Mark Wall

I am sure that the Minister of State knows of many great communities in Cork. One of the great communities I am aware of is in Kildare, that being, the community of Ballyteague, Allenwood, Kilmeage, Robertstown and Milltown. It is a great community that comes together. Unfortunately, it is now more than three months since the Allenwood daycare centre closed its doors in Ballyteague GFC. This closu…

I appreciate the Minister of State's reply. He mentioned that there are a couple of months. Unfortunately, as we all know, a couple of months is a long time for older people. It is an especially long time when someone is asking their caregiver in the morning if they can go back to where they know best, and the caregiver cannot say they can. A person's whole system could be upset by that fact. On t…

83. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection when he intends to bring forward the Bill to support cohabiting couples by providing pensions for bereaved partners; the number of applications received for such a payment since the O’Meara case; if supplementary payments will issue to those qualified applicants in advance of the legislation passing; and if he will make a statement on t…

I welcome the Minister and wish him well. As Labour Party spokesperson on social protection, I look forward to working with him over the lifetime of this Dáil. My question is very similar to the previous one. In addition, I ask for the number of applications received for the payment since the O'Meara case and whether the Minister will consider supplementary payments to qualified applicants in adv…

I thank the Minister for acknowledging the work that Deputy Alan Kelly did in relation to this. I also thank the O'Meara family for the work they did to ensure that those who are entitled to a payment can have one. It was a long road for them. They stood steadfast and got a result for many people. As mentioned, this issue may affect over 150,000 couples. The Minister informed us that 331 applicat…

There is an expectation out there, as the Minister indicated. Those who have applied are waiting on the results of the O'Meara case. I am dealing with a number of people whose partners passed away before January 2024. The Minister mentioned not building up expectations. Is the Department considering making a payment to those people? Will the Minister give a commitment today that he will consider a…

88. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Social Protection the current number of appeal officers working in the appeals office; the number for the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8583/25]

How many appeals officers are working in the social welfare appeals office and how many have been working there over the past three years, and will the Minister make a statement on the matter?

I thank the Minister. I welcome that there are 20 additional appeals officers but, unfortunately, as far as I am concerned, appeals times are still growing. I am dealing with a large number of carer's appeals that have been in train for 12 or 14 months and invalidity pension appeals that have been live for more than six months. The problem is that it is very difficult to explain to a person who is…

I welcome the independence of the appeals office. It is a great system whereby we get a second opinion, and it is something I have used during my time as a public representative. I have always found the appeals officers to be very helpful. With regard to the new appeals procedures, does the Minister have any indication of what the timelines for appeals will be or what he is working towards? That …

I wish the three Ministers well in their new portfolios. In our Private Members’ business of a week ago, I described what is happening with housing as an emergency. Indeed, the Housing Commission report calls for a radical reset of housing policy in Ireland. While every possible solution should be investigated, my party and I are of the opinion that the solutions should and must be led by the Gov…

I raise the very serious matter impacting first responders in all our communities. Recently, a number ambulance officers were informed, many of them, indeed, trained paramedics, that they could no longer park their ambulances, their vehicles, at their own homes. Instead, they will have to park them at ambulance bases and primary care centres. This is having a knock-on impact on first responder res…

Unfortunately, it is impacting a lot of families.

I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle and apologise. I ask the Tánaiste for an update on the proposed closure of the fire station at the Curragh Camp and also provide an update on the provision of living quarters for enlisted members in the Curragh.

The Curragh Camp is the jewel in the crown of the Defence Forces, as I and many Members of this House and the Upper House have said many times. The first thing anyone who drives through the Curragh Camp will notice is dereliction and the closed premises on the main street. The news that the fire station is to close has been greeted with disbelief by people who live in the Curragh because it seems …

I welcome that the Tánaiste will visit the Curragh Camp. That is very important. I will take him up on his request that I accompany him on that visit because it will be important that we meet local representatives who are getting this on the ground from those who live in the Curragh and who have previously, as the Tánaiste said, served on the Curragh. The State needs to use the Curragh Camp and th…

I congratulate the Leas-Cheann Comhairle on his new role and wish him the very best. I also congratulate the Minister on her new role. As Labour Party spokesperson on children and disabilities, I look forward to working with her constructively during this term. I thank her for her engagement to date. Obviously, the waiting lists referred to in this debate are something we have to tackle, and that …

I thank Sinn Féin for bringing forward this motion. I wish the Minister of State well in his new role. There has been a great deal of talk about the totally unacceptable statistic of 174 of our citizens dying on the roads, about young drivers and about allowing drivers to learn the rules of the road. In the time available, I want to bring the Minister of State's attention something going on in m…

111. Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the action she intends to take to ensure that parents have access to State-provided early years education facilities where there is a lack of provision; her plans to reduce the cost of child care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8541/25]

What actions will the Minister take to ensure parents can have access to State-provided early years education facilities where there is currently a lack of such facilities? I also ask what actions she will take to reduce the cost of childcare.

I thank the Minister. Early Childhood Ireland outlined in January that statistics from Pobal state that 6,663 children under the age of one are on a crèche waiting list where there are only 223 places available. It also goes on to say that 12,208 children aged between one and two are on a waiting list where there are only 675 places available. The Minister mentioned that in the programme from Gove…

I thank the Minister. The other area I wish to ask about is childcare costs. I recently met a young family in Newbridge, County Kildare, who are paying €1,400 per month. The Minister will know, as it is often referenced in this House, that this is a second mortgage. However, it is obviously not just in Newbridge that those are the costs of childcare; it is throughout the State. Linked to those cos…

I wish the Minister and Minister of State well in their new briefs. I thank Sinn Féin for tabling this important motion. The lack of special school places in my area, Kildare South, continues to grow. Not a week goes by when I do not get contacted time and again by worried parents who simply cannot find a place for their loved ones. It was in late 2023 that the then Minister of State, Josepha Mad…

Recent commentary talks about a housing crisis in this country. The term "crisis" does not describe what so many families and individuals are experiencing because what we have is a housing emergency. No other word can describe it. It is not a crisis when over 15,000 of our citizens, including over 4,500 children, are living in hotel rooms. That in itself is an emergency. However, this emergency i…

I agree with my colleague, Deputy Smith. We recently met with Dublin Fire Brigade. We listened to unbelievable stories from individual members who went above and beyond on a daily basis for the people of Dublin. A young firefighter called Aisling says she is trying to build in her mortgage because she knows she may have to retire at 55 due to the nature of the job. Even after 40 years’ service and…