Peter 'Chap' Cleere

We can tell a great deal about the strength of a rural community by the services that remain at its heart. If the school is open, the local shop is trading, the GAA club is thriving and the post office is still there, that community has a bright future. That is why this Bill matters. As Fianna Fáil spokesperson on rural affairs, I am delighted to support this legislation because it is about much m…

12. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on health will next meet [48149/26]

For people living with Friedreich's ataxia time is something they simply do not have. Every delay means more mobility lost, more speech lost and more independence taken away. Families such as Emily Felix and her family in Kilkenny, Oisín Pollard and his family in Carlow and many others have campaigned with huge dignity and courage for access to Skyclarys, the first treatment approved for this cond…

Like previous speakers, I raise the issue of teacher losses. I am asking for the intervention of the Tánaiste regarding Our Lady of Lourdes National School in Slieverue, County Kilkenny, where the incoming junior infants class for September 2026 is expected to consist of 34 children taught by a single teacher following the loss of a teaching post. The school has successfully operated smaller junio…

1. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on water quality will next meet. [16734/26]

I am happy enough because I am first.

As someone who was born and reared in rural Ireland and who lives there, I will highlight the very real challenges facing communities in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny. In communities like those of Mullinavat and Inistioge, inadequate wastewater treatment capacity is becoming a serious barrier to future growth and future investment. People in these communities want to see homes delivered and y…

I am very grateful to be able to speak about Pride in the Chamber because it means so much to so many people. It is a celebration of love, identity, courage and hope. However, it is also a reminder of the journey that has brought us here and the responsibility we all share to continue to build a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society. I am proud to speak about Pride because it represents someth…

I raise the ongoing challenge of providing adequate home support hours to some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. Every week, families across Carlow and Kilkenny contact my office after being told that approved hours cannot be delivered because there simply are not enough carers available. Older people and people with disabilities are being left without the support they need to rema…

4. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will next meet. [12366/26]

Last night in Kilkenny we had a very special evening when Eamon Langton was conferred with the honour of becoming a freeman of Kilkenny city. Mr Langton has been a champion of Kilkenny city for decades and has been a brilliant ambassador for all things that are great in Kilkenny, be that the Kilkenny hurling team and his support, tourism and employment. He has been absolutely fantastic. He joins a…

16. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will meet next. [38895/26]

Will the Government establish new designated parking bays at motorway junctions to support car-pooling and curtail rising costs for commuters? The basic infrastructure to support car-pooling does not exist in many parts of the country. Motorists are already using motorway junctions as informal meeting points. They pull in on hard shoulders in Paulstown, Mullinavat, Castledermot, Knocktopher and Da…

The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland, VFI, AGM took place last week at Mount Wolseley in my constituency. The message coming directly from publicans is that rural pubs are under enormous pressure. Closures are accelerating year after year. Since 2005, more than 2,200 pubs have closed across the country. More worrying again is that the rate of closure is increasing, with approximately 128 pubs closi…

I appreciate the response but this issue requires a stronger sense of urgency from the Government because the trend lines are moving in the wrong direction. We are seeing more than 120 pubs close every year in this country. Once these businesses disappear from rural communities, they very rarely come back. What concerns many publicans is that although Government policy increasingly recognises the …

I acknowledge the hard work and commitment of our gardaí across the country. Day in and day out they serve communities with professionalism and dedication, often under significant pressure and with limited resources. The increase in Garda recruitment and investment in recent years is welcome and appreciated. However, rural communities still feel they are not seeing the benefit of the investment on…

I move: That the Bill be referred to the Select Committee on Agriculture and Food pursuant to Standing Orders 187.

3. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on the economy, trade and competitiveness will next meet. [9933/26]

Across rural Ireland family-run pubs are under severe pressure from rising energy bills, insurance costs, staffing shortages and reduced footfall. In many villages and small towns, the local pub is more than a business, it is a social hub, a meeting place and an important part of community life. The Vintners' Federation of Ireland is calling for the Government to introduce a new targeted tax credi…

Will the Government support the VFI proposal to-----

28. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [30352/26]

Irish unity is now moving from an aspiration to a live constitutional question. The responsibility on the Government is to ensure we are not just commenting on that reality but actively preparing for it in a serious and structured way. If unity is to be achieved, it will not emerge from sentiment alone. It will require detailed constitutional, economic, health, educational and governance planning.…

160. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if the veterinary course at Kildalton College will have its first intake of students in 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34804/26]

18. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport when the next round of the sports capital grant will open for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32999/26]

I thank the Minister of State and acknowledge his role in the sports capital grant. To see the fund increase under previous governments from €70 million to €170 million and then to €270 million in the previous round has been absolutely fantastic. This Government needs to continue to support and invest in sporting organisations right across the country. The caps on the regional, local and equipmen…