Peter 'Chap' Cleere

All of us in Fianna Fáil absolutely welcome this debate and fully support the motion. The only difficulty I have with it is that I wish an awful lot more money was being put into the greyhound and horse racing industries. I have never heard as much horse manure in my life than what I heard from some of the previous speakers who obviously do not have a clue about rural Ireland. They do not have a b…

Deputy Healy-Rae had his time.

I want to raise the village of Inistioge in County Kilkenny. I am not sure if the Minister is familiar with it. It is the most picturesque village in Kilkenny, if not in the country. It is home to the great Eddie Keher, one of the greatest hurlers of all time, it is home to the fantastic Woodstock gardens and arboretum, a national treasure and a gem in the south east, and it has hosted numerous fi…

7. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures to increase usage of modern methods of construction under Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65637/25]

1. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on water quality will next meet. [46873/25]

Last week, we saw serious disruption for towns and villages like Thomastown, Graiguenamanagh, Inistioge and Freshford, which are currently faced with significant backlogs for the implementation of effective flood relief schemes. I acknowledge there has been extensive consultations with local communities to achieve a solution that satisfies those communities and the needs of the local environment. …

I understand that fish life is important, but what about the lives of Johnny and Mary, living in a house that has been flooded? The people in Freshford, Graiguenamanagh, Thomastown and Inistioge are going to bed at night from November to March wondering if their houses will be flooded come the morning.

The injustice to these communities has gone on far too long.

I welcome every farming organisation here this evening. I am delighted to get the opportunity to speak on an issue that lies at the heart of our rural communities, the Mercosur trade agreement, and how we are going to ensure the protection of Irish farmers. As everybody in this room knows, farming is not just a job; it is a way of life for many in Ireland. Our farmers work tirelessly to produce hi…

The Government has dealt with unprecedented numbers of international protection applicants in recent years, following a decade of geopolitical instability. Ireland strives to maintain a robust, rules-based system for all and to ensure that our citizens are protected through the appropriate enforcement of our borders. It is this Government's utmost priority to ensure that all those who arrive at ou…

1. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [46875/25]

I will speak about the construction of two brand-new multi-storey school buildings for the new post-primary schools, Kilkenny City Vocational School and Coláiste Pobail Osraí. These two schools have to be priority projects. Due to increasing numbers, the situation in these schools is unsustainable. They are currently under pressure to provide for existing and future student needs. The next phase o…

We are counting on the Taoiseach's support to get these projects over the line as quickly as possible.

97. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which Ireland is supporting the International Coalition for the Return of Ukrainian Children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57004/25]

I welcome these statements on the tillage sector. I know first hand that the tillage sector is a vital part of the agrifood sector. I see it where I am from in places like Paulstown, Danesfort, Callan, Tullaroan, Ballyragget, Mooncoin and Graiguenamanagh, where the tillage sector is as vibrant as ever. It contributes over €1.3 billion annually to the Irish economy yet the sector is in decline. The…

I welcome the statements on the budget. Like others, I recognise that this is the first of five budgets in this cycle. The key premise and most important thing about this budget is that it is about safeguarding the economy and protecting jobs. That is central to us having the most high-functioning economy in the whole of Europe. That had to underpin any decisions that were made. Previous speakers…

In addition to that-----

I thought I had more time. I apologise to Deputy Neville.

93. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the supports available in budget 2026 for the tillage sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55463/25]

The tillage sector is a vital part of the agrifood sector. A series of three consecutive poor harvests has severely impacted the viability of the tillage sector in Ireland. What supports are available in budget 2026 for the sector?

I welcome the €50 million additional funding and the commitment given today that a consultation process with key stakeholders will take place. When 1,000 farmers attend a meeting, it shows that there is a problem and a big challenge in the sector. We know the tillage sector contributes €1.3 billion annually to the Irish economy, but the sector is in decline, as the Minister outlined. The area unde…

It was recently reported that the Department of agriculture intends to reopen the technical files on Irish whiskey. Currently, Irish whiskey is defined as a "spirit distilled on the island of Ireland ... from a mash of malted cereals, with or without whole grains of other cereals". By this definition, there is absolutely no requirement at the moment to use Irish grain in the production of Irish wh…

The escalation in expenditure for the TB programme over the last number of years has been nothing short of phenomenal. There was €37 million in 2019, €43 million in 2020, €52 million in 2021, €57 million in 2022, €74 million in 2023 and €100 million in 2024. I attended a meeting of the agricultural committee last June where it was predicted that we were on track for €130 million for 2025. If the t…

Irish farmers and agrifood companies produce world class products to the highest international standards of food safety and quality. Our food safety and traceability systems continue to be recognised as among the very best in the world and are critical to supporting the export of our produce across the globe. In my part of the country in Counties Carlow and Kilkenny, I have spoken to many concerne…

83. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on delivery under the croí cónaithe towns scheme in Kilkenny and Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53883/25]