93. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the progress to date in the roll-out of the PEACEPLUS programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55959/25]
TDs / Brendan Smith
Brendan Smith
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919
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Party, constituency and offices
- constituency Cavan-Monaghan 29 November 2024 to now
- party Fianna Fáil 29 November 2024 to now
As the Minister knows, the PEACEPLUS programme is a successor programme to INTERREG and the various PEACE programmes. As we have discussed often in this House, they have been particularly important in bringing new facilities and amenities to and stimulating economic development in areas like my own along the Border, which suffered so much due to the Troubles over a protracted period of time. The PEACE programme goes …
I thank the Minister. As I said here earlier, I appreciate the support of the Minister, Deputy Dara Calleary, in different meetings with me, and also the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, who has spoken about the importance of shared spaces and providing sport and recreation facilities. I appreciate the positive response of the Special EU Programmes Body to the Cavan regional sports campus application, with the €15…
86. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Health the progress to date in recruiting therapists for primary care in counties Cavan and Monaghan, taking into account the urgent need to reduce waiting times for children with additional needs seeking to access essential supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52459/25]
I have previously had the opportunity to mention to the Minister my serious concern about the ongoing delays for children with additional needs accessing therapies in Cavan and Monaghan. The delays that are occurring are absolutely unacceptable. Some children are assessed and do not get follow-up therapies and there are even delays in getting assessed. We need more clinicians in the Cavan and Monaghan area. I sincere…
I very much appreciate the Minister's determination to deal with this issue once and for all. At my clinics last Friday night and Saturday, there were a number of young parents with children who have not got assessments or therapies. One parent spoke to me about her son who got a speech and language therapy appointment in June 2021 and has not got one since. That child got an occupational therapy appointment in 2022 …
I thank the Minister. Another difficulty is that the CDNT in County Cavan is led by Enable Ireland. We know it has difficulties with recruiting and retaining staff because of the issue around section 38 and section 39 workers. I know that is a broader Government issue but it needs to be addressed.
Have the universities and colleges made enough places available to ensure we have the professionals to deliver healthcar…
There are unacceptable delays in children and young adults accessing orthodontic care in Cavan and Monaghan. This morning, again, I spoke to a young mother whose 14-year-old son, with a category 5A classification in relation to provision of dental braces, was told he would be lucky to be seen in another year.
Oftentimes, in relation to healthcare provision, we are told that a lack of capacity, both public and privat…
Whatever obstacle there is, funding or administrative, must be removed without further delay and appropriate and timely orthodontic care must be provided for patients needing this essential treatment.
19. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will ensure that the new national development plan sets an enhanced level of ambition for collaborative cross-Border public investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39837/25]
The different cross-Border programmes have been important since they were first initiated by then Taoiseach, Albert Reynolds, in the mid-1990s. There were the PEACE I and PEACE II programmes and INTERREG programmes. As the Minister, Deputy Chambers, will be aware, the PEACEPLUS programme is very important for all the Border counties, north and south of the Border. I am particularly anxious that we build on the great …
I thank the Minister sincerely for his reply and the particular interest he always has in cross-Border projects. It is heartening that the shared island initiative has been warmly welcomed by people of all political traditions. Different projects I have been involved in, if they have been cross-Border projects, have been funded by the shared island fund, such as the UNESCO Cuilcagh Lakelands Geopark.
I had the oppor…
I warmly welcome the Minister's comments and his confirmation of his Department's co-operation with the Special EU Programme Body. In all my dealings with it over the years, Ms McIntyre and her colleagues have ensured that the best value is given to the taxpayer for the major investment that has occurred and that particularly disadvantaged communities benefit from that investment.
I raise again the totally unacceptable delays for children with additional needs in Cavan and Monaghan in getting an assessment of need and follow-up therapies when required. Daily, I listen to parents who are very concerned, worried and absolutely frustrated that their child or children needing supports are on long waiting lists with no signs at all of early appointments. We all know how important it is to have earl…
I appreciate the Ceann Comhairle giving me the opportunity to raise this important issue. I also appreciate that the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Deputy Canney, is here to reply.
Bus commuters on the Cavan-Dublin route were absolutely shocked to learn on 16 June of a massive increase in fares from that date. A daily return ticket from Cavan to Dublin was increased from €18.50 to €27.30, an incre…
I thank the Minister of State for the reply. The figure I have been given, and the fare I know people are paying, is the return fare, which increased from €18.50 to €27.30. That is a somewhat different percentage increase than that for the single fare he cited. He quite correctly said the intention is to have a fair charging system. That is not applicable in the case of the Cavan route I referenced in my introductory…
Primary school principals across Cavan and Monaghan have raised with me consistently the ongoing challenges they face in meeting day-to-day expenditure requirements. There have been improvements in recent years in capitation payments and I hope that budget 2026 will provide for a further increase. School principals and boards of management outline clearly the need for further financial assistance. Energy costs, inclu…
-----and local businesses to meet day-to-day expenditure and annual costs.
26. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Taoiseach for a report on new shared island projects. [25991/25]
Like Deputy Moynihan I very much welcome the measures in the shared island initiative. It has gained support from all political traditions on this island. The Taoiseach may remember that when he launched the initiative I raised with him the need to have an enterprise initiative within the shared island programme. Subsequently, local authorities on both sides of the Border were enabled to put in joint submissions in r…
As we all know, throughout the country the Irish Wheelchair Association provides very valuable and important supports to their service users. These are essential supports for persons with disabilities. For more than a year, there have been limited in-person day services at the Irish Wheelchair Association centre in Cavan town. This has affected 40 service users and their families. I have spoken to these people regula…
Like all other speakers, I welcome Jim and Lucia and their daughters to the Distinguished Visitors' Gallery this evening. I am glad the Minister made the apology on behalf of the State. It was overdue. His words were clear about the terrible injustice that was done to the O'Farrell family on the tragic loss of life of their son, who was killed by a person who should not have been at large at that time in 2011.
The M…
10. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will outline the capital projects in the further education sector that will be progressed in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26306/25]
I very much welcome the emphasis placed on the development of the further education sector since the previous Government took office in June 2020. I spoke to the Minister's predecessors on many occasions about the opportunities that exist to develop the further education sector on an all-island basis, and particularly that there be a substantial capital programme. One of the projects of particular interest to me is t…
I very warmly welcome the Minister's confirmation that progress is being made with this very important project for our constituency, as the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach, Deputy David Maxwell, will know. I hope the Minister will be in a position to visit Cavan Institute at an early date, and to visit Monaghan Institute. Cavan Institute been a very successful institute since its establishment. I was very much involved with …