Cathal Crowe

Deputy Aird might give me some time now. I was recently given a tour of the new 96-bed block that is under construction at University Hospital Limerick, UHL. It will be completed by the end of May, and by September for patient occupation. It is modern, and will help hugely in terms of public healthcare. As we reached the top floor, the builders pointed out that is where the new 96-bed block will …

It would have pushed them to An Bord Pleanála.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this matter. This is a priority area in the programme for Government. I see at home how important youth diversion projects are. The newest one just started in east Clare in the past fortnight. This is the first time that the Minister of State, Deputy Collins, has been here leading a debate. I congratulate him on his new role and wish him the best in the Depart…

3. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Taoiseach the engagements he had with the National Emergency Co-ordination Group in the days before, during and after storm Éowyn. [6490/25]

This is of your making.

I express my confidence in the Ceann Comhairle, Deputy Murphy. Instead of having these statements, a number of TDs should be on their feet offering apologies and retracting statements they made last week. It is a good thing the microphone did not pick up some of those comments because they were outrageous, but they were very much heard in this Chamber throughout the debate last week. It was plain …

I hope the Deputy will be writing to the Ceann Comhairle tomorrow in that regard. Deputy McDonald assumes we on this side have collective amnesia but we have waited two years to hear about her connections with convicted criminal Jonathan Dowdall. I guess, like Slab Murphy, he is a good republican and so gets a pass. We would love to hear about Deputy McDonald's connections to him because that is g…

It is good to see the Ceann Comhairle back in the Chair. I have full confidence in her. Let us now drive on with the work we need to do in this Chamber. This is a very important debate. I have quite a few bits to say. I have three minutes so the Ceann Comhairle might remind me when my time is up. I will speak about the issue of trees, as other speakers mentioned. Leylandii cypress trees are impor…

144. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if will report on his recent discussions with the EU Trade Commissioner; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15336/25]

In accordance with Standing Order 85(2), the division is postponed until the weekly division time this evening.

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this. Fianna Fáil welcomes and supports the Statute Law Revision Bill 2024 which will simplify and improve accessibility to legislation. There is a whole raft of legislation that I would say is unknown to us. It is buried in the depths of archives covered in dust and cobwebs. It is right to start revising some of this, pulling it forward and making it more mod…

3. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Taoiseach the engagements he had with the National Emergency Coordination Group in the days before, during and after Storm Éowyn. [6490/25]

I welcome the opportunity to speak on this. I am sharing time and will use three minutes, if that is okay. I have long represented the issue of suspended gardaí here in this Chamber. At the moment, a total of 112 gardaí are suspended. Some are suspended for very good reason and some may have done things that merit being kicked out of the force. However, many of them are suspended unnecessarily for…

Thank you Deputy. We are going to move on.

We will close with a statement from the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy. I missed the opportunity to congratulate him when I was speaking earlier. We all wish him the very best in his new role and congratulate him again.

I wish the Minister of State the best of luck in his new role.

I welcome the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and invite him to make his opening statement.

No, beidh seans ag an Teachta i gceann nóiméid. Leanfaimid ar aghaidh leis an Aire anois.

If Deputy McGuinness is pulling others up on technicalities, there are technicalities for how he makes interventions as well.

Anois, rachaimid chuig Páirtí Shinn Féin. Tosóimid leis an Teachta Ó Snodaigh. Tá trí nóiméad aige.

Sár-iarracht. Go raibh míle maith agat, a Theachta.

Déanaim comhghairdeas leis an Aire. Is onóir an-mhór é a bheith roghnaithe mar Aire Rialtais. Ba cheart dó féin agus dá mhuintir a bheith fíorbhródúil as an éacht seo. Tá áthas orm labhairt sa díospóireacht seo. Tá sé fíorthábhachtach go bhfuil Seachtain na Gaeilge againn gach bhliain agus go bhfuil ráitis tiomnaithe di sa Dáil. Chuala mé píosa gairid ar "Drivetime" ar RTÉ inné. Bhí Caitríona Ní …

28. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on children and education and disability will meet next. [6491/25]

I wish to raise the issue of DEIS. The previous Government made huge inroads in modifying and overhauling DEIS but even more can be done. I will give an example of Shannon town in County Clare. There are five primary schools and two post-primary schools, all of which are within a few hundred yards of one another. Two of the schools have DEIS status but the rest do not. In a town such as Shannon, t…

6. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the additional school accommodation application by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8152/25]