Results 1,341-1,360 of 1,069,079 for in 'Dáil debates' OR in 'Committee meetings' (speaker:Mick Barry OR speaker:Mark Ward OR speaker:Patrick O'Donovan)

Prelude (25 Jun 2025)

Paidir agus Machnamh.

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters (25 Jun 2025)

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters (25 Jun 2025)

Aidan Farrelly: I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Erin McGreehan - To discuss the use of Louth County Hospital in Dundalk as a surgical hub for the north east. Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the long-awaited ban on pair trawling. Deputy Catherine Ardagh - To discuss...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters (25 Jun 2025)

^ Saincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Debate^

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: Disability Services (25 Jun 2025)

Disability Services

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: Disability Services (25 Jun 2025)

Donna McGettigan: Throughout the State, more than 15,000 children are currently overdue an assessment of needs. Under the Disability Act 2005, children are entitled to assessment of their educational and health needs within six months of being on the waiting list, so each of these 15,000 children represent a breach of law by the Government. In my constituency in Clare, parents who are at their wits' end are...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: Disability Services (25 Jun 2025)

Jerry Buttimer: I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I apologise that the Minister is not here and that I do not have a copy of the speech for the Deputy. I will get it to her as soon as possible. Like her, I deal with parents and children every day and every week and she is right that there is frustration. We all need to work collaboratively to ensure access to services is improved...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: Disability Services (25 Jun 2025)

Donna McGettigan: I already gave these cases to the Government and they were referred to the HSE, which is where we got the answers that reliance on the private sector is not working in the HSE Mid West region. While I appreciate that there are difficulties in the system, especially around the need for robust regulation of psychologists, just 7% of assessments were completed within the six-month timeframe...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: School Management (24 Jun 2025)

Carol Nolan: I welcome the improvements the Minister of State has just listed, but in order to tackle the current bureaucratic nightmare, there are decisive solutions that could be taken. For example, there is a pilot of the small schools scheme. I completely welcome that. That is certainly one solution. If that were to be rolled out nationally where schools form clusters and support one another with...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: School Management (24 Jun 2025)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Deputy for sharing her own experience, which is so relevant. Ultimately, the existing models of leadership and governance in our schools place a burden on school principals as well as boards of management and the sector as a whole. It is a very difficult balance to strike to get the appropriate level of checks and balances which are critical for both our students and the...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: School Management (24 Jun 2025)

Cuireadh an Dáil ar athló ar 10.34 p.m. go dtí 9 a.m., Dé Céadaoin, an 25 Meitheamh 2025. The Dáil adjourned at at 10.34 p.m. until 9 a.m. on Wednesday, 25 June 2025.

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: School Management (24 Jun 2025)

School Management

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: School Management (24 Jun 2025)

Carol Nolan: As we approach the end of the school year in many primary schools, I acknowledge the hard work of many school principals and teachers but I also highlight an issue, the overloading of principals, particularly teaching principals. I met with many school principals in my own county of Offaly and they have told me that their workload is excessive, that it is continues to be extremely...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: School Management (24 Jun 2025)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Deputy for raising this issue, which is raised with many of us in this House by principals up and down the country whose jobs are constantly evolving and constantly getting more challenging. I really appreciate the Deputy raising this here today. The role of schools within communities is crucial and the Minister for Education and Youth, on whose behalf I am taking this...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: Childcare Services (24 Jun 2025)

Childcare Services

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: Childcare Services (24 Jun 2025)

Sinéad Gibney: It is not news that families with young children require childcare and early years education. Why, then, are these families continuously failed by the State in the provision of those services? In Dublin Rathdown, I am contacted regularly about childcare and early years education. Indeed, it is one of the foremost issues within my constituency. There is a shortage of available places...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: Childcare Services (24 Jun 2025)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue and for sharing her own experience. It is really important that we, as female parliamentarians, share our experience. It is inspiring for others who may follow in her footsteps that the Deputy has done so. The challenge of providing accessible childcare is very much real. The Deputy outlined the issues many of her constituents face....

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: Childcare Services (24 Jun 2025)

Sinéad Gibney: While I appreciate the Minister of State's response, it is disappointing there is nobody here from the Department of children. I welcome the statistics she shared that show an increase in provision of places and the work being done to address the problems. However, as she knows, that increase is not keeping pace with the needs of families across the country, including in my constituency of...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: Childcare Services (24 Jun 2025)

Emer Higgins: I thank the Deputy and her colleague for the work they are doing on this issue. The Government is committed to building an affordable, high-quality and accessible early learning and childcare system. I will take her recommendation for a cross-party committee to the Minister, Deputy Foley. The programme for Government commits, for the first time ever, to provide capital investment to...

Ábhair Shaincheisteanna Tráthúla - Topical Issue Matters: General Practitioner Services (24 Jun 2025)

Jennifer Murnane O'Connor: I thank the Deputy. I understand that this issue is very important. The provision of out-of-hours GP services is an important part of healthcare and it is essential that people have access to out-of-hours GP services when needed. It is worrying that the Deputy spoke about children travelling in a taxi during the night to the hospital. That is a concern and is definitely something we need...