Naoise Ó Muirí

I support the lifting of the passenger cap for Dublin Airport. The expansion of that airport is critical, not just for jobs and growth, but for Ireland's standing as a global hub. It strengthens our economy and deepens the existing bonds we have fostered with international partners. I live in Drumcondra and we get overflights every now and then - it does not bother me and I do not think they make …

Go raibh maith agat a Cheann Comhairle and Minister. I welcome auto-enrolment. It has been a long time in the making but it is great to see that it is finally going on the blocks. I agree with Deputy Gogarty that it is really a saving scheme at this stage rather than a pension scheme. This is mainly because the pensions bit has probably not been worked out yet but the thrust is to get people contr…

8. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence to provide an update on the development of a national strategy for the resilience of critical entities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48912/25]

My question concerns an issue with which the Tánaiste will be familiar with, that is, the urgent need to build resilience in our national systems in line with EU regulations. I am asking for an update on the development of a national strategy for the resilience of critical entities.

It is good to hear that Ireland is leading out when it comes to the transposition of the regulations. Disruptive incidents, whether caused by national hazards or malicious actors, have the potential to inflict immense damage on Ireland. We saw what happened with Storm Éowyn and the damage it did to communities across Ireland, but we also saw the real value of EU solidarity. The EU civil protection…

I thank the Tánaiste. The programme for Government was mentioned earlier. It rightly highlights the need to strengthen national security to protect Irish citizens, maintain public order and ensure the safety of communities in Ireland. We all hear about and are aware of reports of foreign actors probing underseas communications, energy infrastructure and other installations. While we hope our prepa…

Marino Institute of Education, MIE, based in my constituency, is a teacher training college funded by the Department of education. It produces world class educators who work in Ireland and abroad. I think the Tánaiste visited there in times past. However, MIE has two courses that do not qualify under the free fees initiative - the bachelor of science in education studies and the bachelor of scienc…

We heard recently that the population of the island of Ireland has gone above 7 million for the first time. It is really a great time to be looking at an all-island rail strategy. What is not to like about this strategy? I commend the Minister of State but I also want to commend Eamon Ryan who initiated this strategy a few years ago. It is great that it was done. Rail is a great way to distribute …

108. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the impact of the increases in the SUSI grant levels introduced in 2024; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37308/25]

It is very interesting if you look at the data, particularly for mature students. This is over a period of time. I do not think it is for that particular year but for mature honours degree students aged 23 and over, 71% of SUSI grant recipients completed their degree compared with 65% of those who did not get SUSI support. It seems that mature students get through at a better rate if they have mor…

That is the point I was making. It looks like the data indicate mature students who get the SUSI support do better in the long run than those who do not. It is a matter of closing the loop over the research and considering it in the long term to understand what happens when levers are pulled. When the Minister pulls levers, it is a case of asking whether he is just bringing more people into the sy…

114. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if there is a detailed plan on how the National Training Fund will be expanded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37309/25]

As I understand it, it is a 1% charge which is collected through employer's PRSI. I was looking at employer's PRSI and could not find it anywhere so I presume it is just buried within the employer's rate. Will the Minister give us a sense of this? It is going up year on year, with buoyancy in employment it should be going up more. Roughly how much does it go up by year on year? That sets out the s…

9. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health the status of the chronic disease Mmnagement programme; the number of patients now enrolled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34666/25]

I am looking at this programme and it seems to be a quiet success story for the HSE. We hear very little about it. The Minister mentioned statistics regarding fewer presentations at emergency departments. That is a very good measure of success. The Minister mentioned some additional conditions that will be brought into it. I think she mentioned hypertension. It would be useful to have that list. …

16. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Health the progress on increasing the number of GPs and GP practices across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34667/25]

I thank the Minister for her response. There is an assertion out there that GPs are being trained and are then leaving the country. My colleague, Deputy Colm Burke, tells me that is not the case. The turnover of GPs is typically 5% to 6%, which is very low. The Minister has laid out the potential GPs entering the system through the various channels which is really positive. Perhaps the Minister co…

I support that, given that there are different models clinicians will want to work under. As the Minister said, not all of them will want to take the risk of setting up a GP practice with everything it entails. The Minister mentioned the chronic disease management programme. That is a classic example of where GPs have helped to make a big difference and it is clear from the HSE's assessment that t…

This week's report from Women's Aid on domestic violence and abuse is very concerning. Women's Aid front-line teams heard over 46,000 disclosures of incidents of domestic abuse and violence. That is up 17% on last year. There were increased reports of all forms of abuse against women, with sexual abuse reports up 30%. One third of those women in contact with Women's Aid were being subjected to do…

This issue comes down to teacher allocation numbers. It is a matter of great concern to parents that Belgrove infant girls' school, which had an intake of 216 in the 2023-24 school year and qualified for nine teachers, is now down to eight teachers based on the 2024-25 intake. The projected number for September is 219, which is above the number at which it qualified for nine teachers previously. T…

I thank the Minister of State for his response. I appreciate his acknowledgement that Belgrove has been through an appeals process. I understand it is an independent process. I welcome the statistics on the improvement of class sizes in primary schools. In this instance, however, Belgrove will go backwards for a period because of this aberration in teacher numbers. I think it is a unique case beca…

I raise the issue of funding for school facilities, particularly sports facilities such as playing facilities, AstroTurf pitches, renewal of grass surfaces and changing room facilities for voluntary schools. There are some great programmes in the summer works scheme and other newer schemes to do with climate action and preparing buildings for climate change, which are welcome. There is a gaping ho…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. I welcome his comments and appreciate the investment he has outlined in general terms into school facilities. On the challenge with emergency works, I will give Manor House School in Raheny as an example. It is a very popular girls' school. It has a large AstroTurf pitch beside the school which belongs to it. The surface is really poor. It is an enormous job. I…

I thank the Minister of State.

I have been grappling with why that recent "RTÉ Investigates" documentary bothered me, like others, so much. I think it is because those nursing homes failed to protect and uphold the dignity of some of our older and more vulnerable citizens. Each one of those people was somebody's mam or dad, aunt or uncle or brother or sister. It could be the Tánaiste's parents; it could be my parents. I say to …