Louis O'Hara

Following on from the earlier questions, I again ask the Minister whether the fees will be €2,000 or €3,000 for the next academic year. I have had countless people, students and families, in touch with me to tell me that, if the fees are increased for the next academic year, they will not be able to afford them. This is wrong. It is not a position people should be put in. We need clarity from the …

The comments the Minister made on national radio caused great uncertainty on this matter. We still do not have clarity on the issue nine days on. I will tell the Minister about the impact this uncertainty and the proposed hike is having on people. He said that he did not understand how people would not be able to afford this increase in fees. A mother in my constituency who has two children in col…

I raised the case of a woman in my constituency, and I ask the Minister for a response to that particular case and the questions that woman has about how she is expected to afford an increase in fees. Students need to be able to plan and budget in advance for the upcoming academic year and they need certainty around this. I want to know because this is the second time in recent weeks that students…

The differences are striking when we look at a map of Ireland's current rail network compared to the network of 100 years ago. I refer in particular to the absence of infrastructure from the west, the north west and Border counties. The reality is that we have gone backwards in recent decades. Plans are one thing but we need implementation to progress new projects in a timely manner and to address…

The General Post Office is one of the most respected sites on this island. It allows us to remember and reflect on the sacrifice of the 1916 rebels. It is our responsibility, as the generations who come after them, to commemorate their sacrifices and to work to realise the aspirations of the 1916 Proclamation. Therefore, the Government's plans to redevelop parts of the building into a mixed-use pr…

I bring to the Tánaiste's attention proposals for the development of Portumna Forest Park in County Galway being led by Coillte. This is a natural and public resource for the local community. The Protect Portumna Forest Park Community Group has carried out an extensive survey in the local community. The results show clear opposition to the idea of building tourist accommodation in the forest park …

The office of President is one of great symbolism and standing and our President is the representative of all the Irish people on the international stage. The Good Friday Agreement recognises the birthright of the people of the North of Ireland to identify themselves and be accepted as Irish, British or both, while the Irish diaspora around the world were and continue to be a driving force to enco…

Dunguaire Castle is an iconic cultural and heritage landmark in Kinvara on the Wild Atlantic Way but it remains closed off to the public. That is a huge loss for Kinvara and south Galway as a whole in terms of tourism, heritage and employment. This loss is being felt as we enter the summer months. Dunguaire is a 16th century castle with great history, but it has been closed for two years. Huge num…

The issue is not just the purchase of the castle but also bringing it up to a safe standard. As outlined, Galway County Council estimates that could cost millions of euro. The grant schemes the Minister of State has outlined, such as one offering €100,000, will not be sufficient for Galway County Council to acquire the castle and bring it back into use. The Minister of State mentioned some of the…

As the Minister of State is aware, Athenry has been without bus services to Galway city for nine months since the previous operator ended its service in September 2024. This is an unacceptable situation for a town of the size of Athenry. It is an enormous loss that has caused real difficulties for workers, students, people accessing hospital appointments and so on. It has caused particular difficu…

Week in and week out, I have people in my clinics who are distraught because they cannot afford the cost of rent. A woman had to leave her home due to domestic violence and found herself and five kids moving in with elderly parents. A couple have to leave their home in two weeks' time and do not know where they will leave their personal belongings or their pets or whether they will be able to acce…

Lives continue to be lost because of the State's failure to provide adequate mental health care. Each year, more than 50,000 people try to access mental health services for the first time through hospital emergency departments. A petition started by the family of the late Adam Loughnane has received more than 17,000 signatures. It calls for alternatives to emergency departments for people in a men…

Flooding has caused significant damage to the properties of and given rise to costs for and anxiety among residents in my constituency of Galway East. I recently met representatives of the Save our Shannon Organisation who represent more than 600 farming families whose livelihoods are severely impacted by summer and winter flooding in the Shannon Callows. Flooding is also causing the destruction o…

The Palestinian people have been subjected to starvation, occupation, dispossession and genocide at the hands of Israel. This is ethnic cleansing and a human tragedy of unimaginable scale. Israel has shown no restraint in its onslaught on the Palestinian people, and the Irish Central Bank is supporting this violence by facilitating the sale of Israeli war bonds. The Government has said it will do…

78. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if an rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, application (details supplied) can be expedited given the declining condition of the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25392/25]

Can the RRDF application submitted by Galway County Council in regard to the redevelopment of Gort convent be expedited? It is an urgent project, given the declining condition of the building. It is important to the local community and I urge the Government to approve it as soon as possible.

This application is about progressing plans to transform the convent into a remote working and cultural and community hub. I acknowledge the work of the Gort Town Team and other local groups on this project. There are many active groups in the area that would like to make use of such facilities, including the resource centre, the forge and many more that do fantastic work in the area. This is an …

I welcome the Minister's engagement with the council and the town team. I emphasise the declining condition of this building and its historical significance. It cannot be lost. There is much urgency around this. The plans the council and the local community have would be transformational for the local area. It is an exciting project but, obviously, funding is needed to progress it. I ask that the …

Carers and front-line healthcare workers are the backbone of our care system, enabling people with high-care needs to live with dignity at home. Home care workers and family carers bring significant improvements to people’s health and well-being, reduce pressure on hospitals and deliver enormous savings for the health service but we know that many vulnerable people are not receiving the level of c…

I am regularly contacted by parents in my constituency expressing their frustration and despair at the assessments of need process, the lengthy delays and the fact that parents have to fight every step of the way to get an appropriate assessment for their child. One mother told me how her daughter waited nearly three years for an assessment and received no supports in the meantime. She would have …

As we discuss this today, our farming sector is facing a number of challenges - farm enterprise viability, unfair trade, competition and demographic changes in the farming community. On farm viability, the latest data from Teagasc showed that just 27% of Irish farms were considered economically viable in 2023. This is a startling statistic and recent trends in input costs suggest that 2024 may not…

Many young people in my constituency have been waiting months on end for their driving tests. It is incredibly disappointing that the delays in this regard have worsened since this issue was last raised by us in February. Being able to drive is an absolute necessity for any young person who lives in a rural community in the context of their independence and allowing them to lead an adult life and …

This is a very important motion. We cannot build houses unless we have the necessary infrastructure in place. I have raised a number of times the failure to invest in wastewater infrastructure in a number of towns and villages across my constituency, as well as the slow delivery of projects which has stalled the delivery of housing. I raised it with the Tánaiste last week who said that investment …

5. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Transport if work has commenced on a new State aviation policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23069/25]

I ask the Minister to provide an update on the new State aviation policy and also provide more information on the process of the review that he mentioned earlier.