I want to highlight a pressing issue impacting numerous students and parents in the Castlebar area who are in pursuit of secondary education. Currently both Davitt College and St. Gerald's College are grappling with the challenges of accommodating increasing demand for student places for the second consecutive year. St. Gerald's has raised its enrolment limit under the condition that it will be provided with additional accommodation by the 2024-2025 academic year. Similarly, Davitt College has also expanded its enr…

I want to raise my concerns in relation to children’s disability network team, CDNT, services in County Mayo. Parents of children with disabilities are in a constant fight to access services, often resorting to private care, which is sometimes oversubscribed to avoid long waiting lists in the public system. The waiting lists continue to grow in Mayo at a pace with which the HSE clearly cannot cope. Children are being left behind when early intervention is of critical importance. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbit…

The details of RTÉ's exit packages to its senior executives and managers, including their negotiation and approval process, remain undisclosed. Despite the promises of transparency and reform, what we have heard from RTÉ since last summer suggests that a tendency to hide, evade and obscure the truth is deeply ingrained in its culture. As RTÉ evolves into a leaner organisation in the future, voluntary exit schemes and packages are likely to be offered to future executives. Does the Taoiseach feel that our national b…

I thank the Minister for her response on the hot school meals programme. I compliment her on its expansion. Back in 2019, only 30 schools were involved in a small pilot. Since she took up the ministerial position in June 2020, more than 1,600 schools are availing of it so we are making real progress on this. I also welcome that last December more than 34 schools in County Mayo were added to the hot school meals programme, which is important. I will bring the Minister's attention to two schools in my local area, Cas…

My question concerns applications for the large-scale sports infrastructure fund, LSSIF. When does the Minister of State expect these to open? It is critically important that we continue to invest in sport infrastructure. I would appreciate an update in this regard.

I thank the Minister and Minister of State for their continued investment in the sports capital programme. Their indication that they will open this funding scheme in the first half of this year is very positive news. I know of the important role sport plays in people's lives in Mayo. We cannot but invest in facilities. In Castlebar, we are very fortunate that we have the sports complex at Lough Lannagh but there is a significant appetite to make a subsequent application for a large-scale multi-use sports complex, …

I thank the Minister of State for his response. He might provide me with a copy of the 2019 application that was submitted by Mayo County Council for the Mayo multi-sport outdoor adventure and sports tourism hub. It is critically important that we start working on this application now with the local authority and that we review the previous scoring and application that was submitted to ensure that we have the feasibility report, the operational business strategy, the project programme, detailed cost plan and the co…

I draw the Taoiseach's attention to a matter of concern relating to our expatriates returning home, particularly in light of the recent campaign to encourage Irish construction workers overseas to return home amid the current labour shortage in the construction sector. Our citizens who have spent between five and 15 years abroad are encountering significant challenges accessing banking services, exchanging driver's licences, securing housing assistance, availing of childcare facilities and even procuring motor or h…

While I welcome the significant work that has been done in the special educational needs area and the allocation of a dedicated Minister of State to hold the National Council for Special Education and the Department to account, the distribution of special education teachers is a critical matter that has come up in recent days in many rural schools. Yesterday, I had the pleasure of discussing Clogher National School outside Castlebar with its principal and one of the parents. The school has experienced nearly 100% g…

I, too, share deep concerns around ongoing delays to the Crossmolina flood relief scheme. It is completely unacceptable for the external consultancy firm not to commit to clear timelines for a project as serious as this. It received the supplementary information last November. I call on the Department to provide an urgent update on that timeline. While Deputy Conway-Walsh and I understand that consent under the Arterial Drainage Act regulation is very important, and we need to ensure it is done with diligence and m…

I thank the Minister for his response. I appreciate he is continuously looking to ensure that this project progresses. As I said previously, the urgency of the matter cannot be overstated. The real issue is around the Department's outsourcing of consultancy services due to the lack of in-house expertise. We need accountability to drive this project forward and to make sure the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform is effectively overseeing the transition and that outsourced consultancy services …

On my behalf and on that of the people I represent in Mayo, I pay tribute to John Bruton, a giant of Irish politics whose passing is a great loss not only to Fine Gael but also to our nation as a whole. John's exceptional statesmanship, his unwavering dedication to public service and his honesty and integrity leave an enduring legacy. Reflecting on the tributes today, his love for Ireland and its people is apparent in all his actions, and especially to his Meath faithful. On a day like today, we recall his strong p…

I commend the Government on its leadership. We are making significant strides in respect of housing. All the key housing indicators, including commencements, completions and planning permission applications, are trending upwards, which bodes well for the future. Momentum is certainly strong and building. We are moving in the right direction when it comes to housing. The Department of housing has confirmed that 525 homes were built in Mayo last year, which was the highest number since 2008. More than 3,000 homes hav…

I thank the Minister for her response, which is commendable. Certainly, the recent investment of over €4.5 million nationally to tackle dereliction and vacancy in rural Ireland, including three projects in Mayo, is a testament to this commitment. The projects in Charlestown, Bellacorick and Louisburgh, which involved the repurposing of old and derelict buildings for community use, will certainly breathe fresh air into these rural towns and villages. The diversity of buildings being revitalised - we had a former Gar…

-----Balla with the creation of an economic hub and a remote working hub, these initiatives are certainly adding to re-energising rural Ireland.

From Deputy Tóibín's response, it seems he has no solutions and is just concerned with having a talking shop. The answers the Minister is providing are revitalising towns, making them more vibrant and building community spirit. The conversion of existing structures back into use is a welcome initiative and the evidence of it certainly can be seen on the ground. We have more people now living and working in rural Ireland than ever before. That is helping to create the more sustainable regional balance we require whe…

This question relates to the successful projects under the outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme. We know how important these projects are to local communities. When does the Minister expect to make an announcement on these?

I thank the Minister for her response. Many Deputies will agree that outdoor recreation facilities and infrastructure are vital to the future-proofing of local communities. Certainly the value placed on outdoor amenities and the contribution they make to both physical and mental well-being has never been more apparent, especially in post-pandemic times. We can see how it enhances the quality of life, promotes health and fosters community spirit. I know how effectively the Minister has worked in relation to this in …

I thank the Minister. She should bring her hiking boots whenever she visits because it has made a substantial difference. There are multisport events and adventure races up and down the reek. It has made an enormous difference to the ecosystem around Westport and west Mayo. I appreciate the Minister's input in relation to securing that funding and also the funding for around Cong and Lisloughrey. Thankfully, Cong is now back in the Mayo constituency. In one sense, they were a bit excluded. I am not saying the Leas-…

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this Topical Issue and the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, for being present in the absence of the Minister of State, Senator Hackett, who is responsible for forestry in the Department of agriculture. I raise an issue that is causing significant concern among nearly 300 residents in a small community in Mayo, namely, Craggagh, situated between Kiltimagh and Balla. The community is fearful and apprehensive about the potential overforestation of the area by commercial pla…