Ruairí Ó Murchú

Many people have raised the issues regarding the humanitarian assistance scheme, including the lack of consistency, the understanding that certain things would be covered that were not covered and the bureaucratic nightmare it has been for many people. I say that while acknowledging the huge work done by the staff in circumstances that are all far from perfect. As the Minister said, it is a matter…

151. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide an update on his recent trip to the United States for St. Patrick’s Day; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15230/25]

We all realise we are in very choppy waters regarding America. We will see exactly what Donald Trump intends with "liberation day". I am not sure that it is aptly named. We all know the damage tariffs can do with regard to international trade. I get the idea that we need to have discussions and make sure they lead to solutions. We cannot prepare for every circumstance, but there has to be a signif…

A better metaphor.

We all get the idea of the instability that exists. We hope that this, on some level, informs those around the leadership and the American President. Engagement is absolutely necessary. We can now go straight to the next question.

I did not say that. I chose to forget about that altogether and not make any comment. Unfortunately, the Ceann Comhairle has brought it back into the mire.

146. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will consider including the renewal reminder on online passport applications instead of the optional sign-up service on the Department's website; if there are plans to further streamline the passport service’s work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15231/25]

This question relates to including on online passport applications a renewal reminder rather than the optional sign-up service on the Department's website. We all know the issue this causes with passports. All politicians are inundated with queries about this particular issue. We all know there is a need for streamlining. We know there is an issue with calling Garda stations and gardaí having to g…

Many Members have brought up the issue of engagement with the Garda. We need a memorandum of understanding on and a technological solution to that. It could be any sort of reminder. A couple of people asked me why it cannot be like the reminder you get for your motor tax. I am not sure that everybody necessarily follows through on that as they should, but we need to make sure that we make it as e…

It is all right, you can ring a TD.

The other issue we have seen brought up is the timeline when there is a mistake. We have all seen people who have made mistakes with the online applications and others who have uploaded photographs and believe that everything is fine, and then it is not. It is as if the clock restarts when a problem occurs. That needs to be addressed. If the Ceann Comhairle will allow me some flexibility-----

I welcome what the Tánaiste said about the case of Seán Rooney. The Tánaiste knows that the parents are looking at visiting the court. I ask about the engagement with the UN. I know there has been some sort of preliminary notice. The Tánaiste made contact regarding the information that was looked for by the Dublin coroner and the information that should be provided to the family. It is a matter of…

Several groups got funding under the community recognition fund, which is absolutely sound, but there is an issue in that two applications made by Louth County Council were refused. When I compare them with others, I am not entirely sure why they were refused. I ask that the Minister examine them. They relate to St. Patrick’s Day and Christmas. The council is involved in long-term festivals. Louth…

I will do.

I am just waiting on a mic.

That is a dreadful thing to say, Ceann Comhairle.

Obviously, there is going to be much agreement. The complaint we have is that this an issue that should have been addressed a long time ago. In fairness, I will add my voice to what has been said about Johnny O'Meara and the huge work he did. Obviously, his Supreme Court case and action has brought us to this point. I make the argument that we need to find other ways rather than relying on citize…

I want to raise the shocking case of 13-year-old Senan Maguire from my constituency, who is autistic. His case was covered by the Sunday Independent, which referenced the absolute failure of the State to provide services for Senan, his mother and father, Tina and David, and the wider family. I could talk about major issues regarding community disability network teams, CDNTs. The child is not curr…

On CETA, a number of us across all parties have an issue in respect of the investment court system. We have seen in other countries that there has been a chilling effect in those sort of scenarios where a legislature can leave itself open to actions by major industries if it were to change the laws to its own benefit. There is a bit more complexity to the issue around CETA. I am not sure it is nec…

This is an interesting piece of legislation. We are repealing the spent and obsolete secondary instruments enacted on or after 1 January 1821 and before 1 January 1861, as well as those instruments enacted before 1821 that have not been previously repealed. I suspect that many Deputies did not anticipate they would be speaking on this issue but, in fairness, it is not only a decent piece of house…

8. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Taoiseach the engagements he had with the National Emergency Coordination Group in the days before, during and after Storm Éowyn. [13484/25]

The tenant in situ scheme has been one of those successes with regard to preventing homelessness. We need that circular or the criteria to issue as soon as possible and, obviously, the funding to be provided to local authorities. We have had a huge number of cases. Louth County Council made a large number of purchases that saved an awful lot of people from dreadful circumstances, but a huge number…

In the context of what I said earlier, we all get that the tenant in situ scheme absolutely worked and saved people from homelessness. We are very worried about the tighter criteria. I am specifically asking for some flexibility where local authorities have for the past while been almost only looking at brand-new purchases, or close to that, because they were afraid of getting caught, for want of …

We are dealing with major infrastructural issues with regard to Uisce Éireann. There are housing developments in respect of which there are plans to put in initial water treatment schemes on the basis that there is not capacity in the rest of the system. In the part of Dundalk I live in, we have an issue in removing wastewater. We have had near flooding incidents on multiple occasions. We have had…

We have to be absolutely straight in the sense that Ireland at the minute is absolutely awash with cocaine and we are dealing with addicts who would previously have had an issue with heroin. We are probably talking about crack cocaine and that obviously leads to a particular set of issues particularly as regards crime and the impact on the wider community. I agree with Deputy Smith. He is probably…