Naoise Ó Cearúil

County Kildare has the lowest rate of community-based childcare facilities, with three in total and only two of those in Kildare North, one of which is Maynooth University Crèche. To give a sense of how long it has been there, I attended it myself. This is in spite of 48% of childcare services having waiting lists in Kildare. I have raised multiple parliamentary questions about this. However, in t…

Like others, I acknowledge an incredibly brave and courageous young person at the gates of Leinster House when it is lashing rain - Cara Darmody. She is protesting outside not for herself but for her brothers and thousands of children throughout the country who are being denied timely assessments of supports. Cara's strength is extraordinary. Her message is one that we in this House must listen to…

The statements today from around the country have been quite insightful. Naturally many Deputies here are extremely frustrated with the delays they are seeing in their constituencies. In Kildare North, for example, 4,024 people are waiting for a driving test. That is up from 3,303 last year, which is 691 more for the same time period. We are also told that the national average waiting time in Marc…

Tá an-áthas orm an deis a bheith agam labhairt ar an mBille tábhachtach seo. Is céim chun tosaigh agus chun cinn í an reachtaíocht seo a neartóidh ról an údaráis i saol sóisialta, cultúrtha agus eacnamaíochta ár bpobal Gaeltachta. Mar urlabhraí Fhianna Fáil nua ar an nGaeilge agus ar ghnóthaí Gaeltachta, fáiltím roimh an sprioc atá ag an Rialtas struchtúr an údaráis a nuachóiriú agus níos mó daon…

124. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Health her plans to improve diagnostic pathways and invest in infrastructure to meet target treatment times outlined in the national cancer strategy and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24135/25]

Each year, more than 44,000 people in Ireland are diagnosed with cancer. It remains one of the leading causes of death, accounting for 30% of all deaths annually. In July 2024, in excess of 172,000 people were waiting more than three months for a diagnostic imaging test, delays that have significant implications for early detection and outcomes. In light of these trends and the commitments made in…

I appreciate the work under way across the health service and I know there is a strong focus on delivering improved cancer outcomes, but the data points to real challenges and real opportunities for improvement. I welcome the commitment from Government and the Minister and acknowledge the investment to date. Ireland still has one of the highest cancer mortality rates in western Europe and one of t…

I acknowledge the work of the Minister and her Department. I encourage the Department to continue prioritising that capital investment. I also encourage the delivery of ring-fenced funding for cancer services, as mentioned by her, which was committed to in the programme for Government. I also encourage the expansion of acute oncology facilities, ensuring patients undergoing treatment are not force…

17. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the AI Action Summit in Paris recently. [15471/25]

AI represents one of the biggest economic opportunities of our generation. I was fortunate enough to work in this space for three and a half years and in the tech sector for eight and a half years prior to being elected to this House. The Taoiseach's attendance at the AI Action Summit was extremely encouraging, as will the establishment of the Oireachtas joint committee on artificial intelligence.…

6. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Finance the proactive measures his Department is implementing to mitigate and support the most vulnerable sectors of the economy from the potential risks for substantial economic disruption due to impending US tariffs. [15890/25]

Given the recently announced 20% US tariffs on EU goods, which is double the 10% rate applied to Britain and Northern Ireland, and considering the exposure of the Irish economy, particularly export-reliant sectors and jobs, what proactive and specific steps is the Minister's Department taking to support those most vulnerable, including multinationals, SMEs and workers in mitigating these deeply co…

I thank the Minister. I appreciate the immediate steps the Minister, the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste are taking but Ireland is uniquely exposed. Our export economy depends heavily on the US, which accounts for nearly one third of our total exports. Unlike Britain and Northern Ireland, which face a 10% tariff, we are hit with the 20% rate as members of the European Union, which puts us at a disadvan…

I should mention Intel and Kerry Group in my constituency of Kildare North and the impact they might face. As the Minister noted, we need a co-ordinated and multilayered response to this. First, we should push diplomatically, particularly to our partners in the EU, for a negotiation of exemptions or reductions, especially for high-value sectors like agrifood in Ireland. Second, I would love to se…

I commend Deputy Byrne for introducing this Bill. It is a positive step. Having worked in the artificial intelligence industry for the past four years and technology for the past ten years, I have seen the massive opportunities that artificial intelligence can lend to society. Indeed, I was at a Google event this afternoon that showed there was a potential positive impact on GDP of 8% over the nex…

133. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his Department will be issuing updated travel advice for people intending to visit the United States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15451/25]

Does the Tánaiste intend to issue updated travel advice to those planning to travel to the United States? There has been much talk this week, naturally, about tariffs, etc., and the impact of what could come down the line tomorrow. There have been some changes, however, particularly with the new Administration in the United States, and some people have come across difficulties when travelling to t…

To add additional context, in recent weeks I have been contacted by people and received reports of them attempting to travel to the United States from Dublin and Shannon, with electronic system for travel authorization, ESTA, visas and without any criminal conviction or criminal record. There seems to be no reason for them not to have gained entry into the United States. I appreciate it is for the…

I will be in touch with the Tánaiste's office regarding particular cases where persons were denied entry into the United States from Dublin and Shannon. I have spoken to other Oireachtas Members who have received similar reports. I thank the Tánaiste for his response and his work on this matter.

Cuirim fáilte roimh an mBille seo agus gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as ucht teacht anseo agus ar ndóigh as an Bille a chur os comhair na Dála. Is léir go bhfuil rudaí maithe sa Bhille seo. Tugann sé na toghcháin do na réigiúin agus na réigiúin Ghaeltachta agus is rud an-mhaith é sin agus cuirim fáilte roimhe. Tuigim go bhfuil an-obair curtha isteach ag an Roinn agus ag an Aire go dtí an pointe se…

We can hear you okay.

13. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will rule out any return of water charges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12727/25]

Ba mhaith liom gach rath a ghuí ar an Aire, an Teachta Browne agus an Aire Stáit, an Teachta O’Sullivan. I wish the Minister, Deputy Browne, and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, well in their new briefs. In the programme for Government, there is no mention of water charges. However, there was an article in the Irish Independent last week and then a furore was created by the Opposition on…

That is reassuring. The Opposition spokesperson on housing blew this up on social media, saying that the Government was trying to sneak this in by the back door. The Minister confirmed in the media - he has done so again now - that there is no attempt to reintroduce water charges. It is incredulous that there was an attempt to construe that there was going to be a return to water charges. It is cl…

There is a wider conversation to be had about excess water usage in society. By and large, households are responsible when it comes to use of water. It is great that the Government is committed to not reintroducing any type of water charges or introducing water charges for excess use.