Pádraig O'Sullivan

125. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Defence when legislation to amend the triple lock mechanism for the deployment of the Defence Forces overseas will be introduced, the expected timeline for its passage and implementation and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53891/26]

Imagine being the father of two boys who have Friedreich's ataxia and one of them passing away. I know the Tánaiste is familiar with the case of Craig Coady. I normally do not personalise stories in here but he spoke about this quite openly on Red FM in Cork on Tuesday. He went home that evening and his son asked him if they had got the drug. Imagine telling your son that unfortunately the answer …

1. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with the Spanish Prime Minister. [46936/26]

16. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach when the Cork city task force will be established. [24953/26]

Last week, I was at a conference with the Minister and the EU Commissioner. We discussed various topics, including healthcare and the development of a life science strategy in Ireland. I know it is something that he and the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, have worked intensively on. We met with people in healthcare, pharmaceuticals and industry, as well as patient advocates. There will be an im…

I acknowledge the attendance of Deputy Carrigy who has brought the FTD brothers, Jordan and Cian Adams, into the Public Gallery. I welcome them to the Dáil.

It was remiss of me not to welcome members of the Alzheimer Society of Ireland. I am struggling to see through the glare of the glass. I can see a Limerick man, Kevin Quaid, up there. It is not too often that a Cork man would welcome a Limerick man but I welcome Kevin. I can also see Siobhán. I think Andy Heffernan was there as well. I welcome them all.

I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, for coming in to take this matter, which relates to the drug Pluvicto. This drug is for men suffering with prostate cancer. It was granted European Medical Agency, EMA, approval back in 2022. The HSE received an application for reimbursement on 9 January 2023. A rapid review was commenced shortly thereafter, on 10 February 2023. It was decide…

I have asked many parliamentary questions on this over the past few years. Very little has changed. The only thing that gives me hope is that the company has since met the CPU and submitted a commercial offer that remains under consideration. I am not asking for special treatment for any drug. These are all subject to commercial sensitivity. I am asking for fairness. This process started in Januar…

8. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health will next meet. [23620/26]

I want to raise with the Taoiseach once again the issue of rare diseases. It is something on which we have made considerable progress in recent months. We had the very effective campaign run by Senator Costello and others on the reimbursement of givinostat. On foot of this, the Minister has also ordered an end-to-end review on drug reimbursement as a whole. These are very much welcome. In relation…

Initially when I saw this tabled by the Business Committee last week, I wanted to get in early to speak. I did not realise it would be 12:50 on Wednesday morning.

It is early for some people. On a genuine level, I am actually happy. I listened to people from Independent Ireland just before they exited the Chamber listing villages where, allegedly, closures of childcare facilities have happened in the past while. I think one was actually accurate. The rest of the villages were just thrown into the debate because it sounded good. That is not to say there are …

Another Thursday and another question on rare diseases. The Minister might want to answer this. Last Sunday, I was on my way to the Cork-Offaly match and I heard an interview between Paul Cunningham and a member of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, NCPE. To say I was very disappointed with what I heard would be an understatement. I raised it at the health committee yesterday with Departme…

We all know the great work done in our maternity wards across the country. I would like to thank all of the doctors, nurses, midwives and consultants who provide care for women across the country. My wife gave birth to our three children in the maternity ward in CUH and received the best of care. It has come to my attention that for some reason one of the State's four tertiary maternity hospitals …

I now call Deputy Cullinane.

I think it was five weeks ago the Tánaiste suggested we do these statements and I commend him for that. I thank the Minister for being here. We have had many a discussion over the 18 months since the Minister was appointed. I wish to start by commending her. She has showed an awful lot of interest in this area since she has taken up office; far more, than many of her predecessors of the ten or 15 …

I realise this is the third Topical Issue out of five relating to Irish Water. I cannot say I am surprised, although they are different issues. I feel obliged to come here this evening to relay the concerns of the residents of Courtbrack, outside Blarney. There is an issue happening with their water supply for some time. I have all of the emails here from Irish Water. There are pages and pages of…

I thank the Minister of State. That is more or less the same answer I got in all of these emails so it is not surprising. The Minister of State knows the score and I know the score. Most people here know the standard of responses we get from Irish Water. I do not think it is too much to ask on behalf of residents, especially if the Minister will make representations on this and I will talk to him …

67. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the level of engagement he has had with an organisation (details supplied) and other relevant agencies in relation to safety and security arrangements for the upcoming Ireland v Israel match in Dublin; whether he is satisfied that all necessary measures are in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter…

I wish to ask specifically about the operational side of things in preparation for potentially playing this match in Dublin. What level of engagement has the FAI had with relevant agencies, including Dublin City Council and An Garda Síochána over the past number of weeks in anticipation of this match? Are there any security concerns if the match were to be hosted here? What risks have been highlig…

I refer to an article in The Irish Times from two days ago which stated that the association’s board continues to meet to discuss the operational aspects of hosting the home fixture but that there are ongoing discussions. That is fine. It is still discussing potentially hosting the game here albeit as the Minister of State has referenced, it is very likely that the game will be held elsewhere if i…

73. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport for an update on the total funding allocated to the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF, to date; to provide a breakdown of funding awarded to each individual project, the amounts that have been drawn down or are in the process of being drawn down; the details of projects that have yet to commence; and …

I ask the Minister for an update on the LSSIF, including detail about each project. Maybe the Minister of State can give me that afterwards. I do not expect him to list them all. I also ask for the amount that has been drawn down and the amount that has yet to be drawn down.

It will not come as a surprise to the Minister of State that I have asked this question before at committee meetings. To be fair, he knows my form on this. I do not begrudge anybody getting money they have applied for, or any of the sports bodies that have applied on behalf of clubs, mainly national clubs but what irks me is that, as he said, nine projects from 2018 have still not commenced. We ju…