Ruairí Ó Murchú

The Select Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage has completed its consideration of the following Revised Estimates for Public Services for the service of the year ending 31 December 2025: Votes 16, 23 and 34 - Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Select Committee on Fisheries and Maritime Affairs has completed its consideration of the following Revised Estimate for Public Se…

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the long-awaited ban on pair trawling. Deputy Paul Murphy - To discuss plans to assist vaginal mesh survivors. Deputy Dessie Ellis - To discuss the banning of surgical artificial insemination in greyhoun…

Bogfaidh muid ar aghaidh go Saincheist Tráthúil Uimh. 4. Tá an tAire Stáit, an Teachta O’Donnell, á glacadh. Fanfaidh muid bomaite amháin ar an Aire Stáit. Tá an cheist seo in ainm an Teachta Colm Burke.

No one in this Chamber is going to give out about increased capacity for our passport services. In every constituency office at this point, there is no shortage of calls from people trying to make it on holiday who are absolutely afraid they will not get their passport in time. Obviously, we need to make sure people check their dates and do whatever is needed. We have spoken about this previously.…

We all know what we want to see with the EU-Israel association agreement. We know the pieces we want to see here and I see there are questions tabled about the occupied territories Bill. I would like to think we are moving closer to delivering on services. I think everybody who is in this room would also like to think that there will be follow-through by the Tánaiste's Department and the Departmen…

Domestic, sexual and gender-based violence is an epidemic but there is a point in saying, as Deputy Catherine Connolly did, it is unacceptable criminality that has to be called out in every way it can. There is a requirement on all of us to do it. The nicest way I can put it is unfortunate pieces online - we know the characters I am talking about - cannot be given the sort of space they have at th…

5. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [32141/25]

I would like to know the Government's plans to ensure there is an appropriate class place for all kids, particularly those with additional needs. We have seen the issues that occur every year. It has already been stated that the issue of assessment of need has been brought up again by Cara Darmody. We know there is a big fear that legislative changes would take away the right people have with rega…

26. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [35371/25]

I would like to bring up the issue of Uisce Éireann infrastructure. We have all seen the recent EPA report. In my constituency, Louth, Cavanhill water treatment plant delivers to almost 47,000 people, and the Tallanstown and Greenmount plants together provide to another 6,000 approximately. The quality of these supplies must improve to safeguard public health. The supplies are at risk of disruptio…

And Uisce Éireann.

Exactly, but I am sure the Taoiseach would step in for us.

I would be delighted.

I will be slightly in the Taoiseach's debt.

Legal and planning issues need to be addressed, without a doubt, but I agree with Deputy Kenny that the major issues, which we have all been dealing with when we talk to developers, builders, and local authorities, are infrastructure, bureaucracy, high costs and a difficulty drawing down finance for building. As regards this legislation, it is not the way to be doing business. As Deputy Kenny said…

This is very straightforward. This has been running for a week and half and we still do not know whether students - and in some cases their parents - will be paying €2,000 or €3,000. If we had the support of this Chamber and followed through on Sinn Féin's motion, students would be paying €1,500 next year. That is the clarity we need. How we got here, on some level, does not matter. I accept the M…

Táimid críochnaithe leis sin. Rachaimid ar aghaidh le ceisteanna eile chun an Aire. Tá Ceist Uimh. 101 i m’ainm. Táim ag iarraidh é a chur siar. If Members are happy enough, I will put that question back until I am out of the Chair.

Yes, and I am being utterly magnanimous, or at least partially magnanimous.

Tá Ceisteanna Uimh. 104, 105, 107, 110 agus 112 grúpáilte.

101. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to provide an update on the progress made regarding the funding issues at SOLAS and ETB apprenticeship training programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37556/25]

I ask for an update on the progress made on the funding issue at SOLAS and the ETBs and the impact this is having on apprenticeships, the community sector and adult education within further education. Will the Minister provide some detail? We have all heard of a hole in the budget of between €40 million and €50 million but some clarity on that would be appreciated.

Can we get a figure for how big a hole we are talking about? I have heard it is between €40 million and €50 million and I have heard in relation to Louth and Meath ETB that it is between €8 million and €11 million-plus. It is necessary that the Minister engage with SOLAS. Like Deputy O'Sullivan, I think at some point we will need to know how this came about. The Minister only discussed this a mont…

It would be hard to say I am still not apprehensive about this. We will need some detail on how these postponements will happen. I agree with the Minister that pressure has to be put on in relation to the fact the apprenticeships must not be cancelled. We need to find the money and make sure everything is not held up. I agree with the work being done on the funding implications through to December…

What about the adult education and community piece?

15. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if he will provide an update on the progress being made to operationalise community safety partnerships; to outline the timeline, the model and operation of the partnerships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35632/25]