Ruairí Ó Murchú

-----the grid infrastructure? I echo what everyone else here has said. It makes absolute sense that there would be public payback. We cannot have a scenario where others make money off what is one of our major resources. What are our plans for biogas, which Denmark has developed through anaerobic digestion, thereby reducing its carbon footprint by something like 40%?

What is the Taoiseach's plan for it? He is in government.

I have just left the audiovisual room were the Irish-US driver licence campaign gave a presentation. That campaign is led by Mr. Ciarán Staunton and Ms Karen McHugh. They presented a report by Mr. Damian Green and Mr. Laurence Donnelly. There was much conversation in relation to the lack of public transport in an awful lot of rural Ireland and the necessity of the car. They spoke about the huge is…

I commend the union leaders who are here. I also commend union leaders for the work they have done. Maybe more robust action will be needed in the future. We saw the fuel protests, which involved workers at the end of their tethers who had been given no choice. We see the huge impact of increases in the cost of fuel, which were caused by madness abroad - we accept that and it should be called out …

Táimid críochnaithe le Ceisteanna ar Sonraíodh Uain dóibh. Anois beidh Ceisteanna Eile faoi choinne an Aire Fiontar, Turasóireachta agus Fostaíochta. Ar dtús tá Ceist Uimh. 126, atá in ainm an Teachta Fleming, ach tá an Teachta McCormack á glacadh.

Anois tá Ceist Uimh. 132, atá in ainm an Teachta Shay Brennan ach tá an Teachta Cahill á glacadh.

Deputy Boyd Barrett has 30 seconds. We do not want to go over time.

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 Richard Boyd Barrett - To discuss the detention of an Irish citizen by German authorities. Deputies Claire Kerrane and Ruairí Ó Murchú - To discuss issues raised about children in State care arising from a recent "RTÉ Investigates" …

I thank the Minister for being here. We dealt with this to some degree last week but, as Deputy Kerrane has said, it is utterly shocking and harrowing. There are no terms to describe the story of Max, which we all saw on "RTÉ Investigates". We are talking about special emergency arrangements or accommodations that are not in any way suitable. He was missing for two and a half hours before anybody …

I will also follow up. The Minister stated that "by the start of May this year, Tusla will have reduced the number of emergency placements that are not registered by almost 50%". When are we taking that from? Are we talking about the 70 there at the moment becoming 35? We are literally talking about the end of this week. I am going to put that question again. There are obviously complex cases. We …

128. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality whether Tusla has completed any monitoring visits to hotels used to provide separated children seeking international protection, SCSIP, accommodation in 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28219/26]

I would like to ask the Minister whether Tusla has completed any monitoring visits to hotels or other accommodation, particularly special emergency accommodation settings, used to provide for separated children seeking international protection accommodation in 2026. Given the "RTÉ Investigates" programme, this relates to that whole sphere. I would be grateful if the Minister can give some sort of …

What is the process as regards how the Minister deals with those separated children seeking international protection and a disputed age? It is necessary to deal with that as quickly as possible from a child protection point of view? I accept Tusla is dealing with far more significant issues in relation to the complexity of issues that are in front of it and the increase in the number of those sep…

I accept that. We have spoken on many occasions previously of the need for earlier intervention and family supports, and even in other cases where children need to be taken out of places that are not safe for multiple different reasons. We have spoken as well about the fact that we need more foster carers, social care workers and social workers to deliver the framework. However, I again ask what t…

145. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the reason the caseload management system at Tusla has been paused; the protocols in place to ensure that Tusla social workers are not overwhelmed by caseloads; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28218/26]

I want to ask the Minister about the reason the caseload management system at Tusla has been paused and the protocols in place to ensure Tusla's social workers are not overwhelmed by caseloads. We have just heard from Deputy Kerrane in relation to the issues that exist for special care facilities, and the fact there are issues that need to be addressed there that have been made far worse by the sh…

I ask that the Minister comes back to me in writing in relation to the caseload management system. My information is it has been paused. I accept the answer that the Minister got. In relation to the overall answer she gave, that sounds like a proper operating system. That is how things should operate. We have spoken before about the fact there are not enough social workers. The last figure I had w…

I appreciate the Minister's answer and that she will come back to me in writing in relation to the case management system. We definitely need to ensure we have a system that works. I also acknowledge the work being done in relation to training and recruitment. I ask for information on how many social workers have been recruited, how many we have and what the deficit is at this point. The informati…

Could I have a breakdown?

220. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding the engagement there has been with his Department, Dundalk IT and Queen’s University Belfast in relation to their partnership to create Dundalk university college; the work being carried out by his Department to resolve cross-Border further and higher education i…

What engagement has there been between the Department, Dundalk IT and Queen's University Belfast on a partnership? The heads of agreement have been signed from the point of view of creating Dundalk university college. What work is being carried out by the Department to resolve cross-Border further and higher education issues and the anomalies in the CAO and UCAS systems? The recognition of awards,…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I will pass on his best wishes to Deputy McGettigan. Our thoughts are with her and we are very glad that she is getting better. We are all support this partnership, which is an all-island project that can deliver for the people of Dundalk and beyond. It will vw beneficial to Queen's University Belfast. It follows on from the idea of the M1-border corridor. At the Go…

We all agree this is vital stuff. Consultation on issues is a necessity so that we can cut the issues off at the pass. I thank Dr. Diarmuid O'Callaghan and his team in DKIT and those in Queen's University in making this happen. From what he says the Minister is in support of it and whatever is necessary from this end will be delivered. There will be learnings in respect of those cross-Border issu…

251. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the progress made to resolve employment issues of personal assistants who work in some education and training boards and further and higher education centres; the timeline for when the issue is expected to be resolved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22072/26]

I ask the Minister to outline the progress in resolving the employment issues of personal assistants, an issue we have dealt with previously. He has met with me and a number of these personal assistants who work in ETBs and further and higher education centres. What is the timeline for when the issue is expected to be resolved? Will the Minister make a statement on that matter now? I am aware that…