Dee Ryan
Nominated by the Taoiseach · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Employers cannot take on people unless they have a car because their particular place of employment is not serviced by public transport. Workers are frustrated that they cannot get to work on a bus. They would like to be saving some money with the cost of living by using public transport.”
“Having heard my account of what is going on the ground in Limerick, the Minister of State will understand why I am really disappointed with that response. The NTA will be publishing an implementation plan by the end of this year. Is she joking me? What in the name of God is going on in the NTA? Clearly, it has no interest in Limerick.”
“I am nearly even afraid to say it out loud but in the last month, I have heard that it could be 2030, which is unthinkable. Can the Minister of State please tell us what is holding us back and the reason for the delay? Has the local authority completed all the works it needs to do to run the system?”
“I am out on the doors in Limerick every week and frustration with the public transport service in Limerick comes up everywhere and repeatedly. I have parents complaining that they cannot give their teenagers a little bit of freedom and let them off to go somewhere on the bus, so they have to play taxi.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming in to take my question. She is very welcome. I am standing here to ask her if she can, and I really hope she will be able to, clarify for the people of Limerick what is going on with Limerick BusConnects.”
“I thank the Minister of State for that excellent update. It is great to hear that the Department envisages that the pilot will be live before the end of this year.”
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“I am therefore delighted to see the Minister's interest in this because it is an enterprise issue, not just an energy or environment issue. It is critically important to us and our national economy and I am delighted the Minister is factoring this into his work.”
“As recently as today, I met a Valentia development group seeking to develop floating offshore wind infrastructure in their area. My fear is that the message stressing the importance of zoning the deep waters off our west coast for the DMAP is not reaching the Department or getting through to its officials. The Minister might liken the approach being proposed right now – which is to zone the rest of the Irish waters all together and include in these what should be the priority area, the area off our west coast, where the winds are strongest – to peeling your potatoes and putting on your peas at the same time as warming up your oven to put in the chicken. We are not going to be ready - dinner is not going to be ready on time - if we leave the most important component and area for zoning for floating offshore wind until the very end.”
“The Minister is interested in the offshore renewable energy sector as a sector in its own right that will provide employment and stimulate investment in our ports and coastal towns and villages but also as a sector that will attract big, high-energy-use companies in the manufacturing and industrial sector to Ireland owing to the endless supply of green energy we have off our west coast. As the Minister will know, I was a member of the Shannon Estuary Economic Taskforce. I am very familiar with our potential to have floating offshore wind energy infrastructure off our west coast, but I really fear that this message, delivered very clearly by the task force in 2023 and reiterated by organisations such as Wind Energy Ireland, is not reaching those it should.”
“While each area is precious in terms of employment, vibrancy and animation, we must recognise the crucial importance of the larger companies as the drivers and engine of our national economy. I was really pleased to see the emerging themes the Minister is addressing in the action plan. I want to raise with him today the importance of energy and having a sustainable supply of it. With regard to our national competitiveness and ongoing enterprise, I also want to raise the need for Ireland to attract foreign direct investment and the issue of our own companies scaling up and selling. There is a need to supply green energy to companies in the future.”
“The Minister is very welcome to the Chamber. I am delighted to be speaking to him today because I know he gets it. I know from industry and enterprise perspectives that he is well informed. I wish him success in his role and thank him for his opening remarks. I was really pleased to hear about the action plan for competitiveness and productivity and that the Minister is not only considering the vital area of the SME sector, which is indeed our largest employment sector, but also recognising the crucial role multinationals and large-scale indigenous businesses play in driving our economy. Without these large businesses driving our economy, there would not be a trickle-down effect, work to be done in the SME sector, and money to be spent in the retail and hospitality sector.”
“This is a family-friendly walk, with animation along the way. There will be supper clubs, painting and Prosecco, and food tastings. I congratulate the night-time economy manager Craig Power on the work he has done. I wish all the participants well. I have connected a number of local businesses to the initiative already. It is still open for those who wish to get involved. The council is offering free parking in the Potato Market car park in Limerick, and even the taxis - Uber and FREENOW - are offering discounted taxi fares for the evening. Best wishes to all around the country who are participating in it. I thank the local authority, the Department of tourism and the councillors for funding this through their municipal fund.”
“I rise to highlight an exciting new venture taking place in Limerick tomorrow evening. It is the first of what we hope will be a run of successful Twilight Thursday initiatives. Limerick was chosen to be one of nine pilot towns and cities around the country to pioneer this initiative. It is being led by our night-time economy manager. It is all the work of the Government to ensure we are stimulating greater economic development in our towns and cities in the evenings and promoting them as safe and enjoyable spaces for families and people of all ages to come and enjoy in the evenings. There is a range of events on tomorrow evening in Limerick for the first of the Twilight Thursday series. It includes storytelling along the three bridges walk in Limerick, which is already a huge hit.”
“Before I bring the Senator back in, I welcome students from Shellybanks Educate Together National School in Sandymount to the Visitors Gallery. They are very welcome. They are here in the Seanad for Commencement Matters. This is where Senators get to pose in-depth and detailed questions to Ministers. Ministers provide longer than usual detailed answers. The Minister, Deputy Heydon, has just provided an answer to Senator Boyhan and the Senator is going to respond.”
“When we went on to visit other organisations with the gardaí, members of the community access support team talked to us about how much de-escalation of situations fuelled by, or originating in, drug and alcohol addiction they are dealing with. The families in the Bedford Row support centre talked about how their children and their lives are impacted by their loved ones going to prison. I ask that we invite the Minister of State with responsibility for public health, well-being and the national drug strategy, Deputy Jennifer Murnane O’Connor, to address the Chamber and update us on the goals of the programme for Government in this very important space.”
“He went on to meet with members of the business community who are predominantly involved in retail and hospitality in the city centre and then on to the Bedford Row project, a voluntary organisation that provides support for the families and loved ones of prisoners. Finally, we finished at Adapt House, on what was my second visit in just a short few weeks. We wanted the Minister to see the fantastic work being done there by one of the largest women's refuge centres in the country. The common theme across each of the sites we visited was drug and alcohol addiction. The governor of Limerick Prison, Mark Kennedy, and the director general of the Irish Prison Service, Caron McCaffrey, highlighted to us that 80% of prisoners arriving into Limerick Prison are suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, or both.”
“Yesterday we had the pleasure of welcoming the Minister for Justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, to Limerick. He had a very full and busy day, with a long itinerary that started with inspecting the construction of the new Garda station that is under way at Newcastle West. We expect that development to be handed back to the State in the summer of 2026. He then went on to Limerick City, and I accompanied him on his visit to Limerick Prison and to a briefing with gardaí at Henry Street on the community access support team and the results so far from that innovative new pilot programme between HSE mid-west and the Garda.”
“The average cost is somewhere between €500 and €1,000 for the school fees and, in addition, there are bus transport fees, activity transport fees and optional activity fees throughout the year. It is a real pressure on parents. I ask the Leader to invite the Minister for Education to the House for a debate on the benefits of transition year and a discussion on what subsidies, bursaries or supports can be put in place to ensure this year is available to students throughout the country.”
“It can include volunteering with groups, often includes entering competitions like The Big Idea or trying new activities and sports such as, for example, rowing, horse riding, surfing or whatever the school is able to facilitate, and, importantly, trying out new subjects which the students may wish to opt for during the leaving cert programme. Importantly, the ESRI has confirmed that students who complete transition year achieve higher results in their leaving cert and, therefore, while it is not for every student, it is something that should be facilitated and encouraged. However, it can be a very costly year for parents and indeed for many families.”
“I rise today on a joyous occasion in Limerick to congratulate the fourth-year students at Castleroy College who graduate from transition year today. The programme is all about the development of thinking, caring, articulate and self-confident young people. I congratulate the principal, Brian O'Donoghue, transition year co-ordinator, Geraldine McGrath, and all the TY students and their families on completing the year. Transition year is such an important year in the life of a young person. It is designed to act as a bridge between the junior certificate and leaving certificate programmes, and each school around the country designs its own programme, within guidelines, to suit the needs of its students.”
“I welcome Teachta Alan Dillon's guests from Breaffy Wanderers today. You are very welcome, ladies. You have joined us as we listen to statements on driving test waiting times. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, has just made an opening address to the Chamber and now Senators are responding and making points on the issue. I will now move on to the Independent Group.”
“At the moment we are trialling it from within existing Garda resources. That is to ensure that in the case of an emergency call where a policing response is not the most appropriate response, there is a mental health professional on the scene to give the appropriate care to that individual. From speaking to the HSE and the gardaí in Limerick, the initial results have been really exciting for everybody involved. We look forward to briefing the Minister on that next week when he is down.”
“I thank the Minister. That is a really welcome response. We look forward to welcoming him to Limerick next week and for many engagements. Perhaps we will hear more directly from Chief Superintendent Smart on this topic. If we were to have these gardaí released back to Henry Street Garda Station, it would be a much-welcomed addition to our forces in Limerick. I look forward to engaging with the Minister further on that. I commend and thank him and his Department on the support for the community access support team, CAST, which is a pioneering innovation and pilot scheme in Limerick. It further demonstrates the Minister's commitment to trialling new and innovative ways of engaging with the public. This pilot scheme places a mental health professional in a squad car with a member of the Garda Síochána.”
“At the same time, equivalent security duties are being carried out by private security firms in courthouses in Dublin. I welcome private security firms carrying out those tasks, where appropriate, in Dublin. This is what we want to see happening. However, I am asking the Minister - the third Minister of Justice that I have unfortunately had to ask this question of, to please consider releasing gardaí from those non-core policing activities at Mulgrave Street courthouse and give them back to the community for use in front-line policing measures where they are desperately wanted and needed in Limerick.”
“It is a cornerstone in this day and age when recruitment in any sector is challenging. It is a cornerstone to ensure that we are maximising the use of our precious Garda resources. We are in a wonderful position in this country. During the general election campaign, at the majority of the doors that I knocked on people were asking for more gardaí. In the main, there is a great degree of trust in the gardaí. They are very engaged in the community. They are respected and their presence is seen as an enhancement to security by most people in my community. This is why it is critical that I raise the matter of the 16 gardaí seconded from Henry Street station in Limerick who are on security duty in the new modern courthouse in Mulgrave Street.”
“The Central Criminal Court has sat there and I believe that High Court sat in Limerick for the prestigious opening of this new courthouse in March 2018. A few months later, the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland was published. That was a milestone document. It made recommendations on security, safety, enhanced community care, the overall future of policing and where the force is going. One of the most important recommendations it made was on the removal of gardaí, where appropriate, from non-core policing duties allowing us to free up our precious limited resource and get them back to the important core policing duties that we all need and rely on them to do. It is a critical recommendation, and it is the foundation for the onboarding of more civilian employees in to the Garda.”
“I welcome the Minister to the Chamber to discuss this serious and important issue for the people of Limerick. I have been taking about this specific matter for seven years. He is the third Minister for Justice I have raised this issue with. In fact, I had the opportunity to meet with and engage specifically on this matter with one of his predecessors. This issue first came to light in March 2018 when the beautifully designed and appointed new courthouse on Mulgrave Street, Limerick was opened. It was a very welcome investment for us in Limerick city. It provides six extra courthouses. It has vulnerable witness rooms and it has amazing facilities that we really need in Limerick. It has the capacity to hold the Circuit and District Courts.”
“During my recent visit to AdaptHouse, I spoke to Denise Dunne, the director of services, and Leonie Kearns, the chairperson. They highlighted the growing demand for therapeutic talk services, including group work and one-to-one therapy work. The organisation is providing a huge amount of support over the phone. Last year, it supported 1,200 women and 215 children in Limerick and answered in excess of 2,400 calls. Its challenge is that it needs to expand its footprint to provide more supports. I wanted to raise this with the Minister of State because I know we are taking a whole-of-government approach. The service is largely funded through the Department of Justice, the HSE and the local authority. I ask for the support of the Minister of State on the request for funding when it comes to Government.”
“It could be a game-changer for us across the country. I thank the Minister of State for her personal support on that and look forward to hearing the results in due course. I wish to bring the attention of the Minister of State to another fabulous organisation in Limerick, ADAPT Domestic Support Services. AdaptHouse, as we know it locally, is the largest domestic support refuge in the country. Regrettably, I have to tell the Minister of State that the highest incidence of domestic abuse reported in the country is in Limerick. The organisation was founded more than 50 years ago to provide all sorts of supports to women who find themselves in this situation as well as the children they may be supporting. The service started as a refuge where people could go when leaving an abusive relationship.”
“I thank the Minister of State for giving us his time today to discuss this important issue. First, as a Limerick person I acknowledge and thank her for the support she has given the Limerick community access support team. It is a pilot initiative that she and the then Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Deputy Browne, came to Limerick to launch last October. It went live in January and is led by Superintendent Andrew Lacey in Henry Street Garda Station. It places three gardaí into a car with mental health nurses to provide a response that is not just a police-led response to an emergency call. Listening to my colleagues here today and discussing how a timely intervention is so important when it comes to issues of mental health, we are very excited in Limerick about the results we have seen so far in this programme.”
“Creegan has agreed to consider my proposal for a trial Annacotty Business Park loop. The loop would stop on the Dublin Road opposite St. Vincent's special school and proceed to the Cappamore Road and Annacotty Business Park. I raise the matter today to flag it with the Department and to seek the support and consideration of the Minister of State for the proposed trial route.”
“The group is very welcome. We have a vibrant Probus group in Limerick. I hope to have them to the Oireachtas at some stage. I thank the Minister of State for his response. I appreciate its thoroughness. As I said, we are very excited in Limerick about the ambition of the overall Limerick Shannon metropolitan area transport strategy, which had great engagement from people right across the community. People are looking forward to the roll-out of the improved facilities. In fact, we can see the work being done in terms of the provision of improved footpaths and cycle lanes and the development of the turning circle. We can see the capital investment that is happening. I met Mr. Creegan, the acting CEO of the NTA, and regularly engage on this with other public representatives. Mr.”
“The provision of this public transport loop would also have a beneficial impact for St Vincent's special school in Lisnagry, which has more than 500 people working and availing of the facilities there, and indeed for many hospitality businesses on the east side of Annacotty, including Finnegans bar and restaurant, which has capacity for 250 people seated for meals, is under new management in recent years and, with its great new energy, from an employment perspective and a connectivity perspective, could absolutely do with improved connectivity. I thank the Minister of State for his time and ask for his support in a trial expansion of facilities to the Annacotty Business Park, to measure the uptake in the services and the benefit to the surrounding area.”
“There would be a huge appetite to see increased services, not just for the benefits they would bring right now to people who are working there but also for the future development of the park and the potential for the mostly indigenous businesses in the park to expand. As the Minister of State knows, if there are no public transport facilities for proposed developments, then we have to provide car parking spaces. Currently, businesses within the park are constricted in their expansion ambitions because of that.”
“That moves us into the space of becoming a true modern, small but very proud and ambitious European city. We are very grateful for the work that has been done by all the agencies and public servants to date. However, I am talking to the Minister of State today about an important area that I and many stakeholders believe was omitted from those ambitious plans, namely, Annacotty Business Park. It is the largest indigenous industrial park in Limerick county. It is home to 33 businesses and 4,000 employees. They are going into and out of the business park every day and there is no bus stop there. I have engaged with the members in the park and their employees.”
“I compliment the staff at the NTA, the staff at Limerick City and County Council and the many councillors across the metropolitan region who contributed to it as well as the very many stakeholders who contributed to the two years of public consultation and the development of the second iteration of the draft Limerick BusConnects plan, which became the finalised plan and was published in December 2023. It includes an increased frequency of bus services across Limerick city and suburbs, an increased number of new bus routes and the introduction of 24-hour bus services on some routes, facilitating the development of an all-day economy for the first time in Limerick. There is a 70% increase in the number of bus services to be provided to Limerick city and suburbs when Limerick BusConnects is fully operational.”
“The Minister of State is very welcome. It is great to have him here again. I am particularly delighted to get the opportunity to address through this Commencement matter an issue I am particularly passionate about. It is a matter I have been working on for a number of years, that is, the broader matter of the improved public transport and active travel facilities for the citizens of Limerick city and county. Today we are dealing specifically with a proposal I have submitted to the National Transport Authority for the inclusion of Annacotty Business Park in Limerick BusConnects, which we hope will soon be commenced . The ambitious plans included in Limerick BusConnects are most welcome.”
“We must, as other Senators have mentioned, do everything we can to ensure it is dealt with as smoothly as possible and that those impacted by it are supported as much as possible. This is why I would like to commend the Minister for Social Protection, Deputy Calleary, on bringing forward the new jobseeker's pay-related benefit schemes earlier this year to ensure those who have been employed in the SME sector, as many in the workforce are, and who are impacted by insolvency are adequately compensated and supported at a level appropriate to what their outgoings may be over a period on a declining basis. This is at a time when such people are trying to get themselves back together and apply for further employment or, indeed, making the brave decision to start their own business.”
“The Minister is very welcome to the Chamber. I thank him for that comprehensive overview of what is proposed. From our internal party discussions and the utterances of the Minister for Justice, the Minister for public expenditure, Deputy Chambers, and indeed the Taoiseach, I note we are very focused in government on improving agility within the business community here and competitiveness in a European context. We took very seriously the recommendations from the Draghi report of last summer. Again, it is a small technical step but it is one in aligning ourselves with, and ensuring greater cohesion across, member states. Insolvency, while regrettable, is an outcome for a certain proportion of businesses every year.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2015/848 on insolvency proceedings to replace its Annexes A and B, a copy of which was laid before Seanad Éireann on 12th March, 2025.”
“I wish to ask the Minister also what strategies she is going to employ to ensure that does not happen to us and worsen and deepen the crisis we are experiencing. Unfortunately, we know that, according to the HSE's own medical workforce report 2023-2024, UHL, Limerick and the HSE mid-west has the lowest number of consultants per 100,000 of population across the six healthcare regions. This is a real concern to us. I would appreciate the Minister's time to discuss it. The second matter I raise briefly is the demand for better public transport services in Limerick. I have made a submission to the acting CEO of the NTA around the expansion of those facilities for the Limerick metropolitan region. I would appreciate the time of the Minister for Transport to discuss that issue.”
“I appreciate HIQA will be bringing forward a report - we expect it this month - which will have recommendations on long-term strategies to solve the accident and emergency crisis. We will not, however, see any magical bed blocks built by Christmas 2025, so I wish to ask the Minister what strategies she is proposing to tackle the issue this Christmas. We welcome the opening of the Bon Secours private hospital. It will be a hospital handling day cases and so, unfortunately, will not have an accident and emergency. We do, however, welcome that new tremendous facility that is being built in Limerick, which will be the first private hospital of its scale across the mid-west and will be opening soon. There is a concern among people living locally that this will see an exodus of healthcare workers from UHL to private hospitals.”
“I rise today for the first time to represent the Fianna Fáil Party as leader on the Order of Business. It is absolutely fitting that I would raise as my first issue the biggest issue for us in the mid-west, as the Leas-Chathaoirleach will be aware, which is the issue of the University Hospital Limerick, UHL, overcrowding at the accident and emergency department, and the consequent impact on all of us living in counties Limerick, Clare and Tipperary. I ask for the Minister for Health to come to the Chamber for a debate on the accident and emergency crisis in the mid-west. Crucially, I would like the Minister to address what immediate strategies she is going to be bringing forward to tackle the bed shortages in UHL across this coming winter period.”
“I look forward to an update from the Minister on the work he is doing on this crucial issue of a lack of affordable accommodation for students.”
“That is going to place a huge financial strain on many families. The cost of education is not just about tuition. Travel costs are a big factor. Over the course of the election campaign and in my engagements with students at the doors and with Ronan Cahill, president of the students' union at UL, I heard an awful lot about the growing number of students who are commuting to college due to the shortage of affordable accommodation. On a daily basis, people travel to Limerick from Galway and south Kerry. I even heard about a student who commutes from Dublin daily. I worry for those students. I worry about the impact that this is having on the enjoyment of their college experience, about whether it is sustainable for them and about the fact that it might have an impact in terms of their propensity to drop out.”
“Just like other parts of the country, however, the rising cost of education is a huge pressure for young people and families. I acknowledge the reductions in student contribution fees in recent budgets - these were very welcome - and the commitment in the programme for Government to continue to reduce the student contribution fees over the lifetime of the Government. The Minister might give us an update on that. I am keen to hear the work that he and his Department are doing in achieving that objective. I ask that he give due consideration in that work to families with more than one child or dependant in full-time education. I am looking to the future and, like many people of my generation, I am hoping to have multiple members of my household in full-time education at the same time.”
“I know from working with big companies across the region that our pipeline of skilled workers is a critical component in their decisions to locate in the mid-west. We have a collaborative approach in Limerick that involves UL, TUS and the Limerick and Clare ETB working closely with employers to design courses that are aligned with jobs. We develop skills specifically for companies in the advanced manufacturing sector, the medtech sector, pharma and artificial intelligence and we design and deliver accredited courses for An Garda Síochána. This collaborative model is really working in Limerick. Some focus and attention should be given to see whether there are learnings from our experience in Limerick that could be replicated in other parts of the country.”
“We have the acclaimed Limerick School of Art and Design, the Limerick College of Further Education and Griffith College. In addition, multiple courses and apprenticeships are supported by the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board. That is even before I mention the dozens of Skillnets across Limerick and the mid-west that are channelling funding directly into the SME sector across the region. We have more than 25,000 full-time students in Limerick alone, and thousands more studying in a part-time or evening capacity. Education is a vibrant sector and is a big employer of academics, administrative workers. It is also a critical component of the economic model in the region.”
“Since then, we have seen improvements in student grants over successive budgets. We have also seen an expansion of apprenticeships and a stronger focus on lifelong learning. I wish the Minister well in his work, particularly in light of the current geopolitical uncertainty and the as-yet-unquantified economic impact that tariffs may have on us. Now more than ever, we need to double down and put further investment into both higher education and the institutions that deliver it. To use the Minister's words, now is the time to skill, baby, skill. I am very fortunate to be from Limerick, which has a vibrant educational sector. We have multiple institutes of higher education. We have two universities, namely the University of Limerick, UL, and the Technological University of the Shannon, TUS.”
“I welcome the Minister and thank him for joining us in the Chamber and giving us his time to discuss this important topic. I thank our colleagues in Fine Gael for bringing forward this motion and giving us the space to share our concerns, ambitions and desires for this important sector that the Minister has taken charge of. I wish him well with his work. It is important not just to the lives of our young people but to the economic and social health of our country. I acknowledge the progress made under the previous Government. It was my party leader, the Taoiseach, Deputy Martin, who included in the Fianna Fáil general election manifesto in 2020 a recommendation to separate higher education from education to give it its own focus and unique time, recognising the need for a dedicated focus on this crucial area.”
“The objectives of the project are to promote civic pride, foster relationships within communities and protect the environment. It is an event that we are very proud of in Limerick and the organisers hope that in this, its tenth year, a record number of people will participate . It is something I believe could and should be looked at and examined to be replicated around the country to help instil a sense of pride in our local environment and help bring communities together.”
“I rise to highlight an event coming up in Limerick next week which is of tremendous community pride, which I believe should be brought to the attention of the relevant Minister, perhaps the Minister for local government, and which could be replicated throughout the country. I refer, of course, to Team Limerick Clean-up. This is a one-day clean-up that is in its tenth year. Last year, 22,000 people participated on a voluntary basis. They signed up with the organisation and were provided in advance with clean-up kits comprising a rubbish picker, a bag and, very importantly, a high-vis vest and were encouraged to get together with their family, friends and groups of schoolchildren - I know of businesses which have had their employees doing it - and clean up their local areas.”
“I am talking, of course, about the opportunity for floating offshore wind development on our west coast. We must prioritise the designation of zoning in our west coast deep waters to ensure that floating offshore wind with the potential not just to decarbonise our own electricity system but also to export energy into Europe and to generate income for the country through a new source of revenue is accelerated. That will mean accelerating designated maritime area plans, DMAPs, of the west coast and investing in our ports.”
“We need to support not just the companies that exist today but also our start-ups and companies of the future so they have the opportunity to be as competitive as possible. We have to ensure they have direct access to our EU marketplace from right across the country, not just the east coast. I am thinking specifically of Limerick and the mid-west, where Shannon Airport does not have year-round daily business connectivity to the EU marketplace. I will speak to the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, and Minister, Deputy O'Brien, about that in the future to ensure we are supporting competitiveness and connectivity. Not to be trite, but we cannot waste this crisis. It presents us with the opportunity to refocus on other opportunities for economic development and independence.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. I would like to reflect comments already made about the reassuring, calm approach that the Tánaiste has taken this morning. That has been echoed in all the Ministers' comments which I have heard on the media this morning and in President Ursula von der Leyen's comments too. The cool heads which are approaching this trade issue and potential trade war are most welcome. We have to control the controllables, which is why this Government's commitment to investment in infrastructure is more important than ever, with rapid, accelerated delivery of water, grid and rail. It is crucial to ensure our competitiveness. I would add regional air access to that list. Our membership of the EU and our access to the EU marketplace are critical.”
“In fact, planning has been granted for a total of 253 homes on the site but we have yet to hear what progress has been made on the project since the tender documents were issued last June. A construction company has not been appointed. I ask the Minister to make inquiries and get an update on that crucial project in Raheen.”