John Clendennen

I welcome the decision that is being taken here today. It is very much practical and necessary to bring the Dáil back during the summer recess. The Government had committed to monitoring and reviewing the cost of fuel and it has listened and responded to these ever-changing circumstances. In the past 120 days, we have seen fuel prices gradually fall but also rise sharply because of international v…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter on the cumulative regulatory burden and the rising cost of doing business. It is certainly not an abstract issue. As someone born and raised in a family business, I am acutely aware of the challenges that many businesses face. I am very conscious that the two Ministers of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, Deputies N…

I have a number of asks. First, we need to look at the effectiveness of the local enterprise office, LEO, reporting to the local authority and Enterprise Ireland. There is a question there of effectiveness. I would also like to see the local authority leading out on enterprise parks to give opportunities for businesses. I would like to see more competition in the banking sector and looking at new …

We have seen huge improvements in rail services that are benefiting commuters and regional development on a balanced basis. I recently received a commitment from Irish Rail in relation to the reintroduction of catering services later this year. I ask that it be considered on the Dublin to Galway and Westport route to benefit the Tullamore area. More importantly, after 7.30 p.m. five trains leave D…

I welcome this Bill. It will ensure the planning code works effectively when the remaining provisions commence later this year. If we look at the tone and sentiment of this Dáil term, it has been all about delivery across all types of infrastructure while maintaining public confidence in the planning system. If we consider some of the representative bodies, there is a changing view regarding how t…

I will start by acknowledging the Minister and her officials for the event that took place in Dublin Castle today. It showcased the best of every facet of Irishness, our identity and how we had evolved since we joined the EU all those years ago. It was a day when I was proud to be Irish and proud to be European. It shows our strong affinity with Europe and how we have evolved over the past 50 year…

I welcome the Bill. It is legislation that we debated at length at the Joint Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy. As a member of the committee, I can say that we had open and frank encagement. Objectively, our goals are to be independent, secure and affordable and to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels but we also need to ensure that we have a backup policy in place. I listened to some…

I welcome this Bill. It underscores Ireland's commitment, under EU direction, to a future where technological advancement will be inextricably linked to ethical governance and societal well-being. The commitment to implementing this through the EU AI Act is about protecting citizens and building trust around AI. More often than not, we hear too much doom, gloom and negativity around AI. We hear ab…

Earlier this year I received confirmation that an additional 12 therapists would be appointed to the midlands integrated healthcare area. This would benefit my own constituency with occupational therapy, physiotherapy and children's disability services. I fully understand the challenges around recruitment right now but this week another barrier was brought to my attention via a response to a parli…

The summer programme or July provision scheme has proven an invaluable resource to families and provides a vital service over the course of the summer months. Since the turn of the decade, those numbers have quadrupled from 13,000 to almost 70,000. However, I have received a number of queries from principals in the past 24 hours whose special needs assistant, SNA, allocation for this summer scheme…

I fully acknowledge the Government's commitment to education, with over €7 billion committed over the lifetime of this Government, including €1.6 billion in capital funding in 2026 alone. However, there are several schools across my constituency that have progressed to stage 2B in recent years and are now anxious to move forward to tender and construction but they seem to be stuck in a waiting are…

It is broadly agreed that 65% of children who start primary school this year will start work when they finish their education in jobs that do not currently exist. That shows the level of change we are seeing. The OECD and the World Economic Forum have outlined that the average person will have ten to 15 different jobs during their working life. On foot of that, we need to be more dynamic and more …

I thank the Chair for giving me the opportunity to speak in advance of Deputy Boyd Barrett. I hope I will be as entertaining. I want to welcome members of Daingean Development Association who are in the House for a tour and who may be in the Public Gallery at some stage today. I acknowledge the work they do consistently in the town. They have a festival scheduled for 14 June and anyone who might w…

Yes, I will be there or thereabouts.

To get to the nub of the matter in relation to the Industrial Development (Amendment) and Miscellaneous Provisions Bill 2026, I will begin by acknowledging the work of the Government in relation to enterprise, tourism and employment in recent times. I welcome the constant references to simple, lighter and faster in terms of how we do business. We need to reflect that more and more in terms of what…

Over 70 years ago, Robert Schuman delivered his declaration that would change the course of European history. One of his key declarations was, "Europe will not be made all at once, or according to a single plan. It will be built through concrete achievements which first create a de facto solidarity." His vision was both bold and quite simple at the same time, to make war between larger member stat…

In the first instance, I want to acknowledge the commitment of the Government to the local improvement scheme, LIS, which has made a real difference to the lives of rural dwellers since its reintroduction in 2017. This is a really important scheme for households, farmers and community amenities in the context of the maintenance and enhancement of access. The funding provided is not meeting the lev…

I would like to raise the whole area of commercial rates for County Offaly and the funding of it. In December 2020, a planning application for Shannonbridge power station - the Taoiseach recently visited Shannonbridge - was refused. It would have been a transition to biomass. It left a serious void in the local revenue of the county council of €1.7 million. In fairness to the Government, it steppe…

I met with Bord na Móna and Amazon at the official launch of Derrinlough with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, on Monday to see a €150 million investment that will deliver a €12 million community benefit fund and multiples of that in commercial rates. What I am looking for here is not a hand out but a hand up as we continue with that transition. We are on an exciting trajectory. We have the energy i…

Disgraceful.

I welcome these statements. Football can be a cornerstone of our lives and memories. It can bring the goodwill to bring communities together. I think back as far as Italia 90 and the heartbreak caused by the likes of Schillaci and so on, and what they did to bring a nation to a stop and then break our hearts. More recently, in Prague, we thought we were on the cusp of achieving World Cup qualifica…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this important Bill as a member of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery. I welcome some of the initiatives the Minister has taken such as the introduction of an accelerating infrastructure task force and the work it is doing to try to ensure we highlight this at every single level. It is important we hold ever…

10. Deputy John Clendennen asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the total investment in Offaly projects since the introduction of the LEADER programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22906/26]

I thank the Minister for taking this question. I ask him to provide an update on Offaly projects since the introduction of the LEADER programme.

I have seen at first hand, through applicants and through involvement in the LCDC how this initiative is so important to developing a county. I acknowledge Offaly Local Development Company for the work it has done to ensure the effectiveness of the programme. Offaly is one of the most counties in relation to LEADER. I also acknowledge both the Minister and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, f…