Catherine Connolly

I said they were being disingenuous.

I welcome that the Minister has set out this very clearly and that he hopes to commence tomorrow the new Act, which will replace the 2005 Act. The 2005 Act was supposed to be a sea change in Garda culture and it arose for many reasons. I will come right back to what happened yesterday because it relates to what is absolutely an integral part of openness, accountability and the structures we are n…

It is funding to make the various entities open and accountable, to get rid of the culture that led to the Act in 2005 that was never a success, and to change the various structures again because accountability failed. Not by the ordinary gardaí on the ground, let me say. My introduction to the Dáil was the O'Higgins report, which I know the Minister also read. I read the Morris tribunal report. I…

Gabhaim buíochas le Sinn Féin as an deis cainte a bheith agam maidir leis an rún seo. Tá sé leagtha amach nach bhfuil na figiúirí agus gach rud ann. Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an soiléiriú a thug sé maidir le phase 1 agus go mbeidh sé ag dul ar aghaidh go dtí an 24 Aibreán. Is maith an rud é sin. Is rud é sin a bhí á lorg agam, soiléiriú, agus is maith an rud go bhfuil sé ann. Is dócha go b…

6. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 11 of 8 October 2024, the status of the proposed new further education college in Galway city; if the revised business case, as requested, has been evaluated; to provide a breakdown of the €450 million national allocation over four years to four c…

I wish the Minister the very best of luck in his new role. I do not know whether Deputy Harkin is taking this question. It relates to Galway and a campus of further education. I was delighted when this announcement was finally made in November 2022. It was announced that there would be an adult campus, a campus of the future. There is a great need for it because so many properties are being rented…

I thank the Minister for the background. I have the background and I welcome that. My concern is that there is slippage as regards this project. The ETB in Galway is the second biggest in the country. It is unique in that it covers the Gaeltacht area and the islands. It has 19 post-primary schools and two community national schools and a huge amount of buildings rented at an enormous cost in an un…

I welcome that there is a date, but there is the history and the fact that the ETB was twice asked to revise downwards its plan and its vision. We attend regularly meetings on updates with GRETB. I keep calling it the old VEC. In any event, there is cross-party support for this. It looks like the ETB is being forced to accept the 10,000 sq. m, even though it was asked to reduce it even more. There…

79. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if the final business case for the redevelopment of Inis Oírr pier has now been received; and when approval will be granted to proceed with the project. [14535/25]

Baineann mo cheist le hInis Oírr, an chéibh atá ansin agus an fhorbairt atá beartaithe di. De réir mo thuisceana, tá dul chun cinn déanta, ach ba mhaith liom é sin a chinntiú ar an taifead, mar fuair an fhorbairt seo cead pleanála in 2008 agus tá sé ardaithe go mion minic agam ó toghadh mé ar dtús in 2016. An féidir leis an Aire an dul chun cinn a shoiléiriú dom agus é a chur ar thaifead na Dála?

Tuigim an fhreagracht atá ar an Roinn, agus ní mór don Roinn an jab a dhéanamh i gceart, ach táimid ag dul siar píosa fada go 2008. D'fhógair Tuairisc go raibh dul chun cinn iontach déanta. The Minister is now telling me that it is before his Department for a final decision. I understand from the very positive article in Tuairisc that a time has been set out for the work to start and to be complet…

Maybe there is a mix-up between the islands. I understood there was a positive announcement for Inis Oírr and the extension of the pier.

Inis Oírr.

Bheadh sé tábhachtach soiléiriú a thabhairt dom.

Táim sásta leis sin. Tiocfaidh an tAire ar ais chugam.

84. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 92 of 10 October 2024, the status of the development of Caladh Mór pier on Inis Meáin; whether the independent consultant has been appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14536/25]

Táimid ar ais arís go dtí na hOileáin Árann agus an uair seo Inis Meáin agus An Caladh Mór. An cheist atá agam ná has the independent consultant been appointed and can the Minister give us details? I will use the 18 seconds to ensure there is no confusion between this question and the last question. It has clearly been reported they are about to start their work on the céibh in Inis Oírr in the au…

I thank the Minister. The previous Minister took a hands-on approach on this and I am sure this Minister will too because of the utter frustration at the delay. If my frustration is evident, the Minister can imagine what we are enduring on Inis Meáin with business there - a number of businesses - and with the people on the ground. This was to be completed years ago and we are still at it. I welco…

That is very welcome. The meetings that have taken place have been as a result of the previous Minister pushing the whole matter and taking a hands-on approach in relation to it. For my understanding, is it the position that the consultants have been appointed and are doing a preliminary business case all over again regarding this project? When will that preliminary project be ready? You cannot i…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. Luaigh sé An Caladh Mór agus Céibh an Chóra, agus tá an ceart aige, ach ní thuigim cad atá tarlaithe. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil castacht i gceist. Tá a fhios agam é sin agus ní saineolaí mé ach táimid ag dul timpeall i gciorcal an t-am uilig agus ar ais arís anois go dtí an tús agus an preliminary business case. Ar a laghad tá sé ráite ag an Aire anois gur naoi mhí a…

I thank the Social Democrats for bringing forward this timely motion, which I support, but it is probably too late. Judging by the Government's behaviour yesterday, when it rammed through Standing Orders, it appears that it will do exactly the same with this legislation. I have no faith in the Government and I say that as a committed democrat in the Dáil. I will quote from the Transnational Instit…

I return to the change to Standing Orders that was rammed through yesterday. I have no doubt it was carefully choreographed and directed by the Taoiseach and the Government. That happened notwithstanding a solemn promise given by the former Government Chief Whip that the Government would work with the Opposition to come to an acceptable solution. The Government did the complete opposite. Instead o…

I welcome the opportunity - two and half minutes - to speak on this and I will choose words carefully and with focus. We have 17 pages from the European Council meeting conclusions and I have failed to find Israel mentioned in any of those pages. Does that not tell you something? These are the conclusions of the recent European Council meeting and Israel is not mentioned. Genocide is not mentione…

Will he read the figures for Palestine, Gaza and the occupied territories? Will he look at Sudan? Will he look at what is happening in Yemen as we speak, with American planes flying from England over to Yemen? Who is backing all of this? Who is pushing an open door for the arms industry, for Lockheed Martin and all the other industries? The Minister sits there and shamefully shakes his head. How c…

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill and I thank the Minister of State for her speech. I especially thank the Library and Research Service that serves us well and that produced the abstract for us and educated us. The Bill itself is short. The Schedules attached to it are somewhat longer. The context of this Bill is important and previous speakers referred to it. We are talking about a …