Barry Ward

93. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the total capacity output available under existing wind generation schemes; the projected output if all wind farms currently at various stages of the planning system were to come to fruition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49042/25]

A lot of wind programmes are currently in planning. Will the Minister of State indicate what the capacity would be if all of those planning permissions were to come good and deliver those wind projects? What would be the capacity at that stage?

That is all welcome news. In my constituency, there are a number of plans relating to offshore wind. We do not really have the land space to be developing much in the way of onshore wind in Dún Laoghaire but there are two particular projects in the Dublin Array and the Codling Wind Park that will deliver a lot, not just in clean energy but also for the facilities onshore and the use of Dún Laoghai…

The Minister of State put his finger on it with regard to public consultation. Some of these projects can be very controversial and it is really important to bring people with them and show them the benefit of the project not only to us all but also to local communities. In the context of the two projects I mentioned to the Minister of State, I know from speaking to people in Dún Laoghaire that t…

I, the Tánaiste and the Fine Gael Party campaigned in relation to the cost of childcare at the election last year. I was pleased that we made sure it was central to the programme for Government that we would reduce the cost for parents to €200. We know that has not happened yet, but I understand that work is taking place in that regard. We also know that some childcare providers are leaving the se…

I will start by distinguishing something that is not distinguished enough in public discourse, namely, the difference between immigration and migration. Very often, when I deal with people on these issues, they do not necessarily make that distinction. Immigration, or people who come here to work, live and contribute to our society at lots of different levels, includes people we absolutely need. T…

I remember speaking many years ago to a resource teacher in Loughlinstown in my constituency. He was saying that if you ask a child in the classroom to throw a balled-up piece of paper into the bin, they can all do it to the same extent, except it is much easier for the kids sitting at the front of the class than it is for the kids sitting at the back of the class. What this is about is levelling …

88. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Education and Youth the position regarding the percentage of eligible schools that have completed or commenced work to install solar panels under the free scheme for schools; if she will consider providing funding to allow private schools to take part in this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38827/25]

My question is about the free solar panel scheme for schools, how many schools are in the scheme in progress and whether it can it be extended to private schools.

I thank the Minister and am delighted to hear her answer. I welcome this scheme; it is a great one. Even the rate of take-up the Minister outlined is impressive and is key to meeting our climate targets. It allows schools, as much as the rest of society, to address their emissions and reduce their carbon footprint. The Minister said fee-paying schools and private schools - and we must remember th…

I am very grateful to hear the Minister is open to the expansion of this scheme. I appreciate what she has said. I believe the take-up would be strong among all schools if the eligibility criteria were extended. I understand entirely that no resource is infinite and the Government has to spend money where it is needed most. I welcome the Minister's commitment to engaging with the Minister, Deputy …

The patrol of our coasts and coastal waters is a mammoth task for the Defence Forces, customs, An Garda Síochána, the RNLI and the Coast Guard. I want to put on record my admiration for those involved in the seizing of the MV Matthew and the drugs haul that came with it. The work done by the Defence Forces, the RNLI and An Garda Síochána has borne great fruits for this country in stopping the drug…

I share the Cathaoirleach Gníomhach's sentiments and welcome the Norwegian ambassador. I welcome this legislation, which was brought to Cabinet by the then Minister, Deputy Helen McEntee, in January last year and has progressed since then. It is a very welcome development of the law in relation to the seizure of criminal assets. I will start by making a point on the drafting of the Bill and the …

I am very proud of what we have done as a country. That is not politics; that is people. When we look back ten years to what was done in this jurisdiction as regards the referendum on marriage equality, we have a basis on which to be proud for the fact that we recognised at that time that love is love and that equality of access to marriage was hugely important for everyone. I was part, as many pe…

I have been following this proposal from the European Commission since June. Honestly, when I first read of it I was surprised it was not in place already. Iceland and Norway are two functional members of the wider European community that are associated with Schengen. We deal with them regularly and we can have great faith in their systems, rule of law, respect for rules around data protection and…

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I also welcome the establishment of the commission by the Minister last week. It is appropriate but, at this juncture, it is worth looking back at how it came about. Reference has been made to those survivors who brought it about through their courage. Let us never underestimate the courage and determination it would have required for the vi…

73. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the position regarding the EU-Israel association agreement; the actions our Government is taking in talks with our EU partners related to Israel's compliance with Article 2 of this agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37246/25]

Question No. 73 relates to the work the Tánaiste is doing relating to the EU-Israel association agreement. I respect hugely the work that we have done in the European Union, that the Tánaiste has done in the European Union and the respect for the rule of law. Given that there is ample evidence to suggest that Israel is outside the terms of that agreement and that it is not respecting the rule of l…

I put on record my admiration for the fact that the Tánaiste has put together a coalition among our European colleagues. It is no small feat. Given what he has said and given the inconsistency of the strength of action that Europe has taken on Russia, and the lack of action taken regarding Israel, how can we continue to have faith in the operation of the rule of law if this is not an almost automa…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht bheith anseo déanach ar an Déardaoin chun déileáil leis an gceist seo. This is an issue I have raised on a number of occasions, that is, the attitude of the State towards the treatment of survivors of thalidomide. The Minister of State will be aware that thalidomide was a drug that was used in the early 1960s by women in relation to morning sickness but what i…

I thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge the reason for the absence of the Minister for State, Deputy Naughton. I applaud her for acknowledging the massacre in Srebrenica. I also understand what the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, said; I know he is reading a response on her behalf. The statement that the Government is committed to helping the survivors of thalidomide is all very well but …

I will shortly talk about EU expansionism but I feel I need to address some of the comments Deputy Lawless has made about hate speech legislation. I am very much an advocate for free speech. Quite apart from the fact that it is a right under the European Convention, it is a constitutional right in this jurisdiction which must be respected and maintained. However, having a law that says that people…

The Deputy can read the comments I made on this in the Seanad. As the Fine Gael justice spokesperson in the Seanad, I spoke for a very long time on many occasions on that Bill. There is no doubt whatsoever about my views on this. The Deputy speaks as if there are no restrictions on free speech and suggests we should tell the EU to go and get stuffed. What kind of a comment is that to make? We were…

-----race and religion. I do not want people like that to be put upon by other people because they choose to speak out against them. The Deputy speaks as if there are no restrictions on free speech, as if it is an absolute thing. Presumably he would throw out the defamation laws as well because-----

-----he believes people should be able to say whatever they want, as is the case in America. He believes people can say whatever they want and it does not matter if they do down someone's good name or incite hatred against them. What an absolute nonsense stance to take. He should be responsible and recognise that no right in our Constitution or any other international instrument we are part of is …