Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Ghníomhach. Tá an Ghaeilge go flúirseach aici. Déanaim comhghairdeas le gach Ball a bhí páirteach sa díospóireacht iontach seo. Cloisim gach Seanadóir agus na smaointe a roinn siad liom. Tá an ceart ag Senator Higgins go bhfuil Raidió na Life go hiontach agus tá na hamhráin agus an ceol ar Raidió na Gaeltachta ar fheabhas ar fad freisin. Caithfidh mé a rá gur breá an rud é dom deis a bheith agam labhairt leis an Teach i dteanga na tíre seo agus teanga atá á labhairt, á foghla…

I thank the Senator for raising the matter. I welcome Kelly-Marie to the Public Gallery. In many ways, the response that I have is inadequate for the request that the Senator has made for Eve Lynne. I am cognisant that the words on this paper do not reflect the reality and the lived experience of so many parents, as he has rightly said. I have a strong connection with the disability sector in Cork and have been vocal on the matter, with the Senator, in this House. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of t…

I feel inadequate reading a reply to the Senator and Kelly-Marie this morning. I am told that St. Michael's House has assured the HSE that it is striving to improve waiting times experienced by some children. I know that the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, at the behest of the Tánaiste, is committed to making changes and improving the situation. As the Senator knows, a number of initiatives are being taken to address the list. They include webinars, which he referred to. They are perhaps not adequate in some ca…

I am conscious of the need, as are Government and the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, to address the challenges in the provision of services for children with disabilities and their families. I again commit to working with Kelly-Marie on behalf of Eve Lynne. The Government is fully committed to advancing the progress of recruitment and retention of staff to enable capacity-building in CDNTs. Notwithstanding the comments the Senator made, it is important to acknowledge that CDNTs are currently providing services…

-----with 93 teams across the country. I accept there are varying degrees of service provision. The teams are also providing strategies and supports for urgent cases as the waiting list for staffing resources allows. In 2025, €10 million was made available for children's services, building on existing recruitment issues, with funding focusing on various positions across CDNTs, with new therapist posts, staff grade posts, health and social care assistant posts and clinical trainee posts. I reiterate that the Governm…

I sure do.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta as an ábhar seo a ardú. I thank Deputy McGrath for raising the matter. Like the Deputy I want to pay tribute to the staff in the Passport Office and to acknowledge the work that they do. The passport service is currently experiencing a high level of demand for passports, as citizens prepare for upcoming summer travel. The Department of Foreign Affairs has operational and staffing plans in place and the Passport Office is successfully responding to the current level of demand, and ha…

I congratulate the Acting Chair on her nomination to the Seanad. Comhghairdeas leat. I also congratulate Senator Gallagher on his re-election and look forward to working with him in a different capacity. We always had a good working relationship under the confidence and supply arrangement and in government, which I hope continues. I thank the Senator for raising the important matter of the N2. As he said, it is a road that has a high accident rate. The number of fatalities is incredible. As he said, people have los…

I thank the Deputy again for raising this important issue. As we all know in this Chamber, passports are an important topic for us in our offices, especially as we approach the Easter and summer holidays. I assure Members of the commitment of the passport service and which I think we all agree is an excellent service. It is in an excellent position to deliver the demand forecasted for the rest of the year. Last week alone, 35,000 passports were issued, which is a staggering amount. In the context of the Deputy's co…

I take the Senator's point regarding the project being moved forward and the issue of surveys being undertaken. As Members will be aware, due to the outlined funding constraints for national roads, a prioritisation exercise was deemed necessary in line with the NDP and Government policy. The Minister for Transport has allocated for national roads in a manner that seeks to achieve a number of outcomes, namely, the protection and renewal of the existing road network, progressing major projects under construction, pro…

I offer mo chomhghairdeas don Cheannaire, an Seanadóir Seán Kyne, as ucht a phoist nua. Beidh sé go hiontach sa ról sin, is dóigh liom. I congratulate the Senator on his appointment and thank him for raising this very important matter of the N59. In total, €411 million of Exchequer capital funds was provided for national roads through TII through local authorities in 2024 with €14 million for national roads in Galway under the national road allocations announced earlier. Allocations for 2025 will be announced in th…

I accept the Senator's comment that he is disappointed by the reply. The national roads allocation for this year will be announced in the near future. The Government is committed to funding road projects and the N59 fits into this category. As the Senator knows, the project is progressing and is a major project in terms of being in or near the end of construction. It comes under the national roads framework in terms of protection and renewal, enhancing road safety and is in line with national development policy and…

I thank Senator O'Loughlin for bringing this matter to the attention of the House. I am responding on behalf of the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence who cannot, unfortunately, be here today. He has asked me to convey his apologies. To be fair to the Senator, she has raised this matter on numerous occasions in this House, including in her Private Member's Bill. As we all know, the Curragh, as State land vested in the Minister for Defence, is recognised as a working environment for the State's Defence Forces, as wel…

I thank Senator O'Loughlin for her comments. As the Minister with responsibility for defence, the Tánaiste is the custodian and guardian of the Curragh lands pursuant to the provisions of the Curragh of Kildare Act 1961. Under the latter, the Curragh Plains are recognised as a working environment for the State's Defence Forces, as well as being a place of historic and cultural importance. As I have stated previously, the Tánaiste remains fully committed to pursuing a modern and sustainable regulatory model in the m…

Tá an tAire sa Seanad ag plé le Commencement Matters.

Déanaim comhghairdeas le gach aon duine a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht iontach seo. Cosúil le gach duine eile, níl mórán Gaeilge agam, ach tá beagáinín agam. Táim ag foghlaim na teanga agus tá an teanga an-tábhachtach do gach duine, go mór mór sa Dáil agus sa Seanad. Mar a dúirt an tAire, an Teachta Calleary, is teanga bheo í an Ghaeilge, beo de bharr go bhfuil pobal teanga againn sna ceantair Ghaeltachta agus in áiteanna eile ar fud na tíre, sna líonraí Gaeilge agus bailte seirbhís Gaeltachta go háirithe. Tá cáil …

Tairgim leasú Uimh. 1: Go scriosfar na focail go léir tar éis "Dáil Éireann" agus go gcuirfear an méid seo a leanas ina n-ionad: "a thabhairt dá haire go bhfuil an Rialtas tiomanta do chosaint agus do chur chun cinn na Gaeilge, agus go bhfuil geallta ag an Rialtas deiseanna a leathnú do scoláirí freastal ar Ghaelscoileanna agus ar Ghaelcholáistí; go n-aithníonn sí: — go raibh tionchar dearfach suntasach buan ag an bPolasaí don Oideachas Gaeltachta ar scoileanna agus ar phobail Ghaeltachta, rud a d'fhág go bhfuil mé…

Ar an gcéad dul síos, gabhaim mo bhuíochas leis an Teachta McGreehan as an rún seo a chur os comhair na Dála. I thank Deputy McGreehan for raising the matter of dog control legislation. I share the Deputy's sentiments. She has very eloquently expressed the concern of many people across our country. As she said, that 88% of hill farmers have had their animals attacked is an extraordinary statistic. When we served in the Seanad last year, the Deputy introduced the Control of Dogs (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill. As M…

I thank Deputy McGreehan again and I share her view. It is important for dog owners to be aware of their responsibilities, not just for the public but also for their dogs. The Deputy is right; accountability, awareness and human responsibility must work in tandem. In 2024, a major national awareness campaign entitled, "It's not your dog's fault, it's yours", was launched by the Department to alert dog owners to their responsibilities and to raise awareness of the dangers posed to people and livestock by uncontrolle…

I congratulate the Leas-Chathaoirleach on her election and elevation to the position. She will bring distinction to the role. Comhghairdeas leat agus beir bua. I thank Senator Cosgrove for raising this matter. I apologise that I do not have a copy of the written reply for her. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Education. I will ask the Department to liaise with the Senator afterwards. I apologise sincerely to her that I do not have a script for her. As the Senator outlined, Grange P…