Glacaim leis go bhfuil rudaí ag tarlú anseo agus nach bhfuil an comhairliúchán agus an deis ag pobal ach díreach tar éis dúnadh ansin le cúpla lá anuas. Tá sé deacair é go léir a thabhairt le chéile go tapa ach tá brú ama ann. Tá an t-am ag sleamhnú i gcomhair clárúcháin agus gan dabht beidh tuismitheoirí agus pobal na Gaeltachta ag iarraidh pleanáil i gcomhair an tsamhraidh amach rompu. Tá sé soiléir nach mbeidh an gnáthchóras ann ach go mb’fhéidir go mbeadh cúrsaí laghdaithe i mí Lúnasa. Mar sin, tá sé fíorthábha…

The programme for Government aims to improve public transport. Bus Éireann has recognised a number of areas, for example, across west Cork, through mid-Cork and into north Cork, where improvements are needed. The pandemic has held up a great deal of improvement. Being an optimist, I am looking towards reopening after the pandemic. I see this as a real opportunity to make changes as people are creating new habits and returning to college and the workplace. It was recognised in respect of the Macroom service, which o…

In early March, the Department published a report, Supporting Excellence: Capital Project and Programme Review Delivery. Will the Minister outline how this report and its contents will mean a better delivery of projects for the public?

There was a great deal in the report, covering both pluses and minuses, as the Minister has outlined. One of the issues that arose in the report was a fragmented approach on capital programme delivery across Government, which was resulting in silos forming and that the sharing of information and knowledge was, therefore, being curtailed. Will the Minister outline how this will be dealt with and what learnings will be taken from the report in this area so that there will be better sharing and exchanging of informati…

The report also highlights the need for a dedicated centre of excellence. I am not sure if that is the group of experts to which the Minister referred or if is intended that there will be a separate stand-alone dedicated centre of excellence. I ask the Minister to clarify that point. Will the report be of use in tackling the issues that arose with the new children's hospital and in making sure that the likes of that will not occur again?

The need for flood defences on the upper River Lee in Ballingeary and Inchigeelagh and the River Sullane in Baile Bhuirne has been well established. It is a real cause of concern for residents in the various villages that in the event of heavy rainfall the water will come up from the river in the dark of night and will flood their homes. There is nothing more frightening. People do not know how much of a threat exists. Plans were being advanced. Could the Minister of State outline the progress that has been made to…

The Minister of State is correct: we have discussed this a number of times in an effort to advance the work. The last time the matter was discussed during Question Time it sounded as if the plan for Baile Bhuirne was more advanced, with a view to having an exhibition late last year. At that stage, the construction environmental management plan, as well as an operations and maintenance plan were being completed. An environmental impact assessment report was also being completed. It almost feels like a year has been …

I agree with the Minister of State. I take what he said at face value and that he will be progressing the scheme as quickly as possible. I know the significant effort that has been invested in the matter over a number of years. Many of the reports are desktop studies and should not be impacted by Covid. We need clarity on whether the various reports that looked like they were ready last summer are now concluded. I refer to the construction environmental management plan and the environmental impact assessment report…

I propose to ask a few questions and also to use my two minutes to get some answers. While the proposed changes in the restrictions, such as the removal of the 5 km radius and the opening of construction, were widely discussed and in the public domain for some time, and while people recognise the arguments in each case, the idea of reprioritisation on an age basis did not feature. It appears to have come out of the blue for so many people, such as teachers and gardaí, who were not expecting the kind of change in qu…

Carers are very much on the front line, working up close and personal with people. Many of the people they are caring for will be getting the vaccine, but to set the minds of carers at ease, could the Minister outline the plans to ensure that they will be vaccinated quickly? Carers need to get a clear indication in that regard. I know steps have been taken, but could he indicate the plans for advancing their vaccination to set the minds of carers at ease? Pharmacists are a cohort of people who could be involved in …

I wish to raise two issues, namely, SUSI grants and students' well-being and mental health. The student grant limits need to be reviewed. Families are quickly finding themselves over the limit and students, therefore, ineligible for grants. While the pandemic is putting a downward pressure on incomes and there probably will be more people qualifying this year than in other years, it really should not take a pandemic for people to qualify for a SUSI grant. The income limits must be reviewed. I understand that the Mi…

Tá an-áthas orm páirt a ghlacadh sa díospóireacht seo, nó aon am atá díospóireacht ann ar chúrsaí Gaolainne ach go háirithe le linn Sheachtain na Gaeilge, agus an tAire Stáit, an Teachta Chambers, ag tabhairt an Bhille teanga nua chun cinn. Tréaslaím leis as sin a bhrú chun cinn. Is Bille tábhachtach é seo atá dírithe ar é a dhéanamh níos éasca do mhuintir na Gaolainne a ngnó a dhéanamh trí Ghaolainn agus chun Gaolainn a neartú sa státchóras. Is rud dearfach é sin. Gan dabht, tá Fianna Fáil ag cur cúrsaí Gaolainne …

I acknowledge the significant background work to get students back into the classroom. It did not happen overnight. There was significant relief in many households when students returned to the classroom. The phased nature of the return has been a challenge for many families, with some siblings in school and others out, as well as for teachers' families. There is a particular concern that SNAs and teachers who may be pregnant are at higher risk and that the vaccine is not an option for them. What provision will be …

It is an ambition of many people in my area to own their own homes. It is a reasonable and decent ambition. However, it is increasingly difficult for those on ordinary incomes - engineers, teachers, nurses or those who occupy similar roles - to realise that ambition. Not only is it difficult to get a deposit together when renting, but the prices are moving further and further out of reach. People want to live and work locally in their own communities. They do not want to have to move some distance away to be able t…

I would like to draw the Minister's attention to two issues, namely, bovine viral diarrhoea, BVD, testing and sheep farmers' concerns about dog attacks. At this time of year, ewes are heavy in lamb and sheep farmers are worried about increased numbers of walkers' dogs roaming off the leash on hills where they are a danger to sheep. Walkers are always welcome in the countryside. Walking clubs have worked well and closely with farmers and landowners over many years. Sheep farmers in areas between Macroom and Millstre…

I had a similar question, No. 79, which I would have expected to be grouped. People have been waiting months to get PPS numbers. For example, a lady who is a qualified nurse was waiting from June until October to start work in a nursing home and get up and running. She is an essential worker, as I am sure the Minister agrees. Similarly, a Lisburn man returning from Australia and wanting to get up and running in Cork has been waiting almost six weeks to get his PPS number, facing into Christmas and just wanting to g…

I acknowledge the substantial work staff are doing. The Minister is aware of it as well, as she has pointed out. They are doing it in a very challenging time. I also welcome the 200 extra people assigned to deal with the PPS numbers. That will be helpful. Will the Minister outline what kind of target time she is setting out to achieve? How soon can people reasonably expect that, having made an ordinary application, they will have a PPS number? Will it be a month or six weeks, when it is up and running? Tá sé fíorth…

I am raising this issue because so many constituents are having significant trouble accessing broadband throughout mid-Cork. They need broadband to be able to work from home, for college, to run their businesses and for social use. A great number of people from Ballingeary, to Ballinora to Ballyhea and everywhere in between are in the intervention area and waiting for services. While there is a patchwork of wireless operators, including Rapid and Imagine, they are only able to cover some of the area and many people…

A large number of houses are being surveyed across the country, including a pocket to the south of Cork city. I again draw the Minister's attention to the fact that, despite the size of Cork, there is nowhere within 40 or 50 miles of that where the service is being delivered. It is similar in north-west, west and east Cork, which makes up one eighth of the country. The national broadband plan is being rolled out but areas such as Lissarda, near Kilmurray, Castletown, Coppeen and Togher have been left without servic…

Flooding is a real concern for locals in a wide range of areas in Cork including in Ardcahan, Crookstown, Curraheen, Ballingeary, Ballyvourney and Inchigeelagh. While Cork County Council and the OPW have been advancing different works, there is so much background work that not much has been seen delivered on the ground in many places. People in these areas are worried that they will be facing flooding despite plans being in place for some time. Will the Minister of State outline the plans for advancing defences in …