Conor D. McGuinness

Every July and August, families steel themselves for the cost of children going back to school, including uniforms, books, and shoes, and, as the Minister of State well knows, school transport. Now, for thousands of parents, there is another bill waiting on the kitchen table. It is one for hundreds of euro for a digital device. The latest research from the University of Limerick and the ESRI confi…

Today is a very important day because the State has finally and formally apologised to the survivors of Bill Kenneally's abuse. Those who should have been protected were instead failed in the most profound and devastating way. No apology can undo the harm that was done. I pay tribute to the extraordinary courage of the survivors and their families, whose determination made this day possible. You d…

1. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht as the Minister with responsibility for rural proofing and Our Rural Future, the engagement his Department has with State agencies and semi-State bodies to ensure that transport services adequately meet the needs of rural communities. [53140/26]

Transport policy and funding for most transport modes rests with the Department of Transport but I specifically put this question to the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and the Minister, Deputy Calleary, because the onus is on Deputy Calleary's Department to advocate for rural communities with every Government Department to ensure the voices and needs of rural communities are heard and met. Th…

A cross-party group raised issues about road safety there and looked for investment.

The Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht needs to engage with local authorities and agencies on funding for these schemes.

That is well and good but the community had a service for many years and it was removed because of a deterioration in road quality due to a lack of investment in road structures. This is on the N25, a road I have mentioned many times to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and to the Department of Transport. Due to the lack of investment - the lack of money available to local authorities to do safety wor…

Hear, hear.

16. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the role his Department will play in amending and finalising the recently published draft national planning statement for rural and Gaeltacht housing. [53184/26]

I put this question in English but tá roinnt de a bhaineann le cúrsaí Gaeltachta. Is féidir an dá theanga a úsáid, má tá an tAire sásta leis sin. It is about the role the Minister’s Department will play in amending and finalising the recently published draft national planning statement for rural and Gaeltacht housing. I know this has been discussed several times here this evening and the Minister …

When the document was published last week, we were all taken aback. Commentators, Opposition politicians and campaign groups and people working in the space were disappointed both on the rural housing piece and that of Gaeltacht housing. Not only was it underwhelming and the cúrsaí Gaeltachta deeply disappointing but it looked like something that had been utterly rushed and that had been put toget…

I dtaobh chúrsaí Gaeltachta, ní aontaím leis an Aire in aon chor go bhfuil dearcadh nó aighneachtaí na ndreamanna éagsúla atá ag obair sa spás seo iniata leis an gcáipéis seo. Is léir go ndearna an Roinn agus an bheirt Airí sa Roinn tithíochta neamhaird air sin. Iarrfaidh mé ar an Aire féachaint air seo, gur úsáideadh staitisticí ó dhaonáireamh 2016 sa cháipéis chun an argóint seo a chruthú mar gh…

Glacaim leis sin.

Tá muid an-ghnóthach, an triúr againn. Leanfaimid ar aghaidh pé scéal é.

19. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he plans to substantially increase funding for the CLÁR programme in light of the recent expansion of the scheme’s eligibility. [53185/26]

This relates to the CLÁR programme in light of the recent expansion of the scheme's eligibility. I really welcome the expansion of the CLÁR scheme. It is something that I think all of us representing rural areas and, indeed, many councillors from all parties and none have been seeking for a long time. It is something about which, as the Minister probably knows, I have put in several written questi…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as sin. On the ground, in rural areas, particularly those deprived rural areas, we see the advantage of CLÁR. It is relatively small money. There are small amounts that are provided, but that money goes really far in these areas and it is very much appreciated. It is possibly not transformative but it really helps to keep those communities' heads above the water. We h…

I wish the Minister luck in those negotiations and discussions ahead of budget 2027. Those of us who represent CLÁR areas and rural areas will be watching. The addition of those townlands - Glenwilliam, Tallow, Lismore and other areas the Minister mentioned - is really welcome and will facilitate groups on the ground there accessing funding. Not every area, unfortunately, can be included in CLÁR f…

Beidh an Aire agus an Aire Stáit bréan dom ag an tráth seo. Baineann an cheist seo le toghchán do bhord Údarás na Gaeltachta. Mar is eol don Aire, bhí an-chuid plé againn sa Seomra Dála seo mar gheall ar Bhille Údarás na Gaeltachta agus na toghcháin. Cé nach rabhamar ag aontú lena chéile ró-mhinic, glacaim anois go bhfuil an Bille rite agus go mbeidh toghcháin ag Údarás na Gaeltachta. Cad é an pl…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Tuigim go bhfuil leasuithe le déanamh ar na hAchtanna sin a luaigh sé, is iad sin an Acht Toghcháin, 1992; an Acht Toghcháin, 1997; agus na hAchtanna eile maidir le bruscair, truailliú agus cosaint sonraí. An bhfuil amlíne i gceist i gcomhair na leasuithe nó an bhfuil sé sin le baint amach i mbliana? An bhfuil buile faoi thuairim ann i dtaobh amlíne do na toghcháin? …

Nach suimiúil é sin mar fhíric go raibh baint ag an Uachtarán sa Bhille seo. Níor glacadh leis na leasuithe faraor ach chuir sí leasuithe isteach ar thaobh amháin agus shínigh sí an Bille ag an deireadh. Impím ar an Aire gan tuilleadh moille a chur leis an bpróiseas seo, agus pé rud gur féidir a dhéanamh chun tacú leis na toghcháin seo a dhéanamh. Tá muintir na Gaeltachta agus na pobail Ghaeltacht…

I put this question on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Mac Lochlainn, who is otherwise detained this morning. Ireland's inshore fishing fleet is facing an emergency. Rising costs, shrinking quotas and climate-driven weather losses are pushing family fishing businesses to the brink. The National Inshore Fishermen's Association, NIFA, has produced a practical and affordable proposal for an inshore fi…

I expected that the Minister of State would refer to state aid rules and how they might prevent this, but I do not believe that argument stands up. I acknowledge the work of NIFA and the inshore sector in producing these reports. NIFA has appeared before the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs and has been engaging with Deputy Mac Lochlainn and others for a long time. The truth is th…

I also note the publication of the Mulvey report this week. It is underwhelming and there is not an expectation in the sector that the Berkery report will move this on much further, but that remains to be seen. My call to the Minister of State is that he and this Government accept that the inshore sector is facing an emergency and, based on that, they should now go and make the case to Brussels. W…

In raising the issues with CDNT services across the south east, in Waterford in particular, I am really concerned about the situation in Dungarvan. The service there is down two whole-time equivalent speech and language therapists, and that is on top of a low base. I am very concerned about waiting lists. There are six children on a waiting list for CDNT services in Dungarvan for over 12 months. T…