Brian Brennan

I warmly welcome today's financial resolution. It is very clear that we are in a completely different situation from the one we were in back in July. Fuel costs are continuing to increase right across the board and there is no sign of stability in the Middle East. Over the past two months, I have met many of my constituents, including Breen Transport in Ferns and bus and taxi companies in Gorey a…

I am looking for an update on the straw incorporation measure. It is my understanding that there will be a significant oversubscription to the scheme, with expected payments exceeding the €10 million budget allocated for 2026. It is essential that we find a way to extend the budget of this scheme to meet all expected payments. In my constituency of Wicklow-Wexford, we have a proud tradition of til…

I am looking for an update in relation to the Taoiseach's plans on dealing with inheritance tax in the upcoming budget. It is believed that approximately 1 million people in Ireland do not have children. That is for many reasons - maybe life choice, medical or simply their personal choice. Under the current inheritance tax threshold, if a parent leaves a property or investment, there is a threshol…

I wish to speak today about the proposed reforms to the criminal legal aid system, which include the introduction of a flat fee payment model for legally aided District Court cases. It is proposed that solicitors would receive a single payment of €455 for District Court criminal cases, regardless of the number of court appearances involved. Members of Criminal Justice Solicitors Ireland have raise…

I wish the Minister of State a good morning. I want to speak about roads funding following Storm Chandra in counties Wexford and Wicklow, or, should I say, the lack of roads funding. It was literally this day four months ago, namely 27 January, that Storm Chandra arrived on our shores and caused absolute havoc for people, for their homes and for the roads of the south east. At the time, it was abs…

I welcome the Minister of State's reply. I note and respect it. As he stated clearly, they are getting substantial funding, but even prior to the storm, we felt that the funding was not enough, given that they are two quite rural counties. They are two beautiful counties but we have serious issues with roads. We felt we were underfunded before this, but what this is all about now is additional fun…

I wish to speak again about Arklow’s Eímear Byrne, who is awaiting life-saving surgery that is not available in Ireland. Only last week, Ms Byrne was made aware that she is not a suitable candidate for the treatment abroad scheme. Her only option, therefore, is to travel, at enormous expense, to the Johns Hopkins clinic in Baltimore, USA. As the treatment abroad scheme does not cover the USA, the …

I am looking for an update on progress regarding the Wind Turbine Regulation Bill 2025. I am fully aware of our responsibility to reach our 2030 targets but is the construction of these monstrous turbines close to many rural villages really the best option for these communities? Should we prioritise solar panels and financially tweak the already-successful schemes so that every house, industrial p…

I want to discuss a live issue relating to Gorey Hill School and plans the Department of education has in respect of lands currently being used by Gaelscoil Moshíológ and the Irish play school on the site. I preface my remarks by stating that the three schools in question play an essential and hugely positive role in the community of north Wexford, which is a credit to the management, the staff an…

I note that, in the programme from 2021 to 2025, there was a clear call to reverse the flow of young people moving to the city. People living and working in their own towns and villages is what we should be working for. I welcome the billions of euro that will probably be spent on our new development plan. I welcome the engagement tonight. When we see young people spending 26 hours per week in a c…

I want to talk to the Tánaiste about one of my constituents, Eimear Byrne. Eimear is a 30-year-old from Arklow, a primary school teach in a Gaelscoil and a very talented and popular young woman but she needs our help. She has an extremely rare genetic disorder which led to open-heart surgery at the age of just ten. Three years ago, Eimear had again to undergo emergency heart surgery. The surgery …

I congratulate the Irish team on last night. It was a wonderful success and I wish it well at the weekend. More important to me on a local level, Ferns United is in the Leinster Football Association, LFA, final this Sunday and I wish them well - Tiny, Terry, Paul and the girls. I went to see them a few weeks ago and I was taken aback by the family and community spirit there. The club is not even i…

Those people have to be recognised and we wish them well.

I welcome the package presented on Sunday and recognise we are living in unprecedented times. We simply cannot forecast where this is going or predict where it will end. When the first fuel package was released, the response to the agriculture sector was simply insufficient and an insult to a critical cornerstone of our economy. Many members of the agriculture sector were on their knees long befor…

I seek an update on the applications from Wexford County Council and Wicklow County Council for emergency funding for urgent road repairs following Storm Chandra. I strongly commend both councils' teams on their work to date. I welcome the Taoiseach's visit to many of the affected areas in days following the storm. However, this week, almost two months on from the storm, many roads remain closed o…

We are all deeply concerned about this escalating conflict and the scale of the damage we are witnessing. Now is the time to focus on de-escalation, and this can only be done through dialogue and diplomacy. Only yesterday, we learned that 23 sites of both gas and oil have been destroyed in Iran. These are sophisticated structures and will take time to be rebuilt. This will prolong the fuel crisis …

I want to speak to the Tánaiste about the tragic case of Claire Cullen from Riverchapel near Courtown in County Wexford. Claire was killed in a hit-and-run incident while attending her brother's wedding in the Dominican Republic approximately five months ago. Claire is survived by her husband Ronan and her three kids. Claire was an extremely kind, popular and talented young woman and her death has…

100. Deputy Brian Brennan asked the Minister for Transport for an update on progress of the Arklow to Shillelagh greenway; to outline the next steps in the process, and a timeframe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15349/26]

I thank the Minister of State. In my life, before I took up this position, I was heavily involved in the tourism industry in south County Wicklow for over 20 years. I know first-hand the area’s needs and I cannot emphasise enough the importance of this greenway project. Our support for this is simply critical, as for decades now there is a genuine feeling in south County Wicklow that it has been i…

I totally agree with the Minister of State. I drive this route every week. I try to have a vision of what will happen – not if but when – this greenway happens. We look at cafés on the quays in Arklow, Woodenbridge buzzing with tourists, Lawless’ Hotel in Aughrim reopening, bike shops in Tinahely or more pods in Shillelagh. It is going to be simply transformative. We often overuse the term “game-c…

I want to speak to the Taoiseach about coastal erosion, which is an extremely pressing and urgent issue for coastal communities right across Ireland. It is estimated in recent reports that up to 20% of the coastline of Ireland is at risk. This is a particular problem in the south east due to the composition of the lands, which are sand and clay-based. Some areas in the south east are losing up to …

I warmly welcome the Taoiseach’s suggestion of centralising this because it highlights the problem we are having. I do not want to be parochial, but if we just look at the Wexford coastline, 80% of the 260 km is under threat. That is a phenomenal figure. We are dealing with real people. In areas like Cahore and Glasscarrig, people are in genuine fear of losing their homes. I recently went down to …

I need to bring up the treatment of staff in the Merck facility in Arklow. The Minister is well aware that there is a planned closure for 2028. I know that within 24 hours, the Minister was there on site-----

It is in south County Wicklow, which is badly affected.

As the Taoiseach is aware, first responders play a critical role in our emergency services, but approximately one year ago a decision was made to prevent the officer group from taking the officer response vehicle to their place of residence. In December, I witnessed first hand a medical emergency on Main Street, Gorey. The ambulance and first responders were called. The first responders arrived in…