary Care Services (8 Jul 2025)

Thomas Byrne: We fully recognise the frustration of people in the Deputy's constituency with long waiting times for certain services. Much more needs to be done, particularly to fill vacancies, as he has said, to address waiting lists and to ensure consistent, equitable and timely access. As I said, we have a child psychology waiting list initiative alongside a joint Department and HSE programmatic...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Humanitarian Access (8 Jul 2025)

Humanitarian Access

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Humanitarian Access (8 Jul 2025)

Seán Crowe: It is 11.45 p.m. now and it is right and proper that we are discussing the situation in Gaza. With our long-standing commitment to human rights and neutrality in global conflicts, Ireland is well positioned to play a constructive role in addressing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. We must now use whatever leverage we have in a diplomatic capacity on the international stage. We have a...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Humanitarian Access (8 Jul 2025)

Neale Richmond: I genuinely and sincerely thank Deputy Crowe for tabling this very timely Topical Issue. Even though it is a late hour, it is the most appropriate opportunity to talk about a key aspect of a vicious and bloody conflict that has seized the Irish and global body politic for quite some time, particularly since the horrific events of 7 October, followed by the brutal and unacceptable response of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2025)

Marie Sherlock: I thank the Minister of State. I am conscious that he is relaying the message from the Department. It is not very heartening to see that the Department has completely ignored the specific request with regard to Dublin 1. The reality is that schools in the Dublin 1 area are having to make do in the context of a declining ratio of special needs assistants to children because the number of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2025)

Thomas Byrne: The Deputy took what I said as bad news. I think I gave constructive news, if she heard what I said, which is that there are 300 new special school places, which it is acknowledged are needed for those who need them, and that the Department and the NCSE in particular have proceeded to decide where they are going. I have no doubt the Department will listen to what the Deputy said in the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Primary Care Services (8 Jul 2025)

Primary Care Services

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Primary Care Services (8 Jul 2025)

Rory Hearne: The figures released by the HSE this week to my colleague, Deputy Quaide, reveal a truly shocking level of waiting times for essential primary care services for children. My constituency of Dublin North-West has recorded the longest waiting time in the country for psychology services for a child, with one waiting 706 weeks, or 13 and a half years, for psychological care. I cannot understand...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Primary Care Services (8 Jul 2025)

Thomas Byrne: On behalf of the Minister for Health, I thank Deputy Hearne for raising this issue. It gives the Minister the opportunity to update the Dáil on this important issue. What the Deputy has set out is not acceptable. Primary care services, including primary care psychology, play a central role in providing care and treatment to both children and adults in the community. Per the...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2025)

Michael Cahill: Historically, the respite at Cúnamh Iveragh respite centre in Cahersiveen has been offered from Friday to Sunday. It is only running at half-capacity. There were four beds there. It is two adults per night instead of four. I am reliably informed the issue is that the HSE is not releasing the funding. I cannot understand or accept that. I ask the Minister of State to address this...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2025)

Thomas Byrne: Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as ucht an t-ábhar tábhachtach seo a ardú inniu. We hear the passion Deputy Cahill brings to this issue. The future use of the site is currently under consideration by a working group. The Minister, Deputy Foley, wants to assure Deputy Cahill that this Government is committed to providing services and supports for people with...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2025)

Michael Cahill: I ask the Minister of State to relay the importance of this issue to his Cabinet colleagues. I cannot emphasise strongly enough the importance of this issue and how difficult it is for all the families concerned in Kerry. I have no doubt it is similar in other counties and throughout the country. I am pleading again. It is an opportune site and an opportune location for the Department of...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2025)

Special Educational Needs

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2025)

Marie Sherlock: My question relates specifically to the ask for a new special school in Dublin 1. In response to a recent parliamentary question, which I submitted to the HSE about the number of children's disability network teams, CDNTs, that do not have special schools in their catchment area. We learned that, of the 93 CDNTs across the country, 16 are not in the catchment area of a special school,...

Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate: Special Educational Needs (8 Jul 2025)

Thomas Byrne: The Government is committed to the provision of additional special school places for children with more complex educational needs. Over 300 new special school places are being provided for the coming 2025-26 school year. Five new special schools are being established in addition to the 11 new special schools that opened over the past few years. Of these 16 new schools, six have been...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Jul 2025)

Naoise Ó Muirí: As I understand it, it is a 1% charge which is collected through employer's PRSI. I was looking at employer's PRSI and could not find it anywhere so I presume it is just buried within the employer's rate. Will the Minister give us a sense of this? It is going up year on year, with buoyancy in employment it should be going up more. Roughly how much does it go up by year on year? That sets...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Jul 2025)

James Lawless: The question is a good one as to where it goes next. Before I answer that I will talk about the steps my previous answers were stepping through. We need to bring in legislation because the National Training Fund Act does not envisage the type of uses I have just outlined. I think they are important. I met with IBEC and other employer representatives on it. There is a general shared...

Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions: Further and Higher Education (8 Jul 2025)

Is féidir teacht ar Cheisteanna Scríofa ar www.oireachtas.ie. Written Answers are published on the Oireachtas website.

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters (8 Jul 2025)