Richard O'Donoghue

In 2013 there was a system whereby people got €5,000 to upgrade their septic tanks. They registered their tanks and if they qualified for the grant due to their tanks being defunct, they received the grant. The problem was that nobody qualified for the grant because the tank had to be tested first and only a small number of people got them tested. Now the grant is up to €12,000. There is a mapping…

We have tanks in Oola for 15 years. Askeaton is waiting 46 years for its treatment system to be upgraded. This is what I am talking about.

I am offering help. I will meet Uisce Éireann representatives along with the Taoiseach and we will ask them how we can improve the system.

It has been waiting for 46 years for a sewerage system.

It can be done by separating the water. I said I would help.

The maximum age for Bus Éireann bus drivers is 70. At the moment, our children cannot get to school because private operators with contracts with Bus Éireann cannot take them to school if their drivers are over 70. However, these drivers, even if they are over 70, can be called by the school to take children to a tour of the Dáil. The same bus driver who cannot take our children to school can take…

I welcome biodiversity but I also welcome biodiversity in the right areas and places. I also welcome safety on roads. On biodiversity, the laws that have been passed in this country never took into account people travelling. This is where I have a major issue with some of the laws on wildlife and biodiversity: as regards safety of lives. Roads where two vehicles could once travel are now closing i…

I wish the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, and the Minister, Deputy Lawless, the best of luck in their positions. What has education taught us about people who want to have a right to education? It has taught us for decades that we do not have the accommodation for people who want to go to third level, either on or off campus. We have a housing crisis but we have known this for years. I have a …

The Minister of State and I sat on the housing committee together. It is like déjà vu. I am delighted to be the chairman of the budget and oversight committee, which will have a big role to play in ensuring accountability in respect of the money that is being spent. I sent a letter to Uisce Éireann about Pallaskenry, County Limerick. Three weeks on, I am waiting for a letter back to say there is …

5. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the cause of the high volume of refunds of employment permit applications and the resultant processing delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21410/25]

I am submitting this question on behalf of Independent Ireland. What is the cause of the high volume of refunds in employment permit applications, which are resulting in processing delays?

I thank the Minister of State for his reply. I am delighted that the new portal is finally up and running. We have a bigger problem with this. The processing of permits is starting to work but there is not much point having a permit if people cannot get the visa with it and the Department is not speaking. Many people who are getting permits are not getting the visas. It is as if one Department is …

I look forward to that. This week I have seen permits that came through and the visas came to us within two days of those. However, others go back two and three months. I am looking forward to this new system to see if it will work in tandem. Many companies are waiting for permits at the moment. Many people who have been working in companies here for a couple of years and want their families to co…

On International Workers' Day, I will talk about speed limits. I will give a few figures because I like figures. There are 3.2 million vehicles in this country. There are 5,413 km of national roads; 2,696 km of national secondary roads; 13,122 km of regional roads; and 81,293 km of local roads. The Government has reduced the speed limit on local roads to 60 km/h. Some of these roads are 6 m wide.…

That is what I am looking at.

It is not saving lives. The Minister is stating that putting a speed limit of 60 km/h on roads that are not safe is saving lives. Does she realise what 6 m is? It is only the distance from where I am standing to where the Tánaiste is sitting. That is the width of the roads I am talking about. The Government has imposed a blanket speed limit on local roads across the country. I ask that we reduce s…

I thank the Tánaiste. I am glad he said that local authorities should have had a part to play in this.

They did not have a part to play previously. I have asked that they should make decisions on the speed limits that should apply on roads are safe and those that are not safe. Some 89% of the vehicles in this country use either petrol or diesel. How many of those over there drive petrol or diesel cars? Be honest. Some 89% of the vehicles in Ireland use either petrol or diesel, which means that 89% …

We have run out of fuel.

I know the issue of special needs is close to the Minister of State's heart. We see delays in assessments for children. If we cannot get assessments on time, why can we not put in place a reimbursement scheme for people who can get them? We have done it for hips and knees. In the interim and until we get the assessments done, why can we not have a reimbursement scheme for those who are able to get…

Representatives of the national Meals on Wheels programme are across the way in Buswell's Hotel. They are looking for more funding. Some 2.8 million meals were provided in 2024. There were 228,000 users of the service. When the service provides a meal and delivers it to someone, the cost of the meal is €7, and the service charges the person €7. The service does not have funding for the running co…

The number of users has gone up.

I will not oppose this amending regulation. It ensures the importance of the establishment of civil justice between European states. With regard to insolvency in this country, we have to look at how many businesses were forced into insolvency as a result of inflation or Revenue interest and penalties? We are talking about small businesses as well as large businesses. How many companies entered in…

I acknowledge Richie Herlihy and his friend Paul Lenihan who are in the Gallery. I welcome them to the Dáil. We can do all the frameworks we like with all the best of intentions but unless you have the infrastructure, you can build nothing. I will provide the Minister of State with an example of an application that is with Uisce Éireann at the moment. There are 42 houses to be built in Pallaskenr…

The Minister is a person of her word. I am glad she came to UHL unannounced. It was great to see that she went there. I heard from staff and management that they were delighted to see her come unannounced because it gives her first-hand knowledge. She made that commitment to me. I told her I would work with her to help UHL. She has done the first part for which I thank her. There is something els…