I introduced the whole concept of special needs assistants to education back in 1998. The numbers have grown expediently since. We are now at 25,000 SNAs. In any honest way, how can the Deputy suggest there are cuts in the number of SNAs when it is the opposite direction? In fact, the Government today approved further investment in education, which will mean more special needs assistants above the 25,000 for the 2026 to 2027 school year.
Sentiment score: 0.29
The campaign is a flawed campaign. It is a false one.
Sentiment score: 0.00
We do not need to save SNAs because we are expanding the number of SNAs. We actually have more SNAs.
Sentiment score: -0.16
We have more investment. The Deputy is searching for votes. I understand that.
Sentiment score: 0.00
We are actually investing more. The Government has approved more investment in SNAs today.
Sentiment score: 0.21
There comes a time when one has to accept the bona fides of the Government on this. We have worked with Keir Starmer's Government on this.
Sentiment score: 0.19
We had a very good outcome on this, thankfully, when we got the British Government to agree. We are very confident that they will receive redress and that they will not be disadvantaged on receipt of redress in terms of whatever welfare or benefits they may be on in the United Kingdom. That was a good outcome of the UK-Ireland summit that we had in March. That is what we want to do.
Sentiment score: 0.56
I thank the Deputy for raising the question. We are increasing investment incrementally year-on-year in this area. We started from a low base in respect of CAMHS-ID. I think there is an extra €2 million for that specific area in this year's budget. We are going to increase that. Recruitment has been challenging but we are going to expand it and are going to continue to expand it. There are about 45 people working in that area at the moment but we need more obviously. We are going to continue to invest and expand.
Sentiment score: 0.25
My understanding is that consular services are being made available to those involved in this. The Deputy has not defined what he means by direct action. We will do everything we can to uphold the human rights of any Irish citizen in any jurisdiction. That will continue. We will continue to do that. The courts and the legal system in a given country will also have to take their course. We do not have the capacity to interfere or intervene in the court processes and the hearing of a particular case, but we can and do advocate for citizens so that their basic human rights would be respected in all circumstances.
Sentiment score: 0.11
First, it is not a simple decision not to fund. That is not a fair way of putting it. I have spoken to the Minister for Health on this issue. As the Deputy knows, there is a legislative framework governing the reimbursement of medicines, particularly for rare conditions. This is a very sad case with very difficult circumstances for the family. I have spoken to the Minister and I will continue to engage with her this week. I cannot promise anything today. The health technology assessment was not positive in terms of how they do their work. It is an area on which I will come back to the Deputy.
Sentiment score: -0.15
I thank Deputy McAuliffe. I certainly will try to help him to get the background to what happened here if he could feed more information and details to me. As he is aware, the Dublin Fire Brigade ambulance service covers the Dublin area. It is unacceptable that a woman would be lying on the ground for four hours. I will get a response from the ambulance service for the Deputy.
Sentiment score: -0.02
In fairness, the NTA and the airport regularly engage, and resources have been made available. However, I will speak to the Minister in respect of the general area. He is well aware of it. Again, the airport authorities and the NTA have a lot of resources. They have a lot of their own resources, or the airport certainly has. There are times too when these agencies need to get on with it. It is not always at the Minister's desk.
Sentiment score: 0.20
There has been a huge investment in the reform of A and E services. We need to focus in on the management of the resources within given hospitals. The Deputy said the person had a stroke.
Sentiment score: 0.11
Any person with a stroke should not be sent home in the first instance. That is a clinical issue. That is what would jump out at me immediately. Having to come back a couple of days later is a worry from a clinical-outcome perspective. I do not know whether the person has made a complaint or whether the Deputy has done so on his behalf. That should happen because then we could track and get answers and responses. That should not happen. There is no excuse for that.
Sentiment score: -0.12
I do not want to get into specific interventions in terms of mixed tenure or the approach at any given site of the LDA. We have indicated to the LDA that it can do more than social and affordable housing and move into the private-provision area as well to get a broader mix. It is a very good development, with 779 homes. Many big developments are now coming under the aegis of the LDA. It really is the key national intervention in housing at the moment. Thousands upon thousands of houses are under its stewardship right now, and thousands more are in the pipeline. As it evolves, I see as flexible and broad a mix as possible. I am sure the LDA will take on board what has been said in respect of the Richmond Village site.
Sentiment score: 0.20
I thank the Deputy very much. I pay tribute to her on her initiative on the legislation, which she introduced. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Harris, and the Minister of State, Deputy Robert Troy, about when they expect the amendments to come forward. I will revert to the Deputy because I believe it is important legislation, particularly for those with cancer and survivors of cancer. This Bill will be of great benefit.
Sentiment score: 0.04
A new roof probably does not fall under emergency works but probably falls under some project. An entire new roof would be substantial-----
Sentiment score: 0.08
-----but I will talk to the Minister.
Sentiment score: 0.00
I know but the minor works scheme is for lesser works. I am not going to get into that but I think it is a project in itself. I do not know where the project is in terms of the various stages with the Department but I will talk to the Minister for education in respect of it.
Sentiment score: 0.21
I appreciate the Deputy raising the issue. Certain aspects of construction are covered by the schemes but not machinery yet. However, I will ask the various Ministers covering agriculture and transport to have a look at this. Again, we have made progress on a number of fronts. We have to await the detailed development of the schemes in terms of contractors and farmers. The transport scheme is nearing completion. I will talk to the relevant Ministers.
Sentiment score: 0.16
I thank the Deputy very much for raising the issue. It is a very interesting survey which will inform policy development in time. There has to be significant consultation. I will talk to the Minister and ask her to perhaps engage with the Deputy on the next steps. I did not quite get the point the Deputy made about Gaeilge. We will talk later.
Sentiment score: 0.23
Gaelcholáistí.
Sentiment score: 0.00
They are not sheds.
Sentiment score: 0.00
The Deputy is just playing politics by calling them sheds. If they were not for rent, they would be not sheds. It is so hypocritical. If we came in and said planning exemptions for relatives or for sons and daughters for buildings outside, such as residential units in the back garden, would be introduced, they would not be sheds any more according to the Deputy, but the minute we said they would be for rent, they are sheds. This is what he is saying. It makes no logical sense. There are potential costs of up to €80,000. Those are not sheds.
Sentiment score: -0.09
The Deputy is already making up his mind before anything is built. Does he care about supply at all? Does he really care about it? Is housing just a game in here where we keep on shouting names across at each other? I think the planning exemptions are good. They will release planners from all the small stuff that goes on such as attics and Velux windows, which people go on and on about.
Sentiment score: 0.25
I think I might have met with people at the very beginning and I did outline that the initial work had to be done to make sure that current funding was available and that it was aligning with existing plans because the land has been donated voluntarily and freely and a huge amount of voluntary fundraising has taken place. I will ask the HSE what the state of play is now to make sure we get this moving.
Sentiment score: 0.66