Joe Neville

I wholeheartedly welcome that number and €5 million extra per year is welcome news. I am also conscious that the LPT is ultimately paid by the people in the county. Much of that money is hard earned and it is welcome that we are now in a position where more of it can be retained. This money will go back towards the playgrounds, the parks and the delivery of basic services that we have all around t…

I will focus on the issue at hand and what we are here to discuss. I came here to welcome the Bill in a changing world from the Government benches. As a country, we are familiar historically with terrorist activity; we have seen it on our own shores. We have seen waves of it throughout Europe and America over the recent years and especially in the 21st century. That terrorism has taken many differ…

There is a serious issue with the insufficient central funding Kildare County Council gets. Since I started in the Dáil I have raised deficits in Kildare covering a range of issues and especially impacting due to our growing population. These include the lack of gardaí, lack of childcare and even the water infrastructure that seems to be crumbling in our areas. In 2022 the population in Kildare wa…

98. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Transport if an interim measure, such as payment by app, which happens in other cities, could be explored for public transport until contactless payment becomes an option; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33948/25]

Can we get a contactless payment system in the interim? Obviously, the timelines have been highlighted. It might be another two, three or four years before things happen. Could we look at putting in place an interim measure that whereby people could use app to make contactless payments? Coming from north Kildare, it does not seem reasonable that we should expect it to take three or four years.

The reason I bring up contactless payments is because I commute from north Kildare. As someone who has used buses and trains over years, I have seen the improvements in the public transport system. At the same time, contactless payments are something we have seen in many other countries and cities. A lot of people would have used them in different places. I see no reason Dublin and Ireland should …

The issue I raise today is facing a lot of towns across the country, especially in my constituency and town. In the likes of Leixlip and neighbouring towns like Kilcock, we see the centre of our towns facing dereliction and us having to do them up. We have vacant homes and towns that need regeneration. I want to draw a couple of key points that were brought up in the programme for Government. We n…

I note that the Minister, Deputy Chambers, who is responsible for infrastructure, is beside the Taoiseach. The issue I raise today is the need for a second bridge in Celbridge. Celbridge, a town very close to where I live, has required a second bridge for decades. The population was 1,500 when the current infrastructure was put in place. It now has a population of 23,000. When I was a councillor, …

9. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he plans to further increase the SUSI grant application threshold in budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26323/25]

I thank the Minister for his reply. As someone who grew up just after third level education was made free, I benefited, as did many of my peers and our parents and families. That opened up third level education, which might not have been a possibility before. We have seen those benefits. Obviously, that has evolved and changed over the last number of years. It is incumbent on this Government to re…

I thank the Minister for his feedback and his commitment. The two of us have benefitted from the amazing education system we have had in this country. We have both utilised it to the best possible degree in various forms. What we want, and the opportunity we have here, is to ensure that all the young people growing up in this new and growing constituency can access it, and I see Deputy Ó Cearúil i…

77. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development his plans to resource town centre first and establish a dedicated town regeneration team in every local authority focused on tackling vacancy and dereliction in town and villages as committed in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26324/25]

I ask the Minister if the Department plans to resource town centre first and establish a dedicated town regeneration team in every local authority focused on tackling vacancy and dereliction in town and villages, as committed in the programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. I am looking over at Deputy Wall, who is from Athy in County Kildare, while I am from Leixlip.…

I thank the Minister for his response. He referenced the rural but I am also conscious of Kildare, which has the unique issue that it has a number of large towns, like Athy and Newbridge in the south, and Monasterevin, Clane, Celbridge, Leixlip, Naas, Maynooth and Kilcock in the north. We can see where dereliction has impacted those towns and where there is a need for regeneration. We have a great…

I thank Deputy Wall for his contribution. We did not organise this but, at the same time, we are speaking with one voice because we know the issues at hand. I am sure that other counties could do the same. I thank the Minister for his depth of knowledge and his interest in the topic. We need to ensure this gets rolled out.

I want to speak about a key issue impacting many people in north Kildare. Most likely it is impacting people throughout the country. This is the provision of childcare facilities. I have spoken to parents in Kilcock, Leixlip, Celbridge and Maynooth who are really struggling. It is a key issue in the programme for Government. We also know from speaking to providers that they are struggling to get t…

We have been asked to deliver statements on delivering a world-class education system that breaks down barriers and ensures every child can achieve his or her full potential. Since the foundation of the State, we have seen improvements in our education system. Opportunities that may not have been available to our grandparents in the twenties and thirties were available to our parents. Certain oppo…

I will not make a grand speech about something I have always been involved in, but biodiversity was something I always just knew about. On the farm where my mam grew up in north Roscommon or the farm my uncle had, there were meadows and bees but I never thought too much about biodiversity. I grew up in a housing estate in Leixlip. We were out and about and parks were just for playing football. Whe…

122. Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if any analysis has been carried out to date on potential new markets for agrifood produce, exports of which to the US currently amount to almost €2 billion per annum, should tariffs be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25705/25]

Has any analysis been carried out to date on potential new markets for agrifood produce, exports of which to the US currently amount to almost €2 billion per annum, should tariffs be introduced? Will the Minister make a statement on the matter in the context of his visit to the US?

I thank the Minister. I will make sure to bring back to Kildare word that its two Fine Gael Deputies are among the hardest working TDs in the country. I had the good fortune of being able to nip back to Leixlip and Kilcock for events earlier this evening. I am slightly closer to Leinster House than the Minister, so I am lucky in that regard. I will make a couple of comments on the great potential…

In the context of Kildare and given that the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, is seated beside the Minister, we should remember Kerry Group is one of Kildare’s major employers and exporters. We are fortunate the company is based in Naas and is a key employer in our county. What discussions has the Minister been able to have with such businesses? What mitigating measures can we put in p…

In six months since I was elected, I have received many emails, calls and texts from concerned parents in towns such as Kilcock, Celbridge, Leixlip, Maynooth and Naas who are struggling to find special education places for their children. This Government has promised to increase the number of special schools and special classes across the country. I acknowledge the work that has been done so far, …

I will continue in the same vein as some of the other Deputies from across the country. People from my constituency also use test centres in neighbouring constituencies. People from north Kildare would have used Fonthill in the past, but they now use Tallaght and Naas predominantly. We have seen wait times increase. My colleague in north Kildare, Deputy Cronin, referenced a 28-week waiting time in…

Last Saturday a powerful statement was made by 30 women on the Dublin and Kilkenny senior camogie teams when they took to the pitch for the Leinster semi-final wearing shorts instead of the regulator skorts which are mandated by the Camogie Association. This action was in response to findings in the survey by the GPA which found that 83% of players wanted to have the choice. Unfortunately the rule…