We are, unfortunately, importing too many fossil fuels and the sooner we can get to more and more renewables, the cheaper our energy will eventually become. In the meantime, we will keep the pressure on the companies. We will talk-----
On prevailing side: this member voted with the winning side in 509 of 516 decisive votes (0 abstentions excluded). Read it as a government-or-opposition indicator rather than a measure of influence — the figure is near 100% for members supporting the government of the day and near 0% for those opposing it.
This is the point of the site: contributions keep the party held on the day, not the one held now.
| Party | Recorded as | Contributions | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| FF | Fianna Fáil | 19,180 | 2020-02-20 – 2026-09-30 |
Membership spells on record: FF 1989-06-15–1992-11-05 · FF 1992-11-25–1997-05-15 · FF 1997-06-06–2002-04-25 · FF 2002-05-17–2007-04-30 · FF 2007-05-24–2011-02-01 · FF 2011-02-25–2016-03-09 · FF 2016-03-10–2020-01-14 · FF 2020-02-08–2024-11-08 · FF 2024-11-29–present
We are, unfortunately, importing too many fossil fuels and the sooner we can get to more and more renewables, the cheaper our energy will eventually become. In the meantime, we will keep the pressure on the companies. We will talk-----
We will talk to the CRU. There is a regulator there. The Deputies know that.
The regulator does not agree with Deputy Tóibín's position, but at the same time, we understand fully the pressures on people and that is why are focusing-----
-----on those on lower incomes-----
-----as opposed to giving wealthy people energy credits.
I thank the Deputy for, as usual, a well-researched and detailed presentation.
Sorry, Deputy Cullinane, but it was. Safety in the air is first and has to be prioritised. I will follow this up and talk to the Minister for Transport in respect of it. I know from my neck of the woods that there is a safe zone around Cork Airport where you cannot do anything or build anything and that has been the way for decades. I will pursue the issue the Deputy has raised.
That hospital has been closed for a long time. It may not be easily available for housing, or amenable, given the investment that would be required and the historical nature of the building. Aspects of it are probably listed. I do not know that but I presume so. Every Department, therefore, has to look at it from a value-for-money perspective. It is in a prime location and it would seem to me that it needs to be reused, but whether that is private sector-driven reuse or not, I would be open, given its location. The…
-----the emergency accommodation for Ukrainians-----
It is not just the Minister for housing. It is the Minister for Health and the HSE as well. They are all involved. Come on.
The Minister has been briefed in respect of this and I will be engaging with a number of Ministers on this as to what the current situation is. When the Deputy says "approved", does he mean by the Minister for housing?
It is the Minister for Transport from an airport perspective, but if the local authority is engaging and is facilitative, it may not require its line Minister to approve it also. It probably does not. The new injection of private capital is a very significant development. I will talk to the Minister for Transport in respect of it.
That speaks to the point I have been making all afternoon. The need for grid resilience is enormous. The expenditure will be enormous. There are huge costs on the taxpayer for the expansion of the grid. I will talk to the Minister in respect of the specifics regarding the towns in north Kildare the Deputy outlined. That is perhaps a manifestation of the challenges we face with the growth of industry and population growth, in particular in Kildare where it has been quite exponential. I will ask about more specific s…
There are three significant schemes: the help-to-buy scheme, which is a substantial help; the first homes schemes, which is where the State injects a degree of equity and; third, the derelict and vacant homes grant, which is quite substantial and has enabled about 3,000 houses to become available, whereby people have refurbished such houses and got a substantial grant for doing so. Sometimes, it is possible to combine grants such as the help-to-buy and retrofitting. Those are the measures so far. I acknowledge that…
Tá an-infheistíocht ag dul isteach sna scoileanna, agus ní hamháin sna scoileanna speisialta agus na ranganna speisialta. Tá scoileanna i gcoitinne i gceist freisin. Tá an-infheistíocht ar fad ann. Déanfaidh mé fiosrú leis an Aire maidir leis an scoil seo. Níl an t-eolas agam go mion faoi cad atá ar siúl idir an scoil agus an Roinn nó oifigigh na Roinne ach táim muiníneach go mbeimid in ann dul chun cinn a fheiscint sa togra seo sar i bhfad. Is féidir liom é seo a ardú leis an Aire.
I thank the Deputy for raising an important issue for her constituent, and more generally, as it could affect other people. I will ask the HSE and the Minister for Health to investigate the matter and to provide a note on it.
We would need to have a much broader outlook than that. We cannot make decisions on this on the hoof. I understand where the Deputy is coming from but, on the other hand, we have developed a model of childcare over two decades which involves either community provision, private sector provision or some State provision. The State has tended to support access through grants and the development of the curriculum, as well as access to early education for children with special and additional needs. We had a price freeze …
Career pathways need to be better in terms of remuneration and future prospects.
Internationally, we have been to the fore in advancing the rights of the LGBTQI community, in particular at European Union level. Some member states are beginning to resile in respect of rights for the LGBTQI community. The law is the law in Ireland insofar as we can control that. I will certainly discuss the potential of what was outlined with the Attorney General but I surmise that we would be in a position to continue to recognise valid marriages and so forth. Our position as a society is clear on this.
I said that there would be a policy of prioritisation. We are working with Ireland's Maritime Area Regulatory Authority, MARA, and indeed with others towards that end because some significant projects need to be progressed in the interests of the common good be it energy, water, particularly offshore wind and so forth.