Thomas Gould

I stand here today as a cancer survivor. A year and a half ago, I was diagnosed with bowel cancer and had to have a tumor removed. Then I had to wait a space of time so that I could get chemotherapy, which went on for over six months. I know that it will be years before I can say I am free from cancer. I know that and I am not counting my chickens. However, I want to send out a thank-you to all th…

Go raibh maith agat.

Any chance Fianna Fáil will run a candidate in the North, up in the Six Counties?

I thank my colleague, Deputy Doherty, and the party for bringing forward this emergency motion and legislation, because we are trying to bring hope. We are trying to bring hope to the families out there who are absolutely struggling and are out of their minds with worry about how they are going to fill their car and buy heating oil. We are trying to be constructive and bring forward solutions. I j…

I have raised previously the fact that there are children in Cork who are homeless and who are being forced to travel across the city because they are in emergency accommodation. They cannot move schools because if they do so, they could have to move emergency accommodation again, or if the family ever finally do get a house, they do not know where it will be. They are being forced to travel long …

The Minister of State outlined what is happening. I sincerely hope he will take on board the submissions made during the consultation and the point I have made today because I have raised this previously. We will disagree on politics and fight and argue over the housing policy and how I believe a number of Fianna Fail and Fine Gael Governments have caused the housing emergency we are in. I hope th…

"Artificial intelligence, AI,-powered recommender systems are feeding millions of children toxic content about eating disorders, self-harm, and graphic videos...", according to the Irish Examiner last year. This is something parents have been saying for years and still there is no urgency from the Government to tackle this. Years later, it is failing to act. Young girls are being forced into eatin…

I will have questions and answers with the Minister all he wants. I have no problem doing that.

Hear, hear.

In 2022 there was an announcement that Blarney post office was going to close but following a campaign by the local people in Blarney and meetings organised by myself and people in Sinn Féin, a man named Daniel came forward and he saved the post office and turned it around. I want to recognise the unbelievable work he and his staff have done and the people of Blarney. However, in 2018 the post off…

So it is all right to close the 34 in Cork.

Who are we talking about?

That is the second Minister today who got mad at me for some reason.

There are serious concerns with the Bill. As is often the case with the Government, it waits until the last minute to try to rush through legislation. The concerns raised by academics and service providers need to be listened to. The University of Galway has raised concerns about the treatment of minors, the lack of meaningful engagement and the criteria for extending timelines. I want to raise co…

That is not true. That is a terrible thing to say.

No, no.

Unfortunately, I stand up here today and I cannot give my speech as Gaeilge but thanks to Gaelscoil Pheig Sayers in Farranferris my two daughters can. A funny story; last Sunday I watched the Cork hurlers play Kilkenny on TG4. My wife and my daughter could understand it, but I was struggling to get bits of words. Is it not great that my wife and my two daughters have done something now that I cann…

139. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport whether any specific funding is available for capital projects for women’s sports where the organisation does not currently own a playing pitch. [16724/26]

Will the Minister of State outline whether any specific funding is available for capital projects for women's sports where the organisations do not currently own a playing pitch?

I am very passionate about women's sports. My wife and daughters play camogie. In the constituency I am from, so many young women and girls are successful in sport. Tonight, unfortunately, the soccer team was beaten 2-1 by France and a girl from Knocknaheeny, Denise O'Sullivan, was playing centre field. There are girls like Amy O'Connor and Amy Lee playing Cork senior camogie and winning all-Irela…

The Minister of State must have no concept of what is happening in women's sports. In Cork we have a club, Glanmire ladies football, that is one of the biggest in the county, if not the country. In 2017, it was a junior B club; in 2018, it won the junior A all-Ireland; and in 2024, it won the intermediate all-Ireland. It has four adult teams but the problem is the boys club has five adult teams. T…

I spoke to them. There is no land in Glanmire.

Minister of State, would you look at it at least?

Yes, but rent is three years-----

It is three years for students' rent.