Eoghan Kenny

I thank the Minister and appreciate her response. I want to work with the Minister and Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan. Ultimately, the Department is trying to benefit students. The most important people across the country are those who need a good education and start in life. We have serious issues when it comes to the number of teachers in our classrooms. That is firsthand knowledge. This iss…

I am very glad that the Minister said she is committed to increasing the supply of teachers. That is important. In 2024, the Teachers' Union of Ireland, TUI, completed a survey of new entrants to the profession. Some 35% responded and said that over recent years they did not receive a contract for full hours when they entered the profession. Some 12% said it is extremely difficult to get a full co…

The Taoiseach will be aware that a unit with 48 single beds has opened in Mallow General Hospital. I have two questions on this. Two floors of the four-floor unit are still not open. I ask the Taoiseach to look at the feasibility of opening them. I also ask him to ask the Minister for Health, as I have, to look into the transfer of the blood transfusion service from Mallow General Hospital to Cork…

I will be sharing time with Deputy Kelly.

Thank you. I welcome the motion from Sinn Féin. If I follow up on a query from a parent or from someone my own age about a delay in getting an appointment for a test, the RSA tells me to contact different test centres around the country. Asking a person from Cork to come to Dublin or even further afield to do their test is absolute madness. There is no quality there when it comes to trying to get…

Last year I stood with my colleagues and over 40,000 teachers to protest against the rushed leaving certificate reform proposed by the Government. The Minister's predecessor, Deputy Foley, referred to the reform as equity and excellence for all. The most important part of reform to any curriculum, as I think the Minister will agree, is to benefit students. Take two students, one in a local volunt…

Absolutely. My greatest objective is that students across the country are open to this reform and benefit from it. The Minister said she is fully equipping schools. For seven years I was taught in prefabs. That is what happens in local voluntary schools across this country. The Government pays €90 million per year for prefabs. The Minister referred to business. I taught business studies up to Nov…

I congratulate the Minister and the Minister of State on their appointments. I know the Minister of State on a personal level. He is hard-working and a man of integrity for the constituents of Cork North-West. I am sure that will be the same in his new role in the Department. I congratulate him. I welcome this motion from Sinn Féin and the opportunity to raise the issues and concerns relating to …

I thank my colleague Deputy Ahern for giving me a couple of minutes. I congratulate the two Ministers of State, namely Deputy Canney and my Cork colleague Deputy Buttimer, on their new roles. I wish to raise the Mallow relief road, which the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer might be aware of. It is very important infrastructure. Since I was a young boy, the Mallow relief road has been talked ab…

The level of respect that Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independent Group have for people on the housing waiting lists throughout the country is stark to those of us on this side of the House when the benches opposite remain empty and we have one Minister sitting here. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael should be ashamed of themselves. Cabinet meeting or no Cabinet meeting, the motion brought for…

That is not true-----

Hear, hear.

I share the sentiments expressed by colleagues, Deputies Smith and Wall. Today, however, I wish to raise the serious concerns many people across the country have with regard to reform of the senior cycle in secondary schools. In the programme for Government, Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Regional Independent Group wrote that they intend to continue the same programme of senior cycle reform that m…

I am looking for an update on the Government's plan to introduce the occupied territories Bill. It is good to get the opportunity. I thank Deputy Duncan Smith for the opportunity to raise this issue. Do I have 30 seconds?

I am new to the Chamber so I am trying to learn the logistics. Our leader, Deputy Bacik, met the Palestinian ambassador this morning. I share the concerns Deputy Smith expressed last week and those our party leader shared in relation to the amendments the Government proposes and what they mean for the occupied territories Bill. As a young person, it comes up constantly in conversation with my frie…

I appreciate that the Tánaiste said his next step is to meet Senator Black. Is it possible to get a timeline on when he will meet the Senator? The original question was to get an update on the plan. It is important that this country takes a stance on this issue at European and UN level. Words are meaningless without significant action. I think the Minister would agree with me on that. We now have …

With the impact of the recent winter snowstorms and Storm Éowyn still being felt, with 18,000 still without power, it is vital that this Government commence a relief scheme to support those who have suffered damage to commercial property and farming property. I have been contacted by many people over the past three weeks who have had damage to their homes and business following the effect of these…

I congratulate my fellow Cork man, Micheál Martin, on his election as Taoiseach and congratulate his wife, Mary, and their children. As the youngest Member of this new Dáil, it is a real privilege to address the House. I thank the people of Cork North-Central who have given me this opportunity. As a secondary school teacher, I have witnessed successive Governments failing on education, particula…

-----it is those with the least have the most to lose.

When are we going to get the legal advice?

What about the legal advice?

Ridiculous.