Ruairí Ó Murchú

The AI Action Summit issued the Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence for People and the Planet. That sounds wonderful. It is how we deliver it and what our plan is in this State in that regard. We all know the dangers of artificial intelligence in the sense that it is the garnering of information and machine learning on a huge level, or on steroids for want of a better te…

25. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach if he will provide an update on the work of the policing reform implementation programme office in his Department. [16859/25]

This is not the first time I have given out about the divisional structure. I have said many times that I am not sure the most sensible solution was combining Louth and Cavan-Monaghan into one area with a single superintendent. We all get the idea of streamlining, but the issue, as Deputy Carthy said, is that the number of gardaí to operate the system is insufficient. There is a major issue with c…

Deputy Cullinane and my other colleagues have dealt with the gamut of failure in respect of scoliosis operations, the lack of such operations, the time children lost and the great impact this had. We have also heard about the significant capacity issues there have been and the non-medical grade springs that ended up in three children and the untold impact that had. However, I will deal specificall…

I know but the daughter involved has undergone two surgeries. The week before the story broke, the surgery, for which she had been waiting for three years, was cancelled with 24 hours' notice. Dealing with Temple Street is like dealing with a sheet in the wind. Everything is a sort of vague response.

Meanwhile, the girl's father is left wondering if she even needs the surgery. I will provide the Minister with the information. That is the issue with all of this.

I had an opportunity earlier to discuss this issue and I discussed my constituent, who luckily got a second opinion for his daughter who was at that stage three years and three months old. She had been engaged with Temple Street since 2016 when she was 14 months old. I put some of this information on the record earlier. At the end of 2018, the doctor recommended proceeding with a Salter osteotomy …

This relates to 1970 and 1973. The man was kept there for a considerable amount of time-----

-----and it relates to those particular issues. I will pass the information to the Minister.

85. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the number of vacant-unfilled positions across each CDNT in the State; if she will provide the figures from the CDNT workforce report, carried out in October 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21200/25]

I am looking for the figures on unfilled positions within each CDNT in the State. Obviously, we had the workforce report from last October and that has since been published. The big question concerns the numbers that were outstanding. At one time, it was almost 530 positions. Even if those positions are filled, are we able to provide the service that is required through the CDNT system?

We all welcome increased recruitment but the fact is that whatever the figures say, we have all been inundated with requests from parents who cannot get assessments or therapies for their children. We all know the issue. We have all had an over-and-back in regard to the fact school-based therapies could deal with some of this issue. However, if we look at the recruitment levels on the basis of how…

We all know the issues with regard to recruitment and retention but we also know the absolute need that is out there and the abject failure there has been for many years, which continues at this point in time. Everyone would say it is beyond doubt that we need to engage in domestic and international initiatives, and we should be looking at every sort of pipeline to ensure we can get as many highly…

I will restate the question I asked earlier. We all know there is a huge amount of vacancy. Even if there have been improvements, when this workforce report was carried out there were, I think, 529.72 whole-time equivalent positions. We need to really ensure that is dealt with. Even if we fill those positions, though, does that mean we have a CDNT system that is actually able to deliver for those …

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 scheduling of apprenticeship carpenters, electricians and other trades for off-site training. Deputy James O'Connor - To discuss school transport issues in the Kilcredan National School catchment area…

A considerable amount has already been said about how vital water is. That goes without saying. It is not difficult to make such an argument. A fair amount has been said, especially recently, when we have seen flyers from the other side about the return of water charges. A public service model is all that will be acceptable to the Irish people, so we just need to make sure we get to that point. T…

I was told initial protection would be provided in 2026. We must make sure that happens. We must also ensure that communication takes place.

I also want to bring a particular issue to the attention of the Minister of State about the waiver system where someone made an application and I believe there are mitigating circumstances.

While many of us have had many differences about multiple American administrations over many years, we recall fondly Bill Clinton's necessary involvement in the peace process in Ireland and much more beyond. We are well removed from that now. We now have Donald Trump and his very simple formula. He took his country's trade deficit with each country and divided it by two. David McWilliams put it w…

6. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach the progress made by his Department in reducing child poverty and promoting well-being. [13487/25]

We all wish Deputy Boyd Barrett the best of luck. It is apt to do this during Questions to the Taoiseach because if ever there was a Deputy who made very great use of Questions to the Taoiseach, it was Deputy Boyd Barrett. When we talk about child poverty, we are all aware of the added costs of dealing with children with additional needs. The issue of special school places and the fact that we ha…

17. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will meet next. [15161/25]

Many of us have brought up the infrastructural deficits we are talking about here, namely housing, Uisce Éireann, the electricity grid and communications. The recent Storm Éowyn showed serious pressures and the need to deal with this. Housing is just a crisis that has, in no way, improved for those who are impacted. We also know we are under severe pressure in respect of Donald Trump and tariffs.…

This is one of those Bills on which there will be a large degree of agreement. It is work that needs to be dealt with. I do not think anyone agrees with the fact that people have been forced into retirement. Deputy O'Reilly stated that on some level this is about restoring the State pension to the age of 65. She was not the only one, but she stated that has always been her view, as it has been the…

-----those with disabilities and additional needs to stay in further education. An interdepartmental review is needed to inform this. I spoke to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science who said that he would follow up with a meeting-----