John Paul O'Shea

I am taking this question on behalf of Deputy Colm Burke. I would like extend my sympathies to Deputy Burke on the recent death of his mother-in-law. Our thoughts are with him and his wife Mary at this time. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis. I wish to ask the Minister about his views on the ongoing delay in processing immigration permission renewal applications in view of the fact that at presen…

I thank the Minister of State for his ongoing work in this space. It is very important to see that we are increasing capacity here in terms of renewal of applications. It is good to see the office is open seven days a week and people are working overtime to address the backlog. It is hugely frustrating for people who have applied and are waiting for an answer on this. I do take the point though in…

The Minister of State's comments of the extension of the IRP card are very welcome - up to 12 weeks after the expiry date. Is it the Minister of State's intention to reduce processing time to four to six weeks? If so, is there a timeframe in which he would like to see that happen over the next number of months and years? It is good to see it brought up in the House today because it is of concern t…

I am taking this parliamentary question on behalf of Deputy Colm Burke. I sympathise with Colm on the recent loss of his mother-in-law. I also sympathise with his wife, Mary, and the McCaffrey and Burke families. Our sympathies go out to them at this difficult time. What progress has been made to date on the implementation of the national women in agriculture action plan? When is it expected that…

I thank the Minister for his continued engagement on this matter. I welcome the continued implementation of the national women in agriculture action plan. It plays a vital role in supporting, recognising and empowering women right across the agricultural sector. Women have always played a central role in Irish agriculture, both on and off the farm, yet their contribution has not always received th…

The plan is about much more than recognition. It is about creating real opportunities, from improving access to education and leadership roles to supporting female entrepreneurship and ensuring a stronger voice in decision-making. This initiative is key to building a more inclusive and sustainable future for women in rural Ireland. Encouraging greater participation by women in agriculture will str…

21. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Health the number of approved general practitioner posts currently vacant in Cork; the measures being taken to recruit and retain GPs, particularly in rural areas of Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16272/26]

The issue of vacant GP posts across Cork is placing serious pressure on communities, particularly in rural areas. Access to a GP is a cornerstone of our primary care system, yet in many towns and villages people are finding it increasingly difficult to register with a doctor or to secure a timely appointment. When GP posts remain vacant for long periods, the impact is felt immediately by the patie…

I thank the Minister for her continued engagement and interest in the health services in Cork, particularly in terms of GP services. They are a first point of contact for many people. While it is great to see that there are no current vacancies in the GP contracts in Cork, our population in Cork is growing substantially, particularly in rural County Cork, where every single town and village is gro…

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Joanna Byrne - To discuss funding for the breakfast club for St. Paul's Senior National School, Drogheda, County Louth. Deputy John Connolly - To discuss the availability of the shingles vaccine for those over age 65. Deputy Dessie…

I thank the Minister of State. As the fifth Topical Issue will not be taken because Deputy Charles Ward is not in attendance, the Dáil stands adjourned until 9 a.m. tomorrow morning.

8. Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of individuals currently in receipt of jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit in Cork and Limerick, with particular focus on Intreo areas such as Mallow, Newmarket, Macroom and Kilmallock; the most recent trends in these figures over the past 12 months; the supports and activation measures in place locally, such …

I ask the Minister about the number of individuals currently receiving jobseeker's allowance and jobseeker's benefit in Cork and Limerick, with a particular focus on my area of Cork North-West, in Mallow, Macroom, Newmarket and Kilmallock, and, most importantly, the recent trends of these figures over the last 12 months. What are the supports and activation measures in place locally such as traini…

I thank the Minister for those figures. They are partly along the lines that I thought there were, consistently around the 2,700 mark between all the areas. The challenge for us as a Government is to try to get those people back into the workforce and working with the activation officers. It will be important to see if we can work on those. The challenge that I see and the trend is that many young…

I thank the Minister for his continued engagement on this matter. We all need to tackle youth unemployment quickly. It is good to see that, after four months of being on jobseeker's payments, there are significant activation measures from Intreo offices to assist those young people to try to get back to work. I am sure all the Deputies in the House are contacted through their offices or social med…

I am talking this question on behalf on Deputy McCarthy. I remind the Minister that Deputy McGrath was always first in in the budget process in Cork County Council when he sat on it with me over the past number of years. It is good to see things have not changed since then. I want to ask the Minister, and it is a very timely question on behalf of Deputy McCarthy, about his plans to introduce a cos…

It is great that, as of today, more than 80 submissions have already been made. I join the Minister in encouraging people with disabilities, their families, carers, representative organisations and all interested stakeholders to take part in the newly launched public consultation process relating to the cost of disability. The programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce a permanen…

I very much welcome that this consultation will inform the agenda of the strategic focus network summit on the cost of disability, which will take place in May and which the Minister will chair. I look forward to attending as Chair of the joint committee on social protection. The Minister said that every support will be given in the interim to people with disabilities in terms of any immediate pa…

I am taking this parliamentary question on behalf of Deputy Noel McCarthy.

I thank the Minister of State. The current stretch of the N25 national route between Carrigtwohill and Midleton remains a safety issue. The configuration of the road is dangerous. There are frequent accidents, some of which have been fatal. TII's collision analysis has confirmed the collision rate for the route is above average. Low standard junctions, medium crossings and direct access points to …

I note that the N25 Carrigtohill to Midleton project was included in the latest national development plan review, which was published in November, as one of the roads projects to be advanced for future construction. It is, however, currently lagging behind the proposed upgrade to the Midleton to Youghal section of the N25 as no tendering or construction date has commenced or is yet outlined for th…

I want to raise with the Tánaiste today the lack of wastewater treatment capacity in the town of Kanturk in north Cork. We are very lucky to have five or six sites in development at the moment, with a number of houses being developed right across the town. We have a number of other applications for planning permission which do not have a wastewater connection at the moment. I believe there is a pl…

I thank the Deputy.

I am here tonight to highlight an issue that is causing real pain, distress and uncertainty for families right across Cork city and county. I refer to the unacceptably long waiting times for patients seeking to be seen as outpatients by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon in the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital, SIVUH, in Cork. The SIVUH plays a vital role in delivering specialist orthopa…

I thank the Minister of State for her encouragement and engagement in the response. There is a glimmer of hope for orthopaedic patients in Cork. I know we had the fantastic publication of the service plan this week, where the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, announced €34 million for the surgical hub, which will allow capacity for up to 18,500 outpatient appointments. I hope that will reduce som…