Darren O'Rourke

I thank the Minister for the response. I acknowledge the changeover of portfolios between Departments. I say to the Minister and his colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, that there is a real overlap between tourism product in Kells, for example, and arts, culture and sport. For example, the Hinterland Festival of Literature and Arts happens at the end of June and includes contribu…

The Minister is absolutely right. We look to the monastic settlements, the round tower, the high crosses, St. Columcille's House and the Spire of Lloyd. The Minister mentioned those. There are incredible sites of historic significance. The Minister will know, and I suppose it is the point he is making, that local individuals and communities through their effort and initiative have made so much hap…

No, no, no.

162. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to outline his plans for investment at Gormanston Camp; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17085/25]

Will the Tánaiste outline his plans for investment at Gormanston Camp?

That investment is welcome. It was welcome news in February. It is also welcome that the work is under way. It will be this time next year when it will be ready. Does the Tánaiste have an indication of when it will be operational or the numbers of people that will pass through it? I understand that it is for all units of the Defence Forces to use as a training camp. I wish to get a sense of the le…

I thank the Tánaiste. As I said, it is a welcome investment. I recognise the security considerations and other considerations, but is there an opportunity for the local community to access, in some shape or form, the likes of those facilities? We recognise that there are security considerations and other considerations, but if, for example, there were a transition period during which the faciliti…

I wish to share time with colleagues.

I thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this motion. Sinn Féin has a long-standing policy on choice and diversification within our education system. We reaffirmed that position in our 2024 general election manifesto and I do so again now. Children have a right to an education in a school that matches their and their family’s values. Sinn Féin firmly believes in the provision of high-qua…

I wish to share time with colleagues.

I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward this motion. I advise visitors and people watching the debate that it is not usual for a Minister to come here and say she does not disagree with anything in the motion and then oppose it. What is the difference between the Government motion and the Labour Party motion, which is similar to the Sinn Féin motion that was tabled in recent weeks? The firs…

I welcome the establishment of a joint committee on artificial intelligence and wish the chair, Deputy Malcolm Byrne, well in his role. I am happy to be appointed to the committee by Deputy McDonald. I am also my party's education and youth spokesperson and attended the teachers' conferences held by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, ASTI, and the Teachers Union of Ireland, TUI, last …

Last night in the Dáil, the Minister for Education doubled down on her intention to continue with the accelerated roll-out of senior cycle reform and a start date of September 2025. This is despite the significant concerns raised by school leaders across the State, including the tens of thousands of teachers who protested on this issue last November. On the current trajectory, they say we are bui…

There are real concerns.

102. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education her views on the number of schools reporting funding crises, related to increased energy, insurance and other costs, and which have not been matched with increased central funding; if she is concerned with the number of schools referred to the financial services support unit, for example; how she intends to respond to this funding crisis…

I wish to ask the Minister her views on the number of schools reporting funding crises related to increased energy, insurance and other costs and that have not been matched with increased central funding; if she is concerned with the number of schools referred to the financial services support unit, for example; how she intends to respond to this funding crisis; and if she will make a statement on…

It is evident that the Minister is not doing enough and her plan is to continue to not do enough. In the past month, a cursory look at the Dáil Chamber showed that at least 15 TDs from every party raised funding concerns on behalf of dozens of local schools. In every case, it was about insufficient funding and money that was intended for programme A, whether that be educational disadvantage, summe…

The people who deserve a huge amount of credit here, given the financial pressure they are under, are school principals, school leaders and school communities. In many of these cases they are keeping schools operational that, without their effort, would be under the water. I recognise there have been increased levels of funding, but there has also been a far greater level of increase in demands, …

We cannot be running from one crisis to the next.

That is exactly what is happening. You are robbing Peter to pay Paul.

104. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the measures she is taking to ensure children are protected and safe in the online world while at school; if she will acknowledge that €9 million phone pouches are an expensive distraction and that a more comprehensive response is required; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16979/25]

What measures is the Minister taking to ensure children are protected and safe in the online world while at school, will she acknowledge that the €9 million phone pouches are an expensive distraction and that a more comprehensive response is required, and will she make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister. Children are being exposed to extreme violence, including sexual violence and pornography, and some social media platforms trade on hate and division. That has real implications where people are suggesting, and I do not disagree with them, that there is a very significant experiment with our children and policymakers are very often behind the curve. There is a challenge for a…

We need specific timelines and measures because we can all agree in the round here, and I do not disagree with a word that the Minister has said, but what we need from the Government is action and implementation on this. For example, while this is not the Minister's responsibility, we have light-touch regulation and it needs to be improved, with age verification and recommender settings. Children,…

Some of that is already outdated.