If the Deputy wants to talk about the type of people his party commemorates, here is a photo of his party chair with a member of Hamas. Get over yourself, giving me a history lecture. Here he is - Declan Kearney meeting the leader of Hamas. I think your man from Hamas is dead but Declan Kearney is still here. The Deputy should not lecture me considering the sort of people his party hangs around with.
Sentiment score: 0.20
We do not need any revisionism from him. It is part of his party's support for terrorist organisations across the world-----
Sentiment score: -0.23
-----that has stalled the developments of peace and the release of hostages, who we need to see released.
Sentiment score: 0.40
On the GPO, I will first say this. The Deputy's party welcomed the publication of the Dublin city centre task force report, which the recommendation he is now criticising was in. Maybe he should read the documents in future. Second, the GPO is always going to be preserved under this plan as the historic cultural institution it is.
Sentiment score: 0.09
The GPO is also a massive complex. Let us read the report.
Sentiment score: 0.00
It is not shameful at all.
Sentiment score: 0.39
In relation to Kathleen Lynn------
Sentiment score: 0.00
It is a Republic that your party worked to undermine. They collected the killers of Detective Garda Jerry McCabe from the gates of a prison. Do not dare present yourself as a defender of the Republic.
Sentiment score: -0.20
There are gardaí dead in this country as a result of the actions of the army wing of your party.
Sentiment score: -0.38
You know nothing about defending the Republic-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
-----and here you all are with your Hamas buddies.
Sentiment score: 0.00
Jean McConville. Jerry McCabe.
Sentiment score: 0.00
You had a party for the people who collected the killers of Jerry McCabe-----
Sentiment score: -0.38
-----and you should apologise.
Sentiment score: 0.38
There are gardaí in their graves-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
-----because of your IRA movement.
Sentiment score: 0.00
Ask Jerry McCabe's family about your defence of the Republic. Give me a break.
Sentiment score: 0.05
I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue about BusConnects. I will ask the Minister for Transport to engage with him directly. Perhaps I could also arrange through my office for the National Transport Authority, NTA, to engage and sit down with the Deputies for the area, including Deputy Smith. I am conscious, particularly in his part of Dublin, of how reliant people are on public transport. There has been very significant population growth in that area. I will arrange for the NTA to meet the Deputy and others on the issue.
Sentiment score: 0.34
Yes, we will. I am not aware of the background as to why statements did not take place. They should have taken place and it is important that they do. I genuinely take the Deputy's point about symbolism and flags and accept it. However, this year more than ever, at a time when people across the world are speaking in more hushed tones about inclusion, it is important that this weekend Ireland march proudly in support of Pride, love being love and marriage equality. We have made progress but it is ongoing, as the Deputy said, and in some areas it is under threat. I accept that. We should arrange an engagement on this issue between relevant Ministers, me and others. I will talk to the Taoiseach about how best the Government might take that forward so that, within this relatively new Oireachtas, we can together mark out how we intend to make progress on this.
Sentiment score: 0.33
I absolutely will look into it. Will the Deputy send me the specific details today? I am conscious that I have answered a parliamentary question on the case, but if the Deputy could send me the specific details, I will personally look into the matter today. We are planning changes in one of the forthcoming defence Bills. There are powers available to the Garda Commissioner that I believe the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces needs. Where allegations are made against somebody, the Chief of Staff needs to be able to take action in terms of his or her service in the here and now. There are other arrangements in place in the interim, but I would like that to be on a statutory basis. I will come back to the Deputy directly on the matter.
Sentiment score: 0.10
The Deputy will understand that I cannot comment on a decision of An Bord Pleanála because of its quasi-judicial nature and where things may go next. I do not want to comment on the specifics. On the broader point about housing in Ballina, I will certainly ask the Minister for housing to engage with Mayo County Council and the people the Deputy mentioned. Housing is in an emergency situation. We need to deliver 300,000 homes over the next five years. I will make it my business on my next visit to Mayo to inquire specifically about Ballina.
Sentiment score: 0.02
I thank Deputy Clendennen very much for raising this issue. I have just been talking to the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, who also has responsibilities in this area. I wish everybody well in Ballybritt with the tractor run. I also assure the Deputy there are no plans to do anything that would discommode our farmers or farming community in relation to this issue. As part of the Government's road safety strategy, we are looking at the issue of how we can support farmers in the safety of their tractors. This should be done from a position of wanting to be supportive rather than causing any difficulty, challenge or unnecessary bureaucracy. I know the Minister of State will be eager to keep the Deputy up to date on this matter.
Sentiment score: 0.32
I thank Deputy O'Hara. My understanding regarding Portumna Forest Park is that this is something at the very early stages and that there will be extensive engagement. I will take his feedback in relation to Coillte and its need to engage and listen. The Minister of State, Deputy Canney, has also updated me on this matter. Regarding the former Shannon Oaks hotel, I have heard about it directly in relation to Galway East. I do know it is an eyesore and a source of great frustration, and I will certainly engage with the local authority. We do now have powers concerning derelict sites. I think there is a significant question regarding those powers and where their enforcement lies. I expect this is something the Government will consider in the coming weeks and months.
Sentiment score: 0.19
I thank Deputy Cahill very much for raising this issue. It sounds like a very stressful situation for the school principal, the teachers and the parents and students involved. I will certainly ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and the Minister of State, Deputy Michael Moynihan, who has special responsibility for special education needs, to engage with the Deputy directly and to look into the issues raised in relation to how we better support that school. I will ask the Minister and the Minister of State to revert to the Deputy.
Sentiment score: 0.25
I thank Deputy Murphy for raising this issue. Indeed, I was talking to the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, who has responsibility in this area. Let nobody be in any doubt: this Government remains fully committed to a sustainable An Post and to a sustainable post office network as a key component of our economic and social infrastructure right across the country. The programme for Government is clear in our commitments. I am proud the previous Government agreed an amount of €10 million per annum would be provided for a three-year fixed term to An Post and that that funding was dispersed across the post office network. That has made a very big and significant difference. Our new programme for Government states we will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with the funding needed to ensure its sustainability and the value they bring to local communities. The relevant officials in the Department are now working under the leadership of the Minister of State to deliver on this and are engaging with relevant stakeholders in relation to funding. I would just make one point. Any such funding is going to be to provide space for An Post to continue its own transformation journey. It is a semi-State commercial company and we do need to see that journey of transformation continued.
Sentiment score: 0.24
I sincerely thank Deputy Ó Murchú for raising this case on a number of occasions and for the positive engagement that we have had. I want to put on record today my sympathies to the McNeela family and, in particular, to John McNeela on the loss of his wife, Kathleen, and, indeed, their son, Michael, who died while on peacekeeping duties in Lebanon. He served the State with distinction and I want to thank him for his service and acknowledge that as well. This is a hard case and it relates to a request to transfer a dependant's allowance. I have been convinced, though, that the current system is unfair. It is mean-spirited and we need to fix it. I am pleased today to tell the Dáil and to tell Deputy Ó Murchú that, following an meeting with my officials yesterday, I have now directed them to prepare legislative change so that this pension allowance can be paid in the case of a dependant. It will require legislative change. I have to be honest about that. I will look for the appropriate vehicle, whichever is the quickest vehicle, to bring it in. We have two defence Bills likely in the coming period of time. I see Deputy Conway-Walsh is here and I am sure we will work constructively on trying to make progress in getting this through as well. I am happy to keep in close contact with the Deputy on it.
Sentiment score: 0.25
I thank Deputy O'Gorman. I do not want to bluff; I have not read that report but I will make myself aware of it now that the Deputy has brought my attention to it. I will also discuss the matter with the Minister for the environment. The Deputy's suggestion is a constructive one. On foot of the Deputy raising it today, I will ask the Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, to consider that request that it would visit and I will come back to the Deputy.
Sentiment score: 0.07
We do not disagree on this, because it is possible to do quite a number of things. As Deputy Gannon will be aware, and I will not tell him about his own constituency, the GPO is a massive site. Many people, when they walk down O'Connell Street, see the GPO as the historic piece and as the post office. The GPO site goes significantly far back. This recommendation flows from the Dublin city centre task force, which outlines a number of suggestions. I absolutely believe there has to be a cultural civic element to this. I heard bizarre comments about Abrakebabra and all this sort of stuff being made, although not from Deputy Gannon. Let us get real here. There is a suggestion here of how one best utilises that space and Dublin City Council will be in the driving seat on this. The special purpose vehicle will be under the remit of Dublin City Council and it will be about the city councillors and the directly-elected representatives of the people of Dublin city leading on this project. I am happy to ask that the officials involved engage with the Deputy directly.
Sentiment score: 0.18
I thank Deputy Ó Fearghaíl for keeping in touch with me on this. Let me say to anyone who wishes to illegally camp on the Curragh Plains that it will not be tolerated. We went to the High Court this week in relation to the situation. The Garda has been there. Bailiffs have been there. If you come there illegally, you will be moved on. That is absolutely crystal clear. I thank my officials, the Defence Forces, the Garda and everybody else who are making sure that the laws of this land get upheld. Of course, Deputy Ó Fearghaíl is correct. This is a national resource. It is an incredible resource, not only for the people of Kildare but for the people of Ireland. The programme for Government does give that commitment. There has been good work done. I and the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, are in advanced discussions. I would hope, certainly, I believe, within a matter of weeks, we will be able to bring forward a plan on a way forward that better manages and points out the future direction of how we manage the Curragh Plains.
Sentiment score: 0.23
I thank Deputy Ó Muirí for raising this matter. The Deputy is so right too because one of the big findings that emerged yesterday from the Women's Aid report - I thank it for the great work it does - is the stark need here to act on the domestic violence register and what is often called "Jennie's law". I had the honour of meeting Jason Poole, an incredible man, in relation to his sister, Jennie. The programme for Government commits to working with An Garda Síochána to ensure that a person in an intimate relationship can be informed of a serious risk to them where a new partner has a history of domestic violence. The Minister for justice has requested his officials to examine proposals to establish a register or mechanism which would allow for the disclosure of this information. That is an important step. We are also absolutely committed to expanding both the sexual assault treatment unit, SATU, facilities and, indeed, women's refuge spaces across the country. The programme for Government is clear on that and on supporting the work of Cuan. We established for the first time ever in Ireland, under the Minister, Deputy McEntee's leadership, the first domestic, sexual and gender-based violence statutory agency to co-ordinate our work on this.
Sentiment score: 0.14
The depth of feeling there quite rightly is around this country about the genocidal activity by Israel and support for the Palestinian people is real, guttural and heartfelt. There should always be a very high bar before interfering on anybody’s clothing. In the first instance, these are always matters for boards of management. In light of the Deputy bringing this information to my attention, let me discuss the matter with the Minister for education.
Sentiment score: 0.21
I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I do not have much detailed information before me so I will have to get the relevant Minister to come back to him. I will arrange for that to happen. My understanding is there are two priority deliverables under the strategy for this, 5f and 5g. The first is the development of planning guidelines to support the local authorities, as the Deputy suggested, when assessing the plans for planning applications and the second is the review of the resourcing requirements for key Government agencies in relation to the development of the industry in an appropriate way. I will ask the relevant Minister to come back to the Deputy with timelines for both.
Sentiment score: 0.13