The Deputy may have heard the Minister and me speak this morning about the amount of money we are spending on community development and the importance of community. We are very much aware of the auditing requirement for moneys that are allocated and given and the need for transparency and accountability. In saying that, the Deputy has outlined, and we know from our own experiences, that some of the costs being incurred by organisations in fulfilling their duties and requirements do not make sense. The Minister and …

I thank Deputy McGuinness for this very important question. He is right that Dr. Shane Conway in the University of Galway is taking a future-looking approach. I am aware of the initiative and know there is a similar synergy and relationship in the State of Pennsylvania. I certainly hope to explore that further. I will happily talk further to the Deputy away from what is happening in the Chamber because this is a social initiative for older farmers. As the Deputy well knows, farmers do not just retire. They have a l…

I will conclude on this point. We need to continue this conversation. Perhaps the Department and the committee could do further work on it as well.

As the Minister outlined earlier, the approach being taken by the Government in Our Rural Future is one that we are looking to develop in terms of taking action to support further rural development and initiatives such as those we discussed this morning to combat social isolation. I will happily chat further with the Deputy on the matter.

I thank Senator O'Loughlin for again raising this matter. She is, to be fair, continually representing the views of people, including their frustration. I share her view that the management and protection of the Curragh Plains are all of our responsibility. I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister for Defence who, unfortunately, cannot be present and asked me to convey her apologies. She is attending the PDFORRA conference. She asked me to respond on the matter and thank the Senator for raising it. As the S…

I thank Senator O'Loughlin for her comments. I thank her for accepting the bona fides and good intentions of the Minister. As she said, it is important we get this right. I have not got clarity on the timeline but I will bring her views back. I reassure her the Government is committed to the implantation of the recommendations in the plan to address both the opportunities and challenges. It is included in the programme for Government, which highlights its importance to the Government. I reiterate my thanks to the S…

I hope I am here less than the Acting Chair.

I thank the Senator for her advocacy. I can hear the frustration in her remarks about the mythical Navan rail line. I know many of her predecessors have been raising the matter in this House as well. I am taking this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport. I am pleased to say that I have definitive answers to give the Senator about this matter. The national transport strategy for the greater Dublin area sets out a framework for transport investment across the region for 20 years from 2020 to 20…

I thank the Senator for raising the matter on an ongoing basis and for her advocacy. The greater Dublin area transport strategy framework has a window for investment. The rail connection between Dublin and Navan was examined as part of the development of the strategy and, based on that examination, it is included in the final plan. The strategy aims to see the delivery of the project between 2021 and 2026, and under the national development plan funding is allocated to advance the Navan rail line project to the sub…

Could I make a comment? Congressman Kennedy is a good friend of mine. His election to Congress was an extraordinary day for Irish-America. To his son, céad míle fáilte. Every year, Congressman Kennedy sends me a birthday greeting. He is a true friend of Ireland. As a Minister of State, I have worked with him on transport and connectivity around his beloved state of New York. We are very fortunate to have a man of his calibre working with us in the US Congress. I thank the Acting Chairperson for his indulgence.

I am listening to the Deputy. I am not just-----

I am sorry, but Chair?

I have heard everything the Deputy has said.

I have heard everything the Deputy has said and I will reply to him.

I will. Do not worry.

Ar dtús báire gabhaim buíochas leis an Teachta Daly as ucht an rún seo a chur os comhair an Tí. Gabhaim buíochas leis na Baill a ghlac páirt sa díospóireacht an-tábhachtach seo. Deputy McGrath is right. We cannot have this debate in isolation, and it goes back to Deputy Heneghan's contribution about the turmoil in global energy markets. I make the point that in this debate some people are running to the hills to have their social media posts up. They want to score cheap points and do the kinds of things that some p…

Táim fíorbhuíoch de na Teachtaí Ellis agus McAuliffe as an ábhar seo a ardú sa Teacht. Táim ag caint thar ceann an Aire Oideachais. Tá brón uirthi nach bhfuil sí anseo chun labhairt faoi Ghaelscoil Uí Earcáin. Bhí an Teachta McAuliffe mar dhalta san fhoirgneamh 40 bliain ó shin. Bheadh a sheanathair bródúil as. Molaim dó as an obair atá á déanamh aige ar son na scoile. The important point that both Deputy Ellis and Deputy McAuliffe have raised is that the project is to provide a new replacement 16-classroom primary…

Táim ag éisteacht leis na Teachtaí McAuliffe agus Ellis. Tá a fhios agam go bhfuil díomá orthu leis an bhfreagra. Táim ag tógáil an t-ábhar seo thar ceann an Aire. Mar a dúirt mé, tabharfaidh mé freagraí na beirte don Roinn agus don Aire. I will disagree with Deputy Ellis on one thing. This Government is committed to the Irish language. Táimid ag méadú an líon scoileanna, buiséad Roinn na Gaeltachta agus úsáid na Gaeilge sna scoileanna agus sa phobal. I understand the frustration and the depth of disappointment of …

I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for Transport, who sends his apologies. The Government is strongly committed to providing all citizens with reliable sustainable mobility options. Public transport plays a key role in the delivery of this goal. Improving public transport services and infrastructure is central to improving all people's quality of life. As the Deputy mentioned, the Limerick-Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy sets out the framework…

I share the Deputy's point that the Department and the Minister and Minister of State are fully supportive of investment in rail. The Deputy's ambition for north Tipperary and the areas he has mentioned is correct. The All-Island Strategic Rail Review will be the pillar on which we will outline our approach, that is, the Department's approach, to sequencing and optimising the recommendations in the coming years. The important point is that, in the short term to 2030, the prioritisation strategy specifies a number o…