I thank Deputy Doherty for this important question. It is an area on which I can empathise. Many community groups have given so much of their time to bring in festivals that contribute to the local economy. I spoke with Barry O'Neill about the Rory Gallagher festival earlier this week and the concerns he has, some of which the Deputy outlined. I have to be careful about what I can do as regards contacting the parent company. When an entity goes into liquidation, the rules are very clear and prescriptive in legislation. Obviously, there has also been a High Court challenge taken. As I said to Deputy O'Flynn, when that takes place and crystalises, I will look at what I can do in the years proceeding. Some of these festivals will be key to local areas going ahead in the next few years. I do not want to make any promises because it is very early days yet. This has only happened in the past ten days. We want to see the events crystalise. I will do all I can, working with the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan. I want to see festivals take place in the communities that derive so much from them.
Sentiment score: 0.23
No one in this House, in any political party or none, wants to see any child in poverty or deems it acceptable, might I add, that any child would be in poverty. That is why we are doing everything we can as a Government to ensure we are assisting. Let me demonstrate some of the facts. First, regarding the target, in figures produced by the CSO, we have reduced child poverty from 8.5% in 2024 to 7.8%. That is too slow, but it is progress. Our child poverty unit is doing a huge amount of work. In budget 2026, we increased the under 12s child support payment by 16% and the over 12s payment by 25%. We increased the income disregard for one-parent families and increased the fuel allowance. We provided hot school meals and free school books to support families who are under pressure. We had a €320 million package in budget 2026, specifically to address child poverty. That is the policy the Government has embarked upon. We have a child poverty unit to try to ensure children get access to care and the therapies they need, as well as being supported in their family unit to ensure, in every way possible, that we are reducing child poverty. I have no doubt this is something that drives everyone in this House every single day.
Sentiment score: 0.05
I appreciate the Deputy's contribution. I will raise the matter with the Ministers for education and children. As a Government, we really need to ensure that children get access to early intervention. I know the July provision has been a huge success but we have to do better. I will take the Deputy’s contribution and bring it to the attention of both Ministers.
Sentiment score: 0.33
The Deputy has a significant concern in relation to his constituent who is absolutely waiting too long. I will raise the issue with the Minister for Health. However, we have done a huge amount in relation to primary care improvements and reducing waiting lists. We have had an intervention specifically to reduce waiting lists. I will raise this specific issue which the Minister for Health and bring it to her attention.
Sentiment score: 0.20
We have had a very strong response to immigration with the asylum and migration pact, which this House has adjudicated on and voted on, and which the Council of State has also adjudicated on. We are now very clear in terms of processing applications quickly in a 12-week period-----
Sentiment score: 0.50
-----ensuring that we have a very strong robust network throughout Europe to deal collectively what immigration. One thing I will not do is lean into people's fears like the Deputy is. I will not validate prejudice like he tried to do.
Sentiment score: 0.18
What I will do is work to ensure-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
I will work with the Minister for justice, Deputy O’Callaghan, and the Minister of State, Deputy Brophy, to ensure that we have a firm immigration system-----
Sentiment score: 0.72
------that we have a fair immigration system and one that is hard on traffickers and smugglers, and where we decide the policy ourselves.
Sentiment score: -0.13
I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue for his area. I will raise it with the Minister in question. I do not have the knowledge of the specific issue in question but will raise it with the Minister and get her to revert to him directly.
Sentiment score: 0.19
I thank the Deputy for her very important question on tourism. Since December, we have had a new plan, A New Era for Irish Tourism, which seeks to increase employment to 250,000 from 228,000, bring our domestic revenue up to €5.8 billion annually and bring our overseas revenue up to €9 billion, which will be significant growth for the tourism sector. Mayo will be front and centre to that development. I look forward to working with the Deputy on a number of capital projects we have in gestation to ensure that we are supporting the key infrastructure there. Westport has a huge ability to attract visitors. I was with the Deputy visiting a number of the organisations and people who work to support Westport as a town. I know the great work she does in supporting them through Government policy. Westport House is another key area that we can support through Government intervention. I look forward to working with the Deputy to ensure that Westport and, indeed, Mayo benefit from our tourism strategy.
Sentiment score: 0.56
I acknowledge the Deputy and the work we are trying to do on this significant asset. As he knows, we had a meeting with the key players who have the decision on this - the Department of Transport, Galway County Council and my Department through Fáilte Ireland. At that juncture, I advised them that our capital expenditure schemes would open from September of this year but I need a proposal that I can work with. I cannot fund through Fáilte Ireland the full capital and acquisition costs to bring this up to a level that would be amenable for visitors. I need to work with other parties to do that. If I get a proposal through Fáilte Ireland, I will be happy to work to bring it to fruition. The issue has been raised by a lot of people. Senator P. J. Murphy has been very much the forefront on it as well. We will do anything we can with the local authority and the Department of Transport but we have to work together. That is the key message I have.
Sentiment score: 0.18
The Deputy has raised an important area. I will have to revert to the Minister, Deputy O’Callaghan, to get a timeline because it is not under my jurisdiction. It has progressed through the Houses significantly. We will find out where it is at for the Deputy.
Sentiment score: 0.05
I will forward the query to the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, but I am not aware that we underfunded any local authority. We give local authorities funding, particularly for roads, but they have to, essentially, prioritise their budget on where the acute need is. It is important that Dublin City Council has a budget to repair roads. To have it committed this early is pretty alarming. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, and forward the Deputy’s concerns in that regard.
Sentiment score: 0.18
I thank the Deputy for raising an important point around the support for people with muscular dystrophy. It is a very debilitating condition. Obviously, from the interest and number of people who turned up to the audiovisual room, the will to support can be seen. I will raise it with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. A significant amount of resources went into the Health Products Regulatory Authority, HPRA, and the drugs approval process in the context of budget 2026. New people were hired to get through the process quicker. I will raise the Deputy’s concerns with the Minister and ask her to revert to the Deputy directly.
Sentiment score: 0.30
I absolutely know the value of our Local Link services. I see it clearly in my constituency in bringing people of all ages to their destination, be it for education, appointments or just to bring people into their local town to do their grocery shopping. I will raise the issue of the 199 service with the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, and ask him to get a response from the NTA. In good faith, I hope the service goes ahead because Local Link is an absolute gem to rural communities. It is important we prioritise its increased proliferation right across the country.
Sentiment score: 0.41
I am happy to raise it with the Department of agriculture and the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon, to get a response for the Deputy. I am not fully appraised of the situation and, therefore, I do not want to put anything on the record that I may not be fully aware of. If it was suckler cows, I might have been able to come back to the Deputy directly. When it comes to poultry, I cannot do so, unfortunately.
Sentiment score: 0.01
I thank Deputy Burke for raising this important issue. I know he is a strong supporter of healthcare, particularly through his work on the health committee, to ensure that people of all ages get the adequate care they deserve. I will raise the concerns he has with the Minister for Health. Hopefully, we will have a capital programme. The Deputy quite rightly pointed out the saving that we have embarked upon in the acute hospital setting through capital infrastructure to support people like that. I will absolutely raise it with the Minister for Health. I know he is very much engaged with her on those key issues that affect people in their daily lives.
Sentiment score: 0.42
I thank the Deputy for his important question. I know the Minister for justice is linked in with the Garda Commissioner in this area because adequate cover for An Garda Síochána to do the enforcement work that is necessary in this area to fulfil the requirement to ensure communities are safe has been raised. I will bring it to his attention that the Deputy raised it. I know the Minister is working on a solution with the Garda Commissioner for An Garda Síochána.
Sentiment score: 0.42
I thank the Deputy. I do not propose to engage in "He said, she said" on the floor of the Dáil because I am not-----
Sentiment score: 0.05
I am not aware of the debate myself in connection with-----
Sentiment score: 0.00
I am not aware of the debate. I am not a witness to have heard what was said where and when between the two individuals the Deputy referred to. I cannot be because I was not there. He is asking me an absolutely impossible question.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I cannot imagine the trauma that Paudie and his family are going through. It is a very distressing case that the Deputy has outlined, particularly on a number of fronts. I will raise it with the Minister for Health. I do not have the knowledge of the individual case to give a substantive response, but I will raise it as a priority with the Minister. I hope things get better and that approval does come.
Sentiment score: 0.16
I will revert to the Minister in relation to the Deputy's query. Crucially, we have seen through negotiations over the past number of weeks the very significant budget that the Department of education has right now to support families across our country and to ensure that children get the education they need and deserve. I will raise the Deputy's concerns with the Minister and ask her to revert to him directly.
Sentiment score: 0.26