Gillian Toole

My question is quite straightforward. It relates to the establishment of an independent, non-statutory Covid evaluation committee. Why was that route taken, rather than a statutory inquiry similar to other jurisdictions like the UK, Australia and America? Everybody in the House would agree that the greatest wealth we have is health. In this week of the World Economic Forum at Davos and the concern…

Go raibh maith agat, a Thaoisigh. I thank the Taoiseach for the comprehensive reminder of the evaluation committee and the members thereof. I have the height of respect and admiration for Professor Anne Scott, who is quite near me, and has vast years of experience across a broad range of medical disciplines. My question is quite simple. If there is not an inquiry, will the Government expand the sc…

I am thankful for the opportunity this evening. I commend the Minister of State and the Minister, Deputy Browne, in particular for the initiative to work with developers on wastewater and to accelerate the delivery of housing. That is something that we would have raised in Meath in various meetings with Uisce Éireann over the years. I also commend the water caretakers in Meath County Council, who …

100. Deputy Gillian Toole asked the Minister for Transport the reason a health research report of April 2025, the health costs report on aircraft noise from Dublin Airport, compiled by a person (details supplied), submitted by Fingal and Meath residents, is being ignored and corrective action avoided, in view of the recent report by the European Environment Agency of 9 January 2026 in the European…

My question relates to the health costs report on aircraft noise from Dublin Airport, which was submitted in April 2025, and estimated costs per annum of €800 million. They are significant health costs. How and why is that being ignored in light of the European Environment Agency report in the European Heart Journal of 9 January this year?

I acknowledge the opportunities to meet the Minister. The findings of this European report are stark, estimating 16 premature deaths per 100,000. The information in that report of April 2025 is vitally important. As a matter of correction, in April 2024, ANCA sought noise data information from DAA. It was declined, citing judicial review proceedings, which is wholly inaccurate. That information is…

Go raibh maith agat arís for the reply. This is a matter of absolute importance. There is no denying the economic benefit and employment opportunities for an island nation in connecting people, goods and places. The good neighbour policy and the mission statement of the DAA board is being completely ignored when there is a viable solution. The capacity for flight path resolution is probably not wi…

I will try to pick up where I left off. I was commending the recommendations of Meath Comhairle na nÓg. In the realm of drugs of addiction, alcohol, vaping, etc., the feedback from that and other youth groups around the country is that education is key. They want to know about the harms of different products on the market. I sat in on the Joint Committee on Drugs Use a couple of weeks before Chri…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle agus an Aire Stáit. I am going to take a slightly different approach here as a healthcare professional and also as a farmer’s daughter. It is not going to change the current position but it is just to make the case that essential food molecules, including protein, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins, minerals and water, are the very things that constitute be…

I welcome the introduction of this Bill. I concur with colleagues. The willingness to accept amendments on Committee Stage will be most important. If that can be enabled, it would be a move in a strong and positive direction. This is something that parents, children, teenagers, teachers, Tidy Towns volunteers and public health professionals are strongly in favour of. I commend the Minister of Stat…

I so move.

Ní bheidh an Teachta Ó Nualláin anseo anocht. The Minister has had to leave. I missed the opening part of the debate but I hope to clarify some pieces of misinformation that in the media that have been bandied about in the Chamber this evening. The role of a pharmacist and their team, including pharmacy technicians, is a very professional one of safeguarding and ensuring that the right patient ge…

I thank the Minister of State for enabling this discussion. Our most precious asset is our children. They are our future. There is a saying that it is much easier to build strong children than to repair broken adults. I acknowledge the great work being done to ensure cybersecurity and to try to prevent cyber-bullying but I have to say that I concur with Professor Mary Aiken, who spoke on Monday m…

I am cautiously optimistic about the announcement today by the Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, and I wish them well. I am going to give a different slant and focus on the needs piece followed by the assessment piece. I have met and listened to parents, educators from the earliest stage, teachers, those working with young adults and therapists in my area of Meath…

I thank Independent Ireland for bringing this forward. It is probably fair to say that most of us here grew up from childhood with a moral phrase repeated by our parents or guardians, "If you tell the truth, you will not get into trouble" and now we are here in the Chamber, dealing with the Protected Disclosure Act 2014, as amended in 2022 on foot of EU Directive No. 2019/1937. I most recently br…

I will speak to the subtle costs borne by the brave, community-entrenched entrepreneurs of the SME sector. Local craftspeople, farmers, growers and shop owners have symbiotic relationships with local rural and urban communities. I acknowledge previous Government supports during Covid but the impact of restrictions then, which forced so many consumers to go online, can never be repeated. I raise th…

Níl a fhios agam an mbeidh mo chairde sa tSeomra i gceann tamaill. I thank the Minister for her update. It was very comprehensive. I was here earlier but I had to step out for a while. I will confine my comments just in case my colleagues thunder in, but I can jump back if necessary. I will consider five As, like an A rating. The first A is that consideration be given – the Minister has even addre…

I welcome the opportunity to discuss Science Week 2025, whose theme this year is "Then. Today. Tomorrow" and how past knowledge informs present and future science. I commend Science Foundation Ireland, now Research Ireland, on its vision to establish Science Week 30 years ago. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Harkin, and the Minister for the continuing investment in STEM subjects, personnel a…

As every Member today has done, I condemn the barbaric events at Citywest and, more recently, in Drogheda, County Louth. I want to express my gratitude to the members of An Garda Síochána and the emergency services for their swift actions. However, it should not have come to this. As I said on 18 September, there is a real risk to social cohesion if we do not put our house in order in a fair and h…

-----for 16 and 17 November and travel advice is only recommending-----

I will keep my commentary simple and straightforward. I missed the other contributions as I was at a committee. I wish the best of luck to both candidates on Friday. More importantly, I wish them a good recovery next week when the adrenaline and cortisol levels start to subside. I hope they avoid any illness. It is fair to say that a percentage of the population is disenfranchised facing into thi…

At this point, every Member of Dáil Éireann has received an email with information about protected disclosure, PD17/2025. That protected disclosure was made by a conscientious health professional. I am raising it as a matter of utmost gravity because, as far back as June and July of this year, that healthcare professional has attempted to get the matters relating to public health addressed by HIQA…

All of the processes have been followed, including contacting the OPDC. By referencing the other agencies, my point is that there is silence. This is a matter of serious public health. When I cross-check the criteria and scope with the Covid-19 evaluation committee that the Department of the Taoiseach established, under scope and exclusions are the very matters included within this protected discl…

I am grateful for this opportunity. I acknowledge the "him" in my life who contributed greatly to getting me in here. I am grateful to the Movember organisation which provided us with recent research into the whole area of men's health. It is an area that I have a particular interest in. I found a module on men's health from 2003 from the North-Eastern Health Board. Despite criticism, I acknowledg…

As many others have said, this is the first budget of five. We will not all be happy. There are pros and cons to everything. Fundamentally, to try to balance books, deliver fairness and target assistance to the areas that are most necessary and deserving is an almost impossible task. I will acknowledge the targeting of funding towards education, disability matters, healthcare, housing and, hopeful…