That is not true.
Sentiment score: -0.33
That is not true.
Sentiment score: -0.33
No appeal has been lodged.
Sentiment score: -0.30
I pay tribute to Jacqueline Connolly who has demonstrated remarkable courage and resilience in the aftermath of the tragic murder of her sister Clodagh, and also Mary Coll, her mother, who met with the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, as the Deputy said, back in February and previously with the then Minister, Deputy McEntee. The Attorney General also received correspondence for solicitors representing the family but he would have written back. I think he wrote back in December, where he indicated that he required further information in respect of a decision to do a second inquest. He has not refused a second inquest and is requesting further information. He needs apparently substantive documentation. I have spoken to him in relation to that. Liam Keane is the solicitor who wrote to the Attorney General. Also-----
Sentiment score: 0.05
-----regarding the publication of the serious crime review, my understanding is that one has never been published before-----
Sentiment score: -0.59
-----but the Minister for justice and I will engage with the Garda Commissioner on the matter to see if we can get it published.
Sentiment score: 0.71
First, the situation is very volatile and is very uncertain. It is because of that we are facing a very difficult background to the development of the NDP, completion of the national development plan, which is capital expenditure on water, energy and so on, the Estimates process with the Government and line Ministers and then the budget itself in October. It is very difficult to forecast and we have to be prudent. We have to be cautious and careful in terms of the resources we have. I know everybody wants us to spend billions but that is not open to us. We will be spending a lot. There will not be any austerity as has been asserted but there has to be some degree of caution here because the situation could change. There is considerable downside risk. There may be a relative upside risk if none of this materialises but there will be tariffs and the Economic Social Research Institute has done tables of 10% tariff impact and so on.
Sentiment score: -0.17
The Deputy, unfortunately, and his party engage continually in the politics of slogans, not action. We are taking action. The Deputy mentioned two; we have taken about 15 actions since the beginning of this Government in relation to housing alone and will continue to take action on housing. There will be housing types of different size. By definition, that is okay. They will not be dark shoeboxes.
Sentiment score: 0.06
There are sensible provisions. Different people look for different types of accommodation at different stages of their lives.
Sentiment score: 0.00
We will build, predominantly, more houses. We need more apartments. We need more-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
-----private sector investment. The Deputy does not want any private sector investment, it seems.
Sentiment score: -0.03
The Deputy just attacked the funds.
Sentiment score: -0.46
The Deputy does not want funds in, for example. I would love to know how the Social Democrats would get to 300,000. How is it going to get the 50,000?
Sentiment score: 0.19
The Social Democrats have not. That is not going to give what we need.
Sentiment score: 0.00
As the Deputy knows, the pay issue was resolved. There was a full and final settlement with Fórsa in terms of school secretaries. They play an essential and very important role in terms of the organisation and smooth administration of schools. Dialogue is the best way to deal with these issues. The Department officials are fully open to engaging with Fórsa to try to reach a solution on this matter. I hope we can get a mechanism to get discussion going on this issue.
Sentiment score: 0.39
I was going to say you could do with a pint after all that. There are approximately 7,200 pubs in the country. That still is a substantial amount. The rural pub does play a very important social role in rural communities and, indeed, for the urban community to visit rural communities and enjoy the ambiance, relaxation and engagement with people. We fully acknowledge that. I think there have been a lot of changes in society over the years and the majority of rural pubs closing may have to do with family obligations. Many were kept going by an individual member of the family, with younger members maybe not in a position to take it up because of full-time jobs and so on.
Sentiment score: 0.16
If we are honest, and rightly so, successive governments in the past had to introduce drink driving laws and all of that, all of which reduced capacity for people to get to the pub at night. There are lots of factors and behaviour has changed as well.
Sentiment score: 0.50
I would recommend a good, long-----
Sentiment score: 0.66
I will not, so, or I will get into trouble.
Sentiment score: -0.40
First, I thank the Deputy for his comment. I think it is a very fair point in terms of the need for a forward planning unit in the Department of children. There is one now to identify the gaps and the needs of a growing population for childcare services. It will be resourced. It has been a success and impactful in the Department of education relative to the situation prior to that, when perhaps there was not as focused an approach to planning ahead in terms of changing demographics and so forth. The short answer is "Yes", and this is something we are equally anxious to do.
Sentiment score: 0.17
I thank the Deputy for raising this. It is an issue, and as newer technologies emerge, we are getting more crowded road space again. Just as we have begun to segregate cycling and walking from motor transport, we now find that some of those routes are crowded out by e-scooters and e-bikes, which are fantastic for people who may not be as fit as others for getting up a hill and so on. There is always a balance needed between overregulation and no regulation at all, or guidelines in terms of trying to influence behaviour and increase awareness about the dangers of all of this. I will ask the Minister for justice to reflect on the Deputy's presentation. It could be a matter for an Oireachtas subcommittee to take hearings on and see how best we can plan this.
Sentiment score: 0.24
Which one?
Sentiment score: 0.00
I will ask the Minister in respect of this and indicate that the Deputy raised it, although I am not clear from the Deputy's presentation as to why it is still in preplanning or whether there were particular difficulties with the planning.
Sentiment score: -0.07
I will talk to the Minister in respect of it.
Sentiment score: 0.48
First of all, there is a comprehensive European Union legislative framework in place to regulate safe drone operations that is directly applicable in Ireland. I made this point last week in the Dáil. These regulations cover both recreational and commercial use, including commercial drone delivery services. The Irish Aviation Authority, the civil aviation regulator, oversees the implementation of the European Union's drone regulations and standards. While there is a comprehensive regulatory framework in place from an aviation safety perspective, there are areas where the rapid pace of expansion of drone operations has resulted in gaps and uncertainty, and a new policy framework is being developed. Work on the drafting of the policy framework was recently finalised and it is expected to be approved and published in the coming weeks. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, expects to bring the policy framework to the Government before the end of this month. This new policy framework for unmanned aircraft systems will seek to identify and address any policy, regulatory or legislative gaps.
Sentiment score: 0.18
Did the Minister, James Lawless, not dig a sod in the technological university just a couple of weeks ago for a new engineering block worth about €120 million?
Sentiment score: -0.25
By the way, I was the Minister who secured the site for that university-----
Sentiment score: 0.40
-----in terms of a new site to get it developed, and it has been a very great success story. The URDF funding was very significant for Waterford as well, and that should be acknowledged.
Sentiment score: 0.67
I have not seen the economic monitor yet. I would like to see it because there has been there has been significant investment, both public and private, in Waterford - thankfully, because it is a good thing - and in the south east more generally. I will have a look at that. The economy is growing. Unemployment is at 4%, which is more or less equivalent to full employment, so it is difficult to identify how a report could say the economic performance was stagnant.
Sentiment score: 0.07
If the Deputy could send me on the-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
Is it "Lies, lies and damned statistics"? I am not saying the Deputy is saying that. That is just a common quote, before I get into more trouble.
Sentiment score: -0.37
There were many times in Kerry apparently when there were many lock-ins. I would say the Deputy has outdone Leo Varadkar in terms of night life. He is extolling the virtues of going the whole night long.
Sentiment score: 0.12
In terms of night life. Bí cúramach anois. The big issue is about drinking till 2 a.m. This is the first time it has ever been presented to me in the Dáil that the Deputy wants us to go to 3 a.m.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I have the Minister for justice alongside me. He has heard the Deputy's pleas.
Sentiment score: 0.26
He has undertaken to go down to Puck Fair. I will see what I can do to attend as well but I may not be around at the time.
Sentiment score: 0.23
As I said earlier, there are regulations in place under the EU legislative framework to regulate safe drone operations. The Irish Aviation Authority, the civil aviation regulator, oversees the implementation of those regulations. I did indicate earlier that work on the drafting of the policy framework was recently finalised. It is expected to be approved and published in the coming weeks.
Sentiment score: 0.23
I know, Deputy, but we either say "No" to drones altogether because-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
We are the most regulated country. Let the policy framework come up, then we can analyse it. The Oireachtas will have an opportunity-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
We should. We can do that but it is about enforcement and catching people. Fundamentally, it is about behavioural change. Cork is not a dirty city.
Sentiment score: 0.09
The city council and new city administration are working might and main to try to improve the Dublin situation in terms of cleanliness. It has improved significantly. However, the IBAL organisation has done fantastic work in highlighting all of this. Certainly, I would be open to proactive measures to dissuade people from littering. Where they litter away, without any regard for other people, they should be prosecuted and the fine should be significant.
Sentiment score: 0.42