Louis O'Hara

As has been said, it is ten years since the State aviation policy was updated so I hope it is something that can be progressed as quickly as possible. The national planning framework, which came before us recently, made very limited reference to the role that the State’s regional airports will play into the future. The development of these airports must be a clear strategic priority, especially in…

I thank the Minister. I met representatives of Shannon Airport recently. I am also on the cross-party Oireachtas group. Obviously every airport wants more airlines but they also want support in terms of policy from the Minister. They want the State aviation policy to reflect the need to develop regional airports. I want to raise the issue of bus and rail links to airports, in particular Shannon A…

10. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport the actions his Department is undertaking to address capacity issues on InterCity rail services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22868/25]

This is to ask the Minister what actions his Department is taking to address capacity issues on InterCity and regional rail services, particularly in the context of increased numbers of people using public transport, as the Minister mentioned.

The issue of overcrowding on services, particularly at peak times in and out of Galway city at stations such as Athenry has been raised with me. I have met Irish Rail to discuss this. For example, we have only two carriages on the first train arriving into Galway city at 8.10 a.m. every day. We have seen serious overcrowding and it has been a safety issue. As the Minister mentioned, there are new…

I welcome the Minister's commitment to raise this issue with Irish Rail. I will also raise the lack of early morning services into the city. As I have mentioned, that first train arrives at 8.10 a.m. Again, there are restrictions with the single track but is that going to be looked at? There are issues with morning services being late. I ask the Minister to engage with Irish Rail on that and on th…

We learned this week that the Government has again misled the public. The funding announced for Irish Water to support increased housing supply was not actually additional funding, but just a different way of funding the current programme. We have heard that directly from the chairman of Irish Water. I am sure the Tánaiste will deny that, but he cannot deny the reality on the ground. There are ma…

The consequences of the crisis in childcare are well known. Many parents who want to work are prevented from doing so. They have to leave their jobs or reduce their hours and stay at home with their children instead. This is preventing many people, women in particular, from returning to the workplace. It impacts hugely on low-income families. At present, we have some of the highest childcare costs…

International Workers' Day is not only a time to celebrate the strides that have been made in improving workers' conditions and pay; it is also a time to reflect on the areas that need significant improvement. Sub-minimum wage rates, in particular, remain an issue. These rates mean young people under the age of 20 are legally allowed to be paid less than their fellow colleagues for the same work. …

I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this important motion. I want to use the opportunity to raise an ongoing allocation review in Lisheenkyle National School in my constituency, which is due to be completed in mid-May. The school currently has ten SNAs, who are a fantastic support to the children there. Parents have been informed by the SENO and school staff that the review is likely to …

This framework will have a significant influence on the development of major strategic projects in the State. It should show ambition for future balanced regional development. As a TD from the west of Ireland, however, I think this development plan fails to address the current regional imbalance between the greater Dublin area and the rest of the country. If anything, the population growth targets…

Public representatives were made aware of a contract having been signed to provide international protection accommodation at the Merriman Hotel, Kinvara, on 18 March. This was the first anybody had heard about this. It has caused enormous anger in the local community. I need to stress that the people of Kinvara have always been very welcoming to refugees from different parts of the world over many…

Engagement is no good after a decision is made. That is not consultation. Communities cannot be kept in the dark on these proposals and treated with utter contempt. It is a recipe for disaster. Stating that the sole hotel policy does not apply to hotels like the Merriman is a cop-out. It is a hotel. It is the only one in the village. This is a tourist village, and the loss of this hotel is having …

One of my greatest frustrations with Irish Water is the difficulty in accessing information or getting a response to representations. I am aware this is a major source of frustration for my constituents also. It was particularly an issue in the aftermath of Storm Éowyn, when very little information was provided by phone or email on disruptions to water supply. In recent weeks, I have been getting …

As we know, many workers who have a contractual retirement age lower than the pension age are being forced out of their jobs and this can lead to significant drops in income for workers. It is also insulting to people who have worked their entire lives to be forced out of their jobs before they can access the full pension. This has caused significant hardship for many older citizens. Many people f…

No one trusts the Minister on this issue, given what has happened in the past. Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael cannot be trusted when it comes to water charges. The fact that the Minister is opposing this Bill confirms we are right to have those suspicions. Water is a human right. Water charges punish the likes of pensioners and people on low incomes. They push people into water poverty. We have a cost-…

Funnily enough, this was not mentioned during the general election campaign because the Minister knows this is something the Irish public does not support. This has never been about conservation or tackling excessive use from the Government’s point of view. It is simply an attempt to bring domestic water charges in through the back door. If it was about conservation, we would have proper investmen…

The approach to this scheme has been unnecessarily petty and insulting to many of my constituents who suffered enormously after Storm Éowyn, particularly elderly and vulnerable individuals who were left to fend for themselves in many cases. Many in my constituency feel they were abandoned despite the assurances given by Government that everyone would be looked after. I have been inundated with qu…

This legislation is long awaited and much needed for bereaved partners who have been discriminated against for a long time. While it is very welcome, it is regrettable that it took a grieving partner to take a court case to make this change happen and recognise the changing make-up of modern families and relationships. We know that many couples choose to live together without formalising their uni…

I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this motion. The work of young carers in particular has not been recognised. That needs to change. They need to be supported in order that they can pursue their education and live their lives as young people. I am going to share the experiences of some carers in my constituency with whom I have spoken in recent days. While this is just a small sample,…

49. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media what assistance his Department can provide to support the development of public swimming pools in towns such as Loughrea, County Galway, where there is a need for such facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8895/25]

What support can the Minister of State and his Department provide to support the development of public swimming pools, particularly in the town of Loughrea in my constituency? The Minister of State might be aware that there have been efforts for some time to develop a public swimming pool there but there are challenges with funding to get this project off the ground.

I thank the Minister of State. There is a huge need for this in Loughrea. There is no pool within 25 km of the town. The town itself has a population of 6,500, with a further 15,000 or so people in the hinterland. There are five schools in the town and many children who cannot access swimming facilities on an ongoing basis. We know all the health and wellbeing benefits that this kind of project ca…

I welcome the Minister of State's willingness to engage with the local authority. Galway County Council has asked Government for support of €3 million to assist it in developing proposals for swimming pools, including project development, site design, and planning permission, to put it in a position to access capital funding. Will that be considered? Can that form part of the Minister of State's d…

I wish to raise the issue of dereliction. The former Shannon Oaks hotel in Portumna, County Galway, has lain idle and derelict for close to 15 years. The site is an eyesore and is attracting antisocial behaviour. It is a serious health and safety issue because the site is not properly secured. It is being entered very regularly, which is very concerning because it is a very unstable structure that…