I thank Senator Seery Kearney for raising this issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Passport Service of the Department of Foreign Affairs is responsible for processing applications for citizenship by descent through the foreign births register under the Irish Nationality and Citizenship Act 1956, as amended. As the Senator will be aware, people born abroad may apply for Irish citizenship through foreign birth registration, FBR, if one of their grandparents was bor…

I thank the Senator again for the opportunity to update the Seanad on the foreign birth registration process. The passport service is fully committed to ensuring the timeframe of eight to nine months as we go forward. An average of 900 applications are approved each week, with 29,000 applications currently awaiting processing. The FBR team provides an emergency service for foreign birth registration in cases of exceptional urgency such as for expectant parents or stateless persons. The passport service continues to…

I thank all the Deputies for their interventions and their sustained interest and concern about the situation in the occupied Palestinian territory in Israel. I welcome this opportunity to address the House on the events of recent weeks and Ireland’s ongoing engagement. The escalation of violence and the effects on life in the region are appalling. The scale of the tragedy unfolding before us has affected everyone. We have all seen the incredibly distressing images on our screens night after night of families, incl…

I thank the Deputy. I know how important this issue is generally and in his constituency. I am taking this debate on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath. At the outset, the Deputy should note that the VAT rating of goods and services is subject to the requirements of EU VAT law, with which Irish VAT law must comply. In general, the EU VAT directive provides that all goods and services are liable to VAT at the standard rate, which is 23% in Ireland, unless they fall within categories of goods and services…

I appreciate Deputy O'Sullivan raising this issue and his contributions today. We all know the real importance of the hospitality sector, which is, as the Deputy has stated, a very significant employer across the country, in our cities and towns, as well as in many rural communities. It is a sector where job opportunities exist, ranging from part-time to full-time roles. I am also conscious that it can be a challenging sector to operate within. The Government obviously wants to maintain a healthy and profitable env…

I am sorry. The Minister of State, Deputy Rabbitte, is coming. Would the Deputy like to wait?

Yes, but Deputy Rabbitte is coming.

I thank the Deputy for raising this important issue. Having visited Midleton following the flooding from Storm Babet, I have seen at first hand the devastating impact flooding has for home owners, businesses and the wider community. The catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, programme provided the Government with the evidence to launch a national and proactive programme of 120 additional and new flood relief schemes in 2018. While Midleton was part of this programme, major flooding in December 2015 …

The fluvial event was a one in 100 year event.

Cork County Council is working closely with the community during the remaining delivery of this important scheme. In the briefing provided by the OPW and the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donovan, they speak about different types of flood event. I think they reference one particular event having that time period. I take the Deputy's point on the greater frequency that is being seen there. I am not sure what the specific definition of those flood events was. I understand the importance of bringing security and certain…

I thank Deputy Quinlivan for raising this important issue in the House. The Minister for Health, Deputy Donnelly, is very concerned and conscious of the significant and sustained pressures experienced in University Hospital Limerick. He is committed to ensuring the appropriate supports are delivered to the hospital. In each of the past two years, there were approximately 80,000 attendances at the ED in Limerick, representing a 12% increase on the pre-Covid figures in 2019. While the number of people presenting to t…

I acknowledge the concerns of the local community and the pressures on the staff. Significant resources are being invested in University Hospital Limerick, which has seen an increase in the workforce of more than 160 whole-time equivalents since the end of 2019. Safer staffing levels for ED nursing staff have been reviewed and national approval was received to recruit additional staff nurses. Recruitment for these posts is complete, with 21.5 staff nurses in post since September 2023. The Minister, Deputy Donnelly,…

I thank the Senators for raising this matter. On 30 May 2023, the Government approved the awarding of the next generation Coast Guard search and rescue aviation service contract to Bristow Ireland Limited. The new contract will enable the Irish Coast Guard to continue to provide world-class maritime and inland search and rescue services, environmental monitoring, helicopter emergency medical and air ambulance services, with enhanced mission control and communications systems and, for the first time, introduces a fi…

I thank the Senators for their contributions. I always listen carefully to concerns and the matters raised will be carefully considered by my Department during the transition. We can all agree that the provision of an effective maritime search and rescue service is critical to Ireland as an island nation with a strong maritime sector. The sector depends on the reliability and professionalism of the Irish Coast Guard and all its component parts, including the Coast Guard aviation service, and our citizens rely on it…

Like others, my thoughts are with the children and the carer who were subjected to that horrific attack and I have full confidence in the Minister for Justice. She is a person of absolute integrity and dedication committed to reforming our justice system to make Ireland and our communities a safer place for all. On justice issues, I have absolutely zero confidence in Sinn Féin. I have zero confidence in Sinn Féin as a party giving the Garda the support it needs to deal with the far right who want to undermine and d…

I thank the Deputy for his question. I will give him a different-----

There are other parties in government. Increasing the capacity of Dublin Airport is in line with national aviation policy, which recognises the strategic importance of that airport in meeting national social and economic policy goals and includes a specific objective of developing it as a hub airport with the necessary capacity to connect key existing and emerging global markets. While the importance of the airport to Ireland’s island economy is recognised, it is important to the Government in ensuring the sustaina…

Dublin Airport is a key driver of growth in our economy and the international gateway for trade, inward investment and tourism. In addition, and as the Deputy will be aware, census 2022 showed that Ireland's population had increased by 8% between 2016 and 2022 and by 31% since 2002. While alternatives to air travel, such as rail, can provide essential connectivity for many of our European neighbours, we do not have similar options as an island nation and air transport will, therefore, remain essential for our econo…

The increase in the capacity of Dublin Airport is in line with our national aviation policy, which recognises the strategic importance of the airport in meeting national social and economic policy goals and includes a specific objective of developing it as a hub airport with the necessary capacity to connect key existing and emerging global markets. We are an island economy and have business, tourism and trade interests. Along with this, many people in our communities value the importance of connectivity with Europ…

The trends we are witnessing on roads this year are of particular concern and devastating, with road fatalities and serious injuries continuing to rise. We have experienced a growing trend in three of the past four years, this year being especially worrying. As a response to this trend, the Cabinet approved the drafting of a road traffic measures Bill on 17 October. My Department is working on this short and focused Bill, which will deal with a number of road safety issues. The Deputy will be aware my Department co…