Conor D. McGuinness

We need Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael out on their ears.

You have never addressed supply.

To continue with that theme, as the Taoiseach knows, the report of the Policing and Community Safety Authority report at the end of last year the continuing failure of the Government to address Garda recruitment and retention and rural policing in particular. It identified serious risks to policing performance from staffing shortages due to missed recruitment targets and increasing pressures on ga…

16. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee that oversees agriculture will next meet. [8197/26]

Farmers feel undermined, ignored and taken for granted. They are angry – in fact, they are livid – because the importation of Brazilian beef represents not only an existential threat to their livelihoods but the way Brazilian beef is produced runs completely contrary to the standards to which they are held. The Government’s late-in-the-day opposition and lukewarm approach to Mercosur exposed its r…

The provisional application.

Mercosur, Taoiseach.

I was talking about-----

A couple of thousand-----

It is Brazilian beef. I referenced it several times in my question.

It is because I mentioned it in my question.

37. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [9962/26]

5. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Conor D. McGuinness den Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht cad iad na tacaíochtaí maoinithe caipitil atá ar fáil óna Roinn do naíonraí chun áitribh oiriúnacha a fhorbairt nó chun leathnú a dhéanamh chun freastal ar éileamh méadaithe. [8768/26]

Tá sé iontach níos mó daoine a chloisteáil ag caint mar gheall ar ghéarchéim thithíochta na Gaeltachta. Is maith an rud é sin. Baineann an cheist atá agam le naíonraí. Tá an-chuid daoine ag éileamh anois ar shaol trí Ghaeilge, mar shampla ar oideachas trí Ghaeilge dá bpáistí, laistigh den Ghaeltacht ach lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht chomh maith. An srian atá i gceist anseo ná srian caipitil chun foirgni…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an bhfreagra sin. Mar is eol dó, tá tábhacht ar leith ag baint leis an tumoideachas agus an deis do dhaoine óga freastal ar oideachas d'ardchaighdeán trí mheán na Gaeilge ó aois an-óg, ó dhá bhliain agus naoi mí nó trí bliana suas go dtí an coláiste nó ollscoil, más maith leo. Is rud an-tábhachtach é sin agus tosaíonn sé i gcónaí leis an naíonra. Is dócha go bhfuil…

Bheadh sé iontach dul chun cinn a dhéanamh maidir le Naíonra Philib Barún agus Naíonra Gharbháin. Ba bhreá liom cruinniú a dhéanamh leo, leis an Aire agus lena oifigigh chun é sin a phlé. Más féidir linn, ba mhaith an rud é obair a dhéanamh leis an Aire, an Teachta Foley, chomh maith chun an maoiniú caipitil sin a chur ar fáil dóibh. Tá na suímh acu, ach is éard atá ag teastáil uathu anois ná píos…

7. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht when he intends to publish the successor to Our Rural Future for the period beyond 2025; and whether that new strategy will include clear, measurable targets for rural services, rural employment, rural housing and ensuring population sustainability. [8692/26]

My question relates to the old chestnut of Our Rural Future, which we have discussed many times in the Chamber and outside it. When does the Minister intend to publish the successor document? I understand there was a period of consultation late last year. I participated in that consultation, as did many others around the country. Will that new strategy include clear, measurable targets for rural s…

I do not doubt the level of engagement that took place, which I welcome. It is the right way to do consultation and engagement. When a plan such as this that is of such importance to the future of rural Ireland is being put together, it is vitally important to go out and take the views of people. It is then more important, and the Minister knows this, to ensure that those views are captured in the…

One of the concerns and worries I have on this, and I am not entirely sure if the Minister shares this but it is realistic, is the level of engagement he will get from his colleagues in government around the Cabinet table and from State agencies in the local government sector. That is why I am so keen to see clear, responsible persons or agencies attached to every single action and timeline within…

I am taking this question for Deputy Clarke. It relates to rural development funding, which is an issue close to my heart. We see all around us in our communities the impact it has on creating and sustaining employment and sustaining community initiatives. Last year, we saw a €5 million cut to the rural development spend in the budget. That seems to be on trend for this Government, and for success…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire for confirming that. I understand that the LEADER programme is a five-year programme and that there may be peaks and troughs, but a €10 million reduction in the budget this year compared with last year is still €10 million of a reduction. I welcome the fact that that money is not lost. It is not out of the budget and the Minister will bring it back. However, there is …

I will start by agreeing with the Minister that there is definitely ambition in rural communities. There is no shortage of ambition and self-awareness within these communities but on my travels and in my engagements, I do not see the confidence the Minister speaks of because rural communities are reeling. They are reeling from the demographic crisis that has already been spoken about this morning.…

22. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Taoiseach for an update regarding the programme for Government. [8196/26]

De réir anailíse ó thionscadal One Million Homes, atá foilsithe inné, tá easnamh de 12,635 teach sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Tá pobail Ghaeltachta gan a dhóthain páistí chun scoileanna áitiúla a choinneáil oscailte, gan trácht ar chumainn spóirt a choimeád beo. Ó 2015 i leith, níor tógadh ach 1,250 teach ar fud na Gaeltachta. Ag an ráta sin, léiríonn an anailís chéanna go mbeidh easnamh de thart ar …