Pádraig O'Sullivan

This is a topic that many of us have tried to get speaking time on over the past few weeks so I appreciate the attendance of the Minister of State, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell. My first point concerns Irish Water. It is probably a major bone of contention for the vast majority of Members across the Oireachtas. I always think it is good to localise and individualise things to give a picture of how thin…

I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House to discuss this issue. On the northside of the Cork city in my constituency we have had a spate of animal welfare issues in recent weeks, many of which have made national headlines. I also raised this issue here last year as a Topical Issue. Last year, we gave over €6 million in funding to charities to police this for us. Despite that investmen…

I thank the Minister of State. In my introductory remarks I did acknowledge that the Government has done its bit in providing money for the charities. I note that the Department's response the Minister of State read out refers to this legislation is constantly being kept under review. Obviously I welcome this but I genuinely believe that we have more than enough legislation. It is there already. T…

Táim saghas cosúil leis an Teachta Connolly ag an am seo den bhliain. Táim idir dhá chomhairle faoin am seo den bhliain. Tagaimid go léir isteach agus labhraímid mar gheall ar cé chomh tábhachtach is atá an teanga agus, go pointe, go gcreidimid sa teanga agus sa todhchaí atá le teacht don teanga. Ní theastaíonn uaim an frása "tokenism" nó "cur i gcéill" a úsáid ach braitheann sé cosúil leis sin ó …

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for letting me in again. I raise the issue of child and adolescent mental health services in Cork. In response to a parliamentary question I asked two weeks ago, which might give an indication of how bad things are, I was told that in 2020, 435 people aged 18 years or under were on the waiting list; in 2021, there were 645; in 2022, there were 901; in 2023, there were 1…

25. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education and disability will meet next. [5903/25]

I wish to raise the issue of the need for a special school in Cork. Like many other public representatives in Cork, I welcomed the announcement in October, before the election, by the then Minister, Deputy Foley, that we would get a special school in Cork, albeit in an undisclosed location that was subject to negotiation. Fast forward five months and I know from talking to people on the ground tha…

This is an existing-----

I raise with the Taoiseach the issue of equine welfare but maybe animal welfare in a broader sense. In Glanmire in the last week, we have had an issue, particularly with horses, and I know this is happening up and down the country. We have reams after reams of animal welfare legislation but no enforcement. We came across another case in Glanmire last week as I said where all of the agencies, from …

I thank the Minister for attending the rare disease event we had today in the audiovisual room. She is the first Minister for Health who attended one of our meetings and it was greatly appreciated. As I said to her afterwards, there is a degree of optimism among the community that things might improve in the coming years under her stewardship. We are looking forward to working with her. I remind M…

Last week in the House I raised the quality of water in Cork city, especially on the north side. I understand that many improvements have been made in the past 12 months or so, but the unfortunate reality for many people on the north side of the city is that it will take a number of years - or decades if we listen to Irish Water - to replace the cast iron pipes littered across the city that break …

13. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health will meet next. [5904/25]

This Friday is Rare Disease Day 2025, the last day of the month. It is a topic I have mentioned to the Taoiseach over and over again. I am asking this question as the programme for Government makes a number of commitments, one being the investigation of new methods for earlier reimbursement of certain treatments including early access schemes for rare diseases. It also states that we will work mor…

I congratulate the Minister on her new post. Like Deputy Devlin, I worked with her for many years when she was in charge of education. I just hope she can bring some of the energy and hard work she showed there. She was not afraid to make hard decisions when they needed to be made. I hope she brings that to this Department because it is very much needed. I listened to the Minister's opening state…

Sorry, we must have order-----

I ask Deputy O'Callaghan to speak through the Chair.

Deputy O'Callaghan, do not accuse me of bias. Before I corrected you, I corrected the Minister of State.

I thank the Deputy.

Can we stick to the motion?

Stick to the motion, please, Deputy Coppinger.

Sorry, it is the Minister's turn now.

Sorry, there is no talking across the Chamber. The Minister to speak, please.

1. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach when the Cork city task force will be established. [1680/25]

With the Ceann Comhairle's permission, I wish to acknowledge the passing of former Minister of State and a colleague of the Taoiseach for a number of years, Danny Wallace. The Taoiseach wrote a piece in a local newspaper yesterday in which he remembered Danny fondly. I first met Danny many years ago, but I really got to know him during the 2019 by-election in Cork North-Central. During the 2020 ge…

Yes.