The local improvement scheme has been very successful in supporting rural communities to repair the key part of the road network, the first couple of hundred metres that people drive each morning and the last couple hundred metres that they travel on as they make it home at the end of the day. It is essential funding on a key part of the road network. Roads have taken a real hammering again with the weather over recent weeks. Is there a plan to release additional funding and improve that scheme so that this part of…

It was very welcome news when the scheme was reopened a number of years ago because it is a very practical scheme, supporting the rural road network. The conditions were modified at that point and they have caused a great deal of difficulty for some people. Even with a cluster of houses on a road there is a requirement for the landowners and herd numbers to be recorded as part of the application. That is not always practical because in some rural communities the land might be let, somebody might be in a nursing hom…

The recent storms have done so much damage to the rural road network, and right across the country various councils have been doing repair works. They have been applying for top-up funding to carry out those essential works. As regards the local improvement scheme, the council will not do any repair work on those roads at the end of the network. Those roads are just as likely to have taken the same hammering as any other roads around the county. There is an acknowledgment that there is a need for additional funding…

The seniors alert scheme has delivered peace of mind to many people, with alarms or pendants and monitors. With an ageing population there is likely to be increased demand. What plans does the Minister have to expand the scheme and to avail of newer technologies to make the scheme even better?

Many volunteer groups, such as Pobal ar Aire in Cúl Aodha and Kilnamartyra and community alert schemes in areas such as Clondrohid use the senior alert scheme to support older people and vulnerable people in their communities. They have done great work in delivering peace of mind and practical support to people. There are areas where a phone signal is not available. There are homes that do not have a landline. Other people have broadband available to them. The Department is using some additional technologies and th…

Looking at the demographics, clearly, we are living longer and healthier lives. There are increasing numbers of older people and likely to be increased demand for this scheme in future. In north-west Cork, the population aged over 65 is that bit greater than the rest of the country, so we expect there would be even greater demand in our community. We wish to try to establish if the Department is making it increasingly available to more people. Is the capacity in this regard being increased so more people can apply …

Locals, including medical professionals, have been highlighting their concerns with me about difficulty accessing GP out-of-hours services around Macroom, especially at weekends. They find they are having to travel further to Bandon and possibly to Kinsale Road to get cover at weekends. When this question is raised with SouthDoc, there is no satisfaction. When it is raised with the HSE, directed on from SouthDoc, the response is that there is no issue and that it is providing cover. People in Kanturk were getting v…

I am really excited about the tourism potential that exists across the Lee Valley. At one end of it, we have the globally-known Blarney Castle, right the way up through the Gearagh and on to Gougane Barra, for example, and there is zip lining, activities in Coachford, cultural tourism and so many other opportunities. Will the Minister outline the plans to promote the Lee Valley and whether a five-year plan can be established for that?

I thank the Minister regarding her acknowledgement of the current situation locally after the torrential downpours and the pressure people are under. Support will definitely be needed to help with the clean-up and to get them back up and running. People are just stunned by the volume of rainfall and are dealing with it. Focusing on the tourism potential of the Lee Valley, there is a broad offering. Having spoken with Fáilte Ireland officials again more recently, I know it has been making efforts to put in place a p…

The opening of the new N22 Macroom and Baile Bhuirne bypass will make east-west tourism flow much more freely. It means the thousands of tourists who disembark in Cobh and face west will be able to reach their destinations that much faster. Instead of getting to Killarney any faster, why would they not spend more time in the Lee Valley and places such as Macroom? Tourism products such as liners take some years to plan ahead. We really need to be getting a foothold in this tourism product and promoting the Lee Valle…

This question focuses on increased funding for sport for women and how the allocation in this year's budget will be implemented to encourage greater participation of women in sport.

There is often focus on the international teams and the national bodies but the real nuts and bolts of it happen on the ground. The Minister of State had the opportunity to visit Naomh Abán's mothers and others team, St. Val's in Kilmurry and Éire Óg's camogie and ladies' Gaelic football teams. Deputy Murnane O'Connor is an enthusiastic supporter of women in sport and she would have mentioned many local organisations. We see the day-to-day energy and enthusiasm in local organisations and it is very important that t…

There are several groups of people, including those whom we want to encourage into sport and those who are involved in sport whom we want to retain. I am involved at a number of levels with Naomh Abán's ladies' Gaelic football team. Throughout ladies' football, playing careers are getting shorter and shorter. Girls are dropping out at age 16, 17 or 18. This is similar in other sports and so many other clubs. Is there an initiative that can be taken to ensure people stay with the sport or, if they do not want to sta…

Tá plé le fada ar straitéis don Ghaelainn laistigh den chóras oideachais ina iomláine ón réamhscolaíocht tríd an mbunscolaíocht agus an mheánscolaíocht agus ar aghaidh chuig an tríú leibhéal. An dtabharfaidh an tAire tuairisc dúinn maidir leis an dul chun cinn atá déanta leis an straitéis sin a chur i gcrích? Cad é an scéal is déanaí maidir leis?

Tá gá leis an straitéis seo. Tá sé an-tábhachtach agus is cinnte go bhfuil céimeanna dearfacha á dtógáil do na scoileanna Gaeltachta, mar a luaigh an tAire, mar aon le céimeanna éagsúla eile laistigh den chóras ach feidhmíonn na céimeanna seo mar chuid den straitéis ina iomláine. Tá sé fíorthábhachtach go mbeadh straitéis iomlán ann don tslí go léir ón réamhoideachas tríd na bunscoileanna agus meánscoileanna agus ar aghaidh chuig an tríú leibhéal. Cloisim go bhfuil roinnt taighde déanta ag an Roinn ach tá sé seo ar…

Is cinnte go bhfuil céimeanna dearfacha á dtógáil. Is ceann de na céimeanna seo é an t-aitheantas do scoileanna Gaeltachta. Sna Gaeltachtaí éagsúla ar fud na tíre, tá an-chuid de na scoileanna tar éis iarratas a dhéanamh chuig an scéim agus tá siad ag obair i dtreo an stádas sin a bhaint amach. Is córas fada é an córas chun stádas mar scoil Ghaeltachta a bhaint amach agus, fiú nuair atá an chigireacht déanta, ní chloiseann an scoil ar ais. Tógann sé tréimhse mhaith ama sula bhfaightear an cháilíocht. Cén chúis leis…

First, I must declare an interest as a member of the board of management, a past pupil, and the parent of a student. I speak on behalf of so many locals about our pride in Coláiste Ghobnatan, our school in Baile Bhuirne, which provides such fantastic education services locally. There is a very strong team of staff there, as well as facilities. We need to advance that building. Could the Minister outline the up-to-date position in advancing that building?

Táimid an-bhródúil as Coláiste Ghobnatan agus as a foireann. Tá an-chuid á déanamh acu ann agus iad ag cur córas oideachais iontach ar fáil don phobal. Tá gá leis an bhfoirgneamh nua sin le fada. Is maith an rud é a chloisteáil go bhfuil sé anois ábalta dul ar aghaidh i dtreo an chórais phleanála. An dtabharfaidh an tAire soiléiriú ar na céimeanna eile atá amach romhainn chun an foirgneamh nua seo a bhaint amach? It was originally intended to advance a plan for the school in 2016 and it has taken some time to get t…

Táim ag fiosrú mar gheall ar an slí inar féidir tacaíocht a thabhairt do chomhlachtaí beaga atá ag freastal ar phobail áitiúla. Will the Minister consider expanding the range of financial supports available to a wide range of small retail and other domestically focused businesses that are serving markets and people with a range of services locally?

I acknowledge the work of the LEOs and of an t-údarás in supporting local businesses, whether through training courses on starting your own business and the mentoring the Minister outlined or through various other advice and support services. However, many of these smaller businesses face issues. For example, Conor wanted to have a three-phase power supply installed in a workshop. A panel beater serving a local community needed a paint shop. A hairdresser and beauty salon needed to get a lot of capital equipment to…