Commercial-----

I seek confirmation the Minister's officials are examining the issue of 51-week leases for purpose-built student accommodation and ask for an update on that.

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire. I welcome that because it is an issue of huge concern among students. It is reflective of the wider housing crisis. The delivery of purpose-built student accommodation by large vulture funds is becoming mainstream and common, meaning many students are relying on it, so much so that vulture funds have more student beds in Dublin than all the Dublin universities combined. The same goes for Cork and I am concerned the same will be the case for Galway in time. For the joys of sleeping in …

Yes, but we also need to be frank here. Because of the over-reliance on the private sector, specifically now on vulture funds for providing purpose-built student accommodation, we are in this crisis. Of course I want to see purpose-built student accommodation by universities at an affordable rate. I have a few concerns. It does not seem to me there will be a move towards TUs being able to borrow. It will be an issue of public-private partnerships. That has not worked in the past. I am concerned about that. I am als…

I am asking this question again. Regarding the backlog of apprenticeships for off-the-job training, can the Minister of State update us on what he is doing to tackle this?

The Minister and Minister of State have spoken positively about improving the output of craft apprenticeships. They have also widened the opportunities for people to pursue consortia apprenticeships. However, the current situation is simply not good enough for those seeking off-the-job training. There are around 9,000 people waiting for levels 2, 4 and 6 training, which is a crazy figure. I have been inundated with messages from young craft apprentices who have been waiting for long periods of time, which is, natur…

On the issue of people being trained for level 2 off-the-job training, which is welcome, and those seeking level 4 and 6 training, is it the case that people are being moved from levels 4 and 6 off-the-job training in order to accommodate level 2 apprentices? Have I understood that correctly? That issue has been raised with me a number of times. I would like to get an understanding on that. Registrations are up, which is obviously welcome, but off-the-job training is of huge concern to those impacted, including the…

Will the Minister provide an update on the dentistry school for Cork on which ground was broken but which has not yet been delivered?

Am I correct in thinking that the Minister was there for the breaking of the ground?

Okay, I will have to look back in that regard. Back in 2019, UCC was granted planning permission for a five-storey building in Curraheen but this did not progress. A fortnight ago, the Irish Examiner reported UCC has now "dropped plans for Cork University Dental School and Hospital to move to a bigger site, despite its dean warning that the current building is “untenable” without significant investment". As the dean is reported as pointing out, the current building is "a frail, old building. It’s got a leaking roof…

There are a few things here. Another piece in the Irish Examiner reads: The IDA said this school is “instrumental” in providing care to thousands of patients and training students. “We urge the Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris, the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, and all relevant Government departments to acknowledge that the UCC Dental School can no longer reside in an aging building with outdated equipment and allocate adequate funding to allow for the original plans to proceed,”... It was also sa…

We have almost 9,000 apprentices waiting for off-the-job training who want to build the homes that we so desperately need. This is a real-life impact. I received a message from one such apprentice and he said: Hi, I am an apprentice. I have been working for below-minimum wage as a plumber for the last 17 months. I am still waiting to go to phase 2 for over a year. I feel exploited since I have not been to college. I have been worked to my limits on a wage of €7.52 an hour. I have given all to my craft and I have ha…

It was about the waiting list.

There are 9,000 apprentices waiting for off-the-job training.

An tAire Stáit and I both know the very real impact business closures are having across Galway. This is an issue we see in our cities, our towns and our more rural and isolated areas. In any local town, you will see the coffee shop, the butcher, the local grocery shop, the bars, the restaurants and the hotels. Any one of these closing can have an impact on the area. If we ignore the fact that these businesses are struggling and that businesses are telling us that they are going to have to close their doors, we do s…

Cuirim fáilte roimh an bplé seo ach go háirithe ós rud é go bhfuil an Feidhmeannas tar éis teacht le chéile arís agus is rud iontach é sin dár ndóigh. Tréaslaím le mo chomhghleacaí féin Michelle O’Neill a post nua agus tá mé ag súil le feiceáil céard a bhéas á dhéanamh sna míonna atá le teacht. I welcome the opportunity to discuss this. It is particularly welcome that we are able to discuss what happened on Saturday, 3 February, and the fact that what happened was a very historic and momentous day. It was a day tha…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCeann Comhairle. Bhí agóid taobh amuigh de Theach Laighean inniu le daoine a bhí bailithe ó chuile cheann de na Gaeltachtaí chun aird a tharraingt ar an gá le hathrú suntasach ar an mBille um Pleanáil agus Forbairt (Leasú). Tá siad ag éileamh go mbeidh a gcearta teanga san áireamh sa Bhille nua agus go mbeidh an Ghaeltacht lárnach sna comhráite faoin reachtaíocht. Faoi láthair, tá na cosaintí don Ghaeltacht níos laige sa Bhille molta ná sa dlí mar atá sé anois agus cheana féin, níl daoine …

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as an Saincheist seo a thógáil. Is Saincheist fíorthábhachtach í seo mar gheall go bhfuilimid ag breathnú ar chúram oideachais do pháistí óga sa Ghaeltacht. Táim cinnte go bhfuil sé arduithe agam leis an Aire cheana, ar ábhar éagsúil, an tábhacht a bhaineann le cinntiú go bhfuil seirbhísí ar fáil do cheantrachaí Gaeltachta. Is seirbhís luathoideachais atá i gceist anseo. Tá an t-ionad tacaíochta teaghlaigh ar an bhfód ó 2009 agus bhí deacrachtaí éagsúla aige. Tuigim go raibh ruda…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit. Maidir leis an gceist a bheadh agam i ndáiríre, tá sé soiléir go bhfuil cineál géarchéime leis an ionad tacaíochta seo. Léiríonn an t-ainm atá air, “ionad tacaíocht”, agus an téarma “crann taca” go dtugann sé tacaíocht do theaghlaigh sa cheantar ach, má bhreathnaímid ar an nGaeltacht ina iomláine agus ar na príomhsheirbhísí atá ag teastáil agus a gcaithfear a chur ar fáil sna ceantair seo ionas gur féidir le daoine a gcuid teaghlaigh a thógáil iontu, céard go díreach atá an tAir…

Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as sin. I am glad we are discussing the Bill in the Dáil today and I am also glad to see so many Members have indicated they want to participate in this particular discussion. As the Minister mentioned, I also look forward in the coming weeks to having that collaboration and looking at the Bill in even greater detail because, of course, we are hoping we will see from this a new departure for promoting research and development in this State and not just looking at a reorganisation of ou…