John Connolly

12. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if the infrastructure guidelines have been amended as per action 23 of the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan, including for increased project expenditure thresholds; the removal of the external assurance process and enhanced timelines for the preparation of …

Tugaim faoi deara ar maidin go bhfuil go leor de na ceisteanna ar an téama céanna, ar nós an chinn a bhí ag mo chomhghleacaí ar mo thaobh clé anseo maidir le cúrsaí infreastruchtúir agus an luas ar breá linn a fheiceáil le cur chun cinn i gcúrsaí infreastruchtúir agus infreastruchtúr a thógáil níos tapúla. Roimh an Nollaig, d'fhoilsigh an tAire an tuairisc nua. Before Christmas the Minister printe…

I welcome the Minister's confirmation that we are not removing political approval for these projects. There was some concern about the elimination of ministerial approval at stage 2 of the project timeline but the Minister has clarified that ministerial approval will still be required at stages 1 and 3. This is very welcome. There was a sense that we were moving on and leaving decisions to unelect…

I thank the Minister. I would like clarity. The emphasis and focus in action 30 is on transport and water. Will the Minister confirm that it is not limited to these and that we are looking at using this action in other areas? The Minister mentioned energy at the outset. Further clarification on my next point would also be welcome. How do projects in the planning process stand in terms of this new …

18. Deputy John Connolly asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education will next meet. [69864/25]

I very much welcome the formal announcing of the national therapy service in education involving the placement of occupational therapists and speech therapists in special schools. I particularly welcome its introduction in two schools in Galway, Ábalta Special School and St. Joseph's Special School in Newcastle. I also welcome the announcement of 301 new classes for children with additional needs …

8. D'fhiafraigh Deputy John Connolly den Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht nuashonrú a thabhairt maidir leis na hiarrachtaí atá Údarás na Gaeltachta ag déanamh chun tacú le forbairt tithíochta cónaithe sna réigiúin Ghaeltachta; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [7697/26]

Tá a fhios agam gur chuir an tAire freagra chugam maidir leis seo píosa ó shín, ach tá sé an-tábhachtach na hiarrachtaí a chur chun cinn agus labhairt fúthu chomh minic agus is féidir mar gheall ar an ngéarchéim tithíochta atá sa Ghaeltacht.

Glacaim gur ról tánaisteach atá ag an údarás ach mar a dúirt an tAire, tá ról suntasach aige i saol na Gaeltachta. Tá sé ag déanamh oibre maithe le blianta fada. Glacaim leis chomh maith nach bhfuil sé éasca d’eagraíocht nach bhfuil aon chleachtadh ná taithí aici ar chúrsaí tithíochta tús a chur leis an dualgas sin, go háirithe gan an fhoireann. Glacaim leis go bhfuil sé ráite ag an Aire anois go …

Tugann sé muinín do mhuintir na Gaeltachta a chloisteáil go bhfuil an méid sin déanta againn go dtí seo. Glacaim leis gur tús é ach is maith an rud é go bhfuil an tAire ag labhairt leis na daoine tábhachtacha sin, lena n-áirítear Údarás na Gaeltachta, an Roinn tithíochta agus na húdaráis áitiúla, chun béim a chur ar an tábhacht a bhaineann le cúrsaí tithíochta sa Ghaeltacht. Tá mé dóchasach anois,…

I will confine my comments today to the issue of road safety around schools and enabling children to access schools in a safer manner. I welcome, as part of that, the implementation of phase 2 of the national speed limit review, which proposes to reduce the speed limit in urban areas to a default of 30 km/h. It is not so clear, however, what is expected of local authorities in relation to schools …

1. Deputy John Connolly asked the Taoiseach for an update on the programme for Government. [67574/25]

The Taoiseach mentioned housing at the outset. One of the commitments in the programme for Government regarding housing was to repurpose the local authority affordable housing purchase scheme to become part of the starter home programme in order to enhance uptake. I am not sure we will have any difficulty with uptake; the difficulty is with supply. We are conscious that we are trying to generate s…

88. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the plans within his Department to develop a further and expanded phase of programme for access to higher education, PATH, 4 funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6868/26]

Yesterday, I met with a delegation of former employees of CIÉ. They are members of a pension scheme who have not had an increase since 2008. That is 18 years, and we are all conscious of how the cost of living has increased during that period. Furthermore, to compound issues for members, many were paying a class of PRSI that allowed them no access to a contributory pension. They have been campaign…

I share the sentiment of many Members as to how depressing the situation the world finds itself in at the moment is. Having endured the depth of international conflict and war that was witnessed during the 20th century, we find that leaders of major international powers could make decisions that could bring us back to a point of significant tension again. This could undo the great work that was do…

I noted yesterday a substantial announcement on wastewater investment for Limerick. I compliment Limerick, the local authorities there and the Minister in the Department for developing that work. Like Limerick, Galway is a city the national planning framework plans for growth over the coming decade or decade and a half, in terms of counterbalancing the development of the country between the east c…

5. Deputy John Connolly asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on housing will meet next. [67579/25]

One of the actions in the recently published housing plan is that the Department will be publishing quarterly and annual performance tables for new-build output versus targets per local authority, thereby ensuring transparency and accountability. I understand that will commence next June in relation to social housing. We should also provide similar tables in relation to affordable housing. The lo…

100. D'fhiafraigh Deputy John Connolly den Minister for Education and Youth cmaidir le Tionscadal na Scoileanna Beaga, cad iad na pleananna atá ag a Roinn chun cur le líon na gcnuasach scoile atá ann agus chun stádas buan a thabhairt don tionscadal; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [69894/25]

Mo cheist ná chun a fhiafraí den Aire Oideachais agus Óige maidir le tionscadal na scoileanna beaga. Cad iad na pleananna atá sa Roinn chun cur le líon na scoileanna atá sa scéim faoi láthair agus chun stádas buan a thabhairt don tionscadal? This question relates to the small schools project. The Minister will be aware that her predecessor, the Minister, Deputy Foley, started a pilot project for …

The Minister of State has noted many of the positive elements of this scheme and how the schools, in the evaluation undertaken by the Department, reflected positively on it. As he said, there were two such clusters in County Galway, one in Gort agus ceann i gceantar Iorras Aithneach i gConamara. Bhí trí scoil sa scéim sin: Scoil na hAirde Móire, Scoil Mhuighnis agus Scoil an Aird Thiar. Other comm…

One of the most positive attributes of this scheme, with which I have some experience, is that it enabled principals who also have responsibility for teaching a class or multiple classes to do two important things. The first was to cluster their release days, so that when the principal is on a release day for administrative duties in the school, the same substitute teacher is there every day. This…

205. Deputy John Connolly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the position regarding the publication of his Department's strategy for the provision of student accommodation and if he will make a statement on the matter. [67831/25]

In a response to a previous question, the Minister outlined very well the supports available to students and families to assist in meeting the cost of accommodation and how he has increased those supports and made them available to a greater number of students. I wish to ask the Minister about the supply of student accommodation and the position of the Department regarding the publication of a new…