I thank the Senator for the question. I am here on behalf of the Minister for Transport. As the Senator is aware, as outlined in the 2024 regional and local roads programme, the Government is strongly committed to protecting the existing road network. This network is fundamental to connecting people and places across the country. It facilitates business, education, tourism, healthcare, agriculture and the provision of critical services and activities. At this point, it is important to highlight that the improvement…

I thank Senator Lombard. I do not disagree that it is a serious issue, but the State grant funding is allocated on a fair and equitable basis road on road length. Yes, Cork is a vast county. It has a lot of road network and gets a proportionate amount based on that compared to other counties that have less of a road network and get a lesser amount. It is done on a fair and equitable basis. Notwithstanding that, there are opportunities within the council for Cork County Council to identify the road project the Senat…

I am here on behalf of the Minister for Social Protection, who thanks the Senator for raising the issue again. The Civil Registration (Amendment) Act 2014 principally, as the Senator said, amends and extends the Civil Registration Act 2004. The Act was signed into law on 4 December 2014. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, previously outlined to the Senator the sections referring to the law relating to marriages contained under Part 6 of the Civil Registration Act 2004 were commenced in 2015 and these sections primaril…

I thank the Senator for her acknowledgement that some progress has been made and that the technical error has been corrected. I will relay her continued concerns about this matter. The commencement of section 6 will provide an opportunity for all fathers' names to be recorded in the register of births and I will follow up with the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, after this Commencement matter to see if we can hasten the training needed for the HSE registrars.

I thank the Senator for the question. I am here to address the topic on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. The Department is committed to supporting rural Ireland and continues to provide the funding needed for the provision of improved water services in rural areas. The Department’s multi-annual rural water programme, using Exchequer funding, is the main capital funding stream delivering improvements to water services, including wastewater services, in areas of rural Ireland that are without public wa…

It is clear the frustration is real, not just the Senator's but that of the communities of Cooraclare and Broadford and others in County Clare and elsewhere. Adequate and effective sewerage schemes are essential for communities. We are trying to encourage people to live in villages and towns and that is a fundamental part of it. I will bring the information back to the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and re-inform him of the continued frustration of the Senator and people in the area. I will ask him to ask his Department…

I thank the Senator for the question. I am here on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley, but hope to provide some updates new to the Deputy on the proposed development of this multischool campus on the Swords Road in Whitehall. A memorandum of understanding, MOU, between the Department of Education and City of Dublin Education and Training Board, ETB, was finalised in March 2022. This MOU sets out an ambitious agreement between the two parties which delivers strategic benefits across the schools and further educati…

The Senator is right. It is going to be a fantastic campus when it is done. The million dollar question is when it will be done. The Department continues to engage closely with City of Dublin ETB and An Foras Pátrúnachta, the patron of Gaelscoil Áine, to advance the project. I understand the frustration that this is not being seen on the ground. Perhaps communications with the wider school community could be improved. Continued engagement is essential. It is important to keep people on board because it is going to …

We have all watched the events unfold in the US. While many of us hoped for a different result, and a recent poll by the Sunday Independent indicated that 76% of Irish people would have voted for Kamala Harris, democracy moves in mysterious ways so we have to respect the process and respect the result. People in the US have chosen Trump. They know what he represents and they have voted for him. Of course we are on the cusp of our own election here in Ireland and we, too, have our fair share of scaremongers, doomste…

If the Acting Chairperson will bear with me for a couple of minutes, I will make some final statements and he can be on his way. I thank my party colleague Senator Martin for his extensive work on this Bill. I also extend my thanks to Senators Garvey and Higgins for their continued interest in this important area. I welcome the beekeepers to the Gallery. This is an important day for them and for their commitment to their special species, Apis mellifera mellifera . I acknowledge again, as I have done previously in t…

I thank both Deputies. I am open to correction on this but I think species like mountain ash do not seem to be as impacted but certainly it has impacted those plantations and also our native species, which have been here for centuries. It is definitely having an impact but some trees are showing signs of more resilience to it. Teagasc is very active in research in this space. It is trying to identify existing species here that are resilient to it or developing a new species. The ash tree is synonymous with Ireland.…

I thank Deputy Kerrane for the question. As she and everyone in the House knows, I take very seriously the effect that ash dieback has had on those landowners who planted ash under schemes my Department funded over the years. That is why I set up the independent review group last year. Its remit was to review the existing and previous supports available to those ash forest owners. In doing so, the group engaged extensively and at length with representative groups and individual landowners affected by ash dieback an…

I thank the Deputy. As I said, there has been extensive engagement, not only through the independent review group. A significant package has been brought forward. There have been accusations that there have been changes to the scheme. The ash dieback reconstitution scheme was established last year and I have always encouraged people to apply for it because it is the first entry point for any farmer who wishes to avail of the climate action performance payment. There has been no change to that aspect of the scheme. …

The site clearance aspect was addressed by the independent review. Having engaged with all stakeholders, including landowners, it was felt that doubling the clearance rate from €1,000 to €2,000 per ha was a fair picture to paint and price to pay. I accept that there will be examples where people have to pay more. This is a grant to support clearance. In some instances, the clearance might not cost €2,000. I accept that there will be extreme examples - the one the Deputy quoted is pretty extreme - on the basis of wh…

I thank the Deputy for her continued interest in this important issue. As she is aware, the independent Irish Grown Wool Council was established in April 2023 following recommendations from the wool feasibility study. To support this establishment, my Department committed €30,000 in seed funding, as the Deputy outlined. It had its first annual general meeting in February 2024. This Irish Grown Wool Council reorganised its committee structures and appointed an interim chair from 1 March to 1 June of this year. A new…

I share the Deputy’s passion for wool and the value it could provide to society and the economy and, ultimately, to sheep farmers. I am a sheep farmer and we sheared our sheep this week. As we established the independent review, which recommended that the best way to explore the opportunities for Irish-grown wool is through the establishment of the council, we must, at this stage, support the council in everything it does. I would like the council to come back to me to present proposals that might work. Ultimately,…

According to Deputy Connolly, it is woolly enough. I share the frustrations. It seems slow but at least there is a council now.

I absolutely share those as well. In fact, there are small industries already trading in Irish wool, whether that is in the context of fertiliser or production. I accept that it is not large enough. There are companies making pillows and bedding out of wool. I was quite proud that the Irish Grown Wool Council contacted many Ministers attending St. Patrick’s Day parades and give them Irish-grown wool scarfs and gifts – it was 60% Irish-grown wool as we do not have 100% Irish-grown wool products - to bring abroad to …

I thank the Cathaoirleach, welcome those in the Visitors Gallery and thank Senator Boyhan for raising this issue. The farmers' charter review group began renegotiations of the new farmers' charter in early January 2023. The aim of the review group is to agree standards and delivery targets for schemes and services provided by my Department. It includes protocols in respect of applications, inspections, appeals and payments. From my Department's perspective, it is an important expression of positive engagement with …

I thank the Senator. As he said, the charter is imminent. We are very hopeful of having a new charter in place very soon. I understand the importance of having the process completed and of having a charter that is fit for purpose and has the elements of fairness and transparency, which the Senator has highlighted. I will certainly take away the Senator's concerns on cross-compliance. As he highlighted, we have to operate within the legal framework and regulations at both EU and national levels. Ultimately, we want …