Paul McAuliffe

The Labour Party was in government.

At the outset, I commend the work of Senator Frances Black on this Bill. She has led from the front on it for many years. I acknowledge in this House the Ministers of State, Deputies Dooley and Collins, who worked with Senator Black to introduce this legislation to the House, albeit in a different form than the Minister has presented today. On 19 July 2024, the International Court of Justice deli…

Like the other speakers today, I appreciate that it is a huge technical challenge to try to put together the overall meaning behind each section of the Bill because, by its very nature, it is a miscellaneous Bill. The Minister has the benefit of his own advisers in the Department and the expertise of the Department of justice, but no doubt as a former Opposition spokesperson on justice he has symp…

The one thing I would say is that we were all here at a previous Stage and, notwithstanding changes that have been made, very significant elements of this Bill were already before us, as complex as they were then and as they are now. I look forward to speaking on some of the 72 amendments that have been tabled. Let us not fool ourselves: the reason there is pressure to get this Bill through is not…

I understand that Cabinet today approved the domestic violence judgment register, or Jennie's law. It was only a matter of months after Jennifer Poole's death that Jason came to the House and discussed with me, the Minister, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, and Senator O'Loughlin the shock of their family when they heard in court that the person who murdered their sister had previous convictions for domest…

2. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [12361/26]

In the past few weeks we have had a large number of social housing projects in my area completed, namely, Millview, Melville and Piper's Square, which will contribute more than several hundred cost-rental and social units. Last week, we were informed that the Land Development Agency had bought land for 600 units. Those units should be affordable purchase homes because that is not an option we curr…

31. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on disability will next meet. [43025/26]

Paddy Fagan is a gentleman who came to my clinic yesterday evening. He is a retired Dublin Airport Authority, DAA, worker. He has been coming to my clinic for many years. Those retired workers have not received an increase since 2007 because the scheme has effectively been frozen. It was worth 82% of the minimum wage in 2007. They are now on only half of the minimum wage as retired people. The rea…

I looked at the Dáil's business for this week with interest and saw that we would be taking the Dublin Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill. It is somewhat ironic that the Bill will be of far more benefit to the Minister of State's constituents than it will to mine, because many of the amendments being brought forward relate to BusConnects in Cork. This shows the development of the NTA, which was …

36. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the action she is pursuing at EU level with regard to the growing violence and the expansion of settlements in the West Bank; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38025/26]

I welcome the Minister's comment. I listened very carefully to her interview on Monday with Gavan Reilly. It has outlined a process of the Minister's intention regarding where we go in respect of the occupied territories Bill and also at an EU level. This week on Tuesday, a constituent of mine, Mikey Cullen, rang me from the flotilla. Incidentally, he is the third constituent of mine on different …

I raised the case of Mikey Cullen and, as I said, there are two other constituents of mine, Robert Murphy and Dougie Douglas, both of whom are out. The wider issue here has been well aired in the House. I agree with many of the points. I want to return to the issue of three constituents of mine who have been taken from a boat in the Mediterranean. There must be a more rigorous process other than u…

97. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht further to Parliamentary Question No. 518 of 26 March 2026, if he will outline when the new programme will launch to succeed the RAPID programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38009/26]

I ask the Minister to outline to the House his plans to roll out a successor to the revitalising areas by planning, investment and development, RAPID, programme. The Minister will know that was a previous programme that was closed in 2011. It brought together funding from different Departments to invest in some of our most disadvantaged communities to try to improve design and invest in those comm…

I welcome the efforts of the Minister and the Minister of State. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, has responsibility for SICAP, which does fantastic work in disadvantaged areas. However, funding for infrastructure is also incredibly important. Often, by changing the physical landscape of an environment, you can bring real change to those communities. We should be working in partnership with…

Absolutely. The other thing is that it is sustainable and has certainty. Local authorities, for example, depend on funding over time. Often with sports capital funding, for example, they are able to identify a project and then over time they are certain of funding. RAPID has to be the same. We have to have this on a permanent basis for people who are planning in these communities. In places like B…

No.

That is out of order.

That is not true, a Cheann Comhairle.

Is mian liom labhairt faoi Ghaelscoil Uí Earcáin i bhFionnghlas. Rinne mé staidéar sa teach scoile seo 40 bliain ó shin. Bhí mo sheanathair ar choiste tógála na scoile 70 bliain ó shin, agus tá an teach scoile ag éirí an-sean anois. Tá teach scoile nua ag teastáil ón scoil agus tá gá leis go han-luath. Gaelscoil Uí Earcáin is a school I studied in 40 years ago. My grandfather was on the building c…

I have to agree. The fact that both Deputy Ellis and I are putting this Topical Issue down together should show the Minister for education how important public representatives in our area consider this issue. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as a fhreagra. Tá na páistí, na múinteoirí agus an príomhoide ag obair go dian. Is pobal scoile iontach iad. Tá teach scoile maith tuillte acu. Impím ar an…

8. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the engagements he and his Department have had with local authorities and national sporting bodies to ensure local sports clubs are supported in applying for available grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32806/26]

Will the Minister of State outline the engagements he and his Department have had with local authorities and national sporting bodies in advance of the forthcoming round of sports capital grants?

I welcome that engagement. I want to highlight an issue particularly in cities. Often within cities land is the key issue. There might be land owned by one party and then there is a club or sporting body. That needs a degree of co-ordination. Of specific concern to me is that co-ordination and bringing parties together is not being done on a structured level. I have done it in my own communities w…