Evanne Ní Chuilinn
Nominated by the Taoiseach · Fine Gael · Ireland
“When we talk about empowering girls and women in sport, putting them on a pedestal and making sure they are in the media and public eye, it is important to differentiate between celebrating Irish women in sport and giving out about what is wrong.”
“Today, we had the funding announcement for the women in sport programme. A total of €4 million is going into it. While this is something that happens every year, it is important to acknowledge it when it comes around because the moment we stop acknowledging and calling for it is the moment it falls off the agenda and no longer becomes a f…”
“Online platforms that say they are trying to promote women need to actually do so, rather than always giving out about what is wrong. I have seen social media companies complain and be outraged about something that happened to a woman in sport.”
“I was encouraged to see some of the detail in the Bill around the 125% increase in funding for offices located more than 15 km from the nearest post office. We have seen a couple of issues with post offices that have closed over the past couple of years. We had one close in Bluebell, in Dublin, a couple of years ago.”
“I welcome the Minister of State to the Seanad for this very important legislation. It is a very short Bill but a very impactful one. The Postal and Telecommunications Services (Amendment) Bill 2026 amends the 1983 Act to provide a legal basis for increased State funding to support the nationwide post office network.”
“I am encouraged as well to see transactions up by 10%, which does bode well for the viability of the network. It shows that there is a continued use of the services by the public. I fully support this Bill. As was said, it is very short legislation but very impactful.”
The complete record
Every one of 289 lines we hold for Evanne Ní Chuilinn, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 6.
“One welcome development is that the NTA has made a commitment to expedite construction of the bus stops on the bypass, but, again, we need to make sure it will engage with public representatives for the area and the community to make sure we know what the design of this infrastructure will be and when it will be delivered. I also had communication this morning with a group of residents in Chapelizod who are worried about their kids getting to school in Lucan. We need to look at getting that bus service back to Lucan instead of Liffey Valley. I call on the NTA to abandon this ill-thought proposal of merging the No. 80 route with No. 130 service, which will cause lots of harm, with communities not being able to get buses to and from town. I also call on it to reinstate the No. 26 route with a terminus at Lucan rather than at Liffey Valley.”
“80 service got off to a rocky start, as the NTA described it, it organised a meeting with public representatives to discuss a proposal to merge the No. 80 route with the No. 130 service that serves Clontarf and Talbot Street. This meeting appeared out of thin air, with no consultation with public representatives or, more importantly, the community. This proposed solution would not provide Chapelizod residents with the direct, dedicated link to the city centre that they need. It will instead add further strain and demand to an already broken route. While it would enhance connectivity to the city centre, it would in fact also extend the overall route of the existing No. 80 service from 17 km to 24 km, which is just going to add more delays and more cancellations.”
“80 service have been cancelled, while 11.4% of buses on the route were cancelled last week. This includes the unacceptable case of last Thursday, which saw six cancellations from town back to Chapelizod between 4.20 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. and seven back-to-back cancellations the other way, from Liffey Valley. From the beginning of this year until the No. 26 service ceased operating on October 17, it was cancelled 799 times. The No. 26 was cancelled that many times between January and October. Since its introduction, the No. 80 service has been cancelled 831 times. That is 14 times per day. The No. 80 has been cancelled on more occasions in two months than the No. 26 was in ten months. This is according to the National Transport Authority's, NTA's, open-source data. Acknowledging that the No.”
“To reach the city centre, Chapelizod residents now have to transfer buses at Arran Quay where the C spine and other buses travelling along the quays are already full at peak commuting times, or try to squeeze onto the Luas at Smithfield which, as the Minister of State can imagine, is also full by the time it gets in there, or they can get off on South Great George's Street and walk into the city centre. To make matters worse, not only does the No. 80 not bring them directly to the city centre, it also has one of the highest cancellation rates of all buses in the city, at 9.3% since its introduction in October. While some may think this is because it is a new route and that it will surely improve with time, it has not. Since the start of December, 10.5% of buses on the No.”
“It crosses the Liffey at Bridge Street, travels south along South Great George's Street to Rathmines and terminates at Palmerston Park in Dartry. The new route significantly limits connection to the city centre and is a downgrade on the connectivity offered by the No. 26. The No. 26 service went straight into town. It went straight into the city centre, down along the quays and stopped at Merrion Square. It provided the community in Chapelizod with a dedicated direct link to town, a connection to Heuston Station, both Luas lines and a short walk to the DART as well. It did have some reliability issues, but it serviced the community's needs, providing access to and from the city with only - and this is crucial - a 2% cancellation rate.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this Commencement matter on behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy O'Brien. It is good timing. We have another set of residents of Chapelizod and other parts of Dublin protesting outside Leinster House today. The Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, agreed with Deputy Cummins last Thursday in the Dáil that they should not have to, but I will tell the Minister of State why they are here again today. Hopefully, we can get to the bottom of it and get some movement on this No. 80 bus. I raise the significant challenges the Chapelizod, Islandbridge and south Palmerstown communities have faced with the new No. 80 bus, which came into operation in October. It is now the only route serving Chapelizod village, having replaced the No. 26 in October.”
“I thank the girls and congratulate them for the work they have done. I hope they would consider a career in politics and legislation because they are fantastic role models for their peers.”
“Kate and Saoirse and the thousands of other students who call for greater choice in their school attire are not calling for uniforms to be abolished. They are not calling for school identities to be diminished or taken away. They are simply asking for a choice to be comfortable in the clothes they wear to school. The benefits are not just in comfort but also in their ability to learn more effectively and move more freely. There is a reason I am reading this speech word for word; Kate and Saoirse wrote it for the Seanad. They are in the Gallery today and I welcome them, Saoirse O'Callaghan and Kate Fairbrother. They have done Trojan work over the last ten weeks. They have been with me every Wednesday doing all the work I have described. Jamie and Garrett in the office upstairs have been helping them very diligently.”
“Uniforms are often uncomfortable for many students and inherently limit their ability and their willingness to move. Would you cycle to school in a skirt? Would you go for a kick-about at lunchtime in your slacks and your hard shoes? I accept that schools feel strongly about uniforms and wish to uphold their identity but this can still be achieved through a standard issue, school-specific tracksuit. Having heard feedback from parents and students, traditional uniforms are not always practical and are very uncomfortable for many students. This is particularly the case for neurodivergent pupils. Parents will be all too familiar with the complaints of scratchy jumpers, which not only places a child in discomfort and limits their ability to move but fundamentally limits their ability to learn.”
“In Kate and Saoirse's experience, they find wearing a uniform to be uncomfortable and they would prefer the choice to wear their tracksuits. This is a widespread feeling among many pupils who feel that uniforms restrict their ability to stay active. From their experiences in school, there can be punishments given to students for wearing a school tracksuit on days they are supposed to wear their uniforms, with students often given detention. The feeder primary school down the road, though, allows their students to have the option of wearing a tracksuit or uniform every day because their student council campaigned to make this change for student comfort and to encourage more physical activity. We should be trying to encourage movement as much as possible in a school environment, and not just limiting this time to PE time.”
“Over the last several weeks, I have had the pleasure of hosting two transition year students, Kate and Saoirse, as interns in my office. During their time at Leinster House, they have been learning about the purpose and functions of the Houses of the Oireachtas including the differences between the Dáil and Seanad Éireann and the role of the Government. They have provided administrative assistance in my office and learned about the workings of a political office and the different workflows in political life such as helping constituents, raising issues in the Seanad, debating legislation and so much more. An issue I have raised in recent months and one that Kate and Saoirse have brought up as relevant in their lives is the choice of wearing tracksuits in school.”
“It is really important that we pause for a beat. If we cannot insert the term "dual diagnosis" in a broader context, then we need to find a new term for a very specific case whereby we have these people who cannot help themselves. As other Senators have said, these people are falling through the cracks. It is our job to save them and ensure that they do not fall through the cracks. It cannot be left at us not agreeing on language. I ask that any language problem be addressed. I want to put this on the record. The Minister of State said that it was not just one addiction and it could be gambling, drugs or alcohol. Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs. Alcohol is potent, dangerous and damaging. It is really important that we do not lose sight of the fact that it is not a drug.”
“We are all human and we all have stories about how we have lost friends and family members due to the aftereffects of a dual diagnosis, but we have an opportunity now to admit that we might be making a mistake and either find a new term for what we are talking about or find a way to make sure these people are protected and not turned away. People who work in mental health facilities and addiction services are doing their jobs. Everybody is doing their best in the same way that we are all trying to do our job as well. Sometimes, the job of such staff is to say "No". We have to protect them to let them say "Yes". It is how I lost my brother. He was turned away from mental health facilities and addiction services because of the dual diagnosis piece. Everybody in this room knows somebody who has been treated in the same way.”
“I want to return to the amendments on dual diagnosis. We cannot trip up over language. This cannot be a debate about semantics. If "dual diagnosis" is the wrong term, then find a new term. The Minister of State said that people who presented with mental health problems were being treated for their mental health problems, but we cannot separate the two in these instances. It is really specific and does not apply to a dual diagnosis of a severe learning disability, ADHD or addiction. I do not care if people want to call it a triple diagnosis. We cannot help people if we cannot agree on how to treat vulnerable people. They cannot help themselves and need help.”
“They are more vulnerable than lots of other people in society for those reasons. People with co-existing disorders and addiction and substance misuses are not excluded from admission under the existing Mental Health Act or this Bill. However, I would argue that on the ground, these people are being left behind and they are not getting the access they need because sometimes they do not know how to find their voice to access what they need. I look forward to the explanation as to why we are not protecting these people in legislation. I feel this is an opportunity to do so. I just wanted to put that on the record.”
“I thank the Minister of State for all her work. As she said, she has worked on this for four, five or six years. Everybody in this Chamber acknowledges that and we thank her for it. As the Senator said, everybody who is here cares about this legislation and the people who will be impacted by it. As others have said, this is not a personal thing, but I want to go on the record about the dual diagnosis piece and the lack of understanding, from my reading of it. I look forward to the Minister of State's comments on it. She says it is inappropriate to define dual diagnosis in the Bill because it would then exclude other forms of dual diagnosis. However, people who are suffering from a dual diagnosis of mental illness and addiction have a specific set of vulnerabilities.”
“People in that part of Dublin city are really at a loss and it is getting dangerous. When it is dark it is not safe to stand at a bus stop for over an hour. I would like the Minister to come to the House to discuss the corridor of BusConnects.”
“We have commuters coming from Meath, Carlow, Kildare and all sorts of wonderful places, yet people who live 5 km from the city centre cannot get to work easily. There is a proposed new route. The 130 service would go from Clontarf to Liffey Valley. People in Chapelizod need to get to town. They do not need to go to Clontarf. The NTA needs to talk to us about what the interim measure is before the 130 service even starts. In addition, the NTA was supposed to put bus stops on the bypass before this came to pass and the BusConnects routes and new corridor opened. Those bus stops are nowhere to be seen. I asked at the meeting last Friday if the building of those bus stops could be expedited. I hope the NTA will look at that but, again, where is the communication?”
“The NTA has not been answering representations from councillors, TDs or my office. An emergency meeting was called last week for representatives, but that was in response to media coverage as opposed to representations that had been made. I am not sure where the lack of communication is. I would like the Minister to come in and have a discussion about the NTA and what the immediate plans are. An interim bus is needed for Chapelizod, Palmerstown and Islandbridge to get into town. We have schoolchildren trying to get to school in Lucan, people trying to get to work in the city and people trying to get to healthcare appointments. At a public meeting last night, one lady talked about waiting at a bus stop for an hour and 46 minutes. Chapelizod is 5 km from the city.”
“I want to talk about a campaign that Members will have seen in the media recently about the buses connecting the part of the city in which Chapelizod is located with the city centre. I invite the Minister to come to the House to explain what is going on with the National Transport Authority, NTA, in the context of how it is either communicating or not communicating with the communities in Chapelizod, Islandbridge and Palmerstown. There was a time when six bus routes ran through the village, but because of BusConnects and the plans around that, commuters in the village are now completely cut off from city life, from schools in Lucan and from places in other parts of the city. Some €4 billion is being spent on the BusConnects project. Bus routes have been cancelled without alternatives being put in place.”
“It is very hard to get access to those, and people may actually need five or six different challenges, depending on what their allergies are. More joined-up thinking is definitely needed. The Minister of State is right that it is the start of a campaign. I am disappointed to hear that OIT is not on the agenda. However, we could have more movement on the policy for publicly available EpiPens, from what I am hearing.”
“Another group I met with said this could be done on Zoom with teachers on their Croke Park hours. It is the kind of common-sense stuff that can be done. There are four allergists in Ireland for a population of 5.3 million. Finland, with a similar population of 5.6 million, has 100 allergists. We are just not prioritising this, although allergies are on the increase. We need to be a lot more proactive in how we deal with this and roll it out. There is a very good team at CHI but it is very difficult to get access to food challenges, as I know from speaking to parents. When someone is diagnosed with an allergy by a GP, they are referred to that team. The person will then have to do a food challenge, where they are exposed to, say, a bit of a nut in order to see how they get on.”
“I have the rest of the written response, which I will go through later. I want to reflect on some of what the Minister of State has said. It is really disappointing that there is no plan to roll out OIT in Ireland. The average cost per year for an allergy sufferer is €1,600; this has been worked out and many people have done research on it. The OIT cost would be €4,000 per year, but it would be finite and would only have to be done for a couple of years. The cost per year would disappear or be significantly reduced, so it makes sense to roll this out. In relation to training people to use EpiPens, Professor Hourihane, who is one of the four allergists in Ireland, said it would take 20 minutes, so that is the kind of training that would be needed.”
“I know this matter is not within the Minister of State's remit, but I would be grateful if she could pass on the concerns of tens of thousands of people in Ireland living with these conditions and provide an update on where we are with OIT in Ireland.”
“After the parents delivered third testimonials call, he stood up and said, "It is embarrassing to hear my own patients say the care they receive is lousy despite being global leaders in research in allergen and immunology treatment." As well as publicly available EpiPen kits, longer term progress must be advanced in terms of treatments like OIT so that children are not robbed of the joy of childhood and families can live a normal life safe from the ever-present danger of a life-threatening incident. Will the Minister of State provide an indication for the timeframe to roll out OIT and where the Department stands?”
“The treatments can run into tens of thousands of euro because a child needs to go every six months and that is for just one allergen. A child who has more than one allergen needs to go over and back for years and years. Costs include flights and accommodation because they need to stay for about a week each time. Professor Jonathan Hourihane is a consultant paediatric allergist. He spoke at a briefing here in Leinster House which I hosted on Tuesday alongside a number of parents whose children have allergies.”
“In fact, Ireland is at the forefront in delivering research and development in this area. Oral immunotherapy treatment involves the gradual introduction of increasing doses of an allergenic food to help build tolerance and reduce the severity of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. It is not a new treatment. Due to the data on both its safety and effectiveness, it is widely used across the world to treat allergies. Aside from one programme for under-fives in Cork, this treatment is not available in Ireland. Parents are further adding to their financial strain by travelling to France and other countries to access care over a number of years at great personal cost. Of course, the vast majority of people cannot afford to do that.”
“We all remember Emma Sloan from Drimnagh in Dublin who died on O'Connell Street eight years ago after eating a meal containing nuts at a restaurant. She recognised the reaction she had, went to a pharmacy in the city centre but was denied an EpiPen and died. Publicly available emergency medicine kits at schools and public places makes sense. A similar programme has saved 11 lives in the UK since its introduction 18 months ago. On a more positive note, I have met with a number of advocacy groups, parents and healthcare professionals recently. Even though the risk, danger and worry are what really stand out when we hear their stories, it is important to point out that a life full of limits does not have to be the only way forward. There is a life-changing treatment available.”
“If in a school there are ten children at risk of anaphylaxis due to food allergy, there are probably about 20 EpiPens knocking around the school. All 20 pens are on prescription, all have use-by dates and all have to be replaced at various intervals. The waste alone should by now have triggered a policy and a cross-departmental approach to that policy between the Department of Health and the Department of education. Not only that, but 88% of schools do not have a spare emergency medicine for undiagnosed pupils in their school. Imagine the irony of having 20 or 30 EpiPen in a school and finding that a previously undiagnosed child needs medicine. There is no policy in existence to administer an EpiPen in that instance, leaving the child involved in real danger.”
“All three of Ruth's daughters have severe food allergies and so not only did she and her husband give up working intermittently for five years to care for their girls, but they actually prepared food for every child, 20 children, in their daughters' crèche for five years just to make sure their daughters could attend a preschool programme. Let me move on to the school-going age. There is no overarching policy for emergency medicine to support teachers in schools. The burden of responsibility is put on parents to train teachers and SNAs in the use of their child's EpiPen and also in recognising the onset of a reaction. That is an enormous burden on teachers who are not offered formal training. There is also a policy of no emergency kits in schools.”
“Can the Minister of State imagine trying from now on to avoid, simultaneously, milk, eggs, nuts, kiwi fruit, sesame and raw vegetables? It would be virtually impossible to live a normal life. Now imagine being at school, playing sports, going to college or even dating someone who loves to eat ice cream. It is not sustainable and not fair, yet that is the case for thousands of children and teenagers in Ireland today. Of course, parents bear the brunt of this frustration, worry and financial pressure. On Tuesday, I met one such parent. Her name is Ruth. She explained how her child minder quit following a near fatal incident involving one of her three children.”
“As people can imagine, children in particular are at huge risk of accidental exposure often simply because these allergies first present at a young age and also because children are usually at the mercy of what is being served to them by an adult, be that in school, on a play date or at a party. In Ireland, the standard of care provided following a diagnosis of food allergy is generally limited to the strict avoidance of the allergens and a prescription for an auto-injector or an EpiPen to treat a serious reaction. Before I address a better way forward, let me first point out the gaps in that particular model of care. Children often present with multiple allergies and so could find themselves having to avoid a long list of foods for the rest of their lives.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this matter. Given that she is not based in the Department to which it relates, I really appreciate her being here. I want to raise awareness of what I and others believe is an undeclared public health issue that needs to be made the subject of a legal and policy framework as a matter of urgency. Every day in Ireland, tens of thousands of people of all ages manage the risks of living with food allergies. The constant threat of accidental exposure shapes their choices about what they eat, where they go and even who they interact with intimately or socially.”
“These young people are the future to the talent academies that the Minister of State mentioned. I thank the Minister of State for his time in bringing this Bill to the Seanad. I fully support the Bill and look forward to the future investments in indigenous film and the production industry.”
“While visiting their centre, I had the chance to get a sneak preview of a piece of work that was ongoing, where some local transition year students were exploring the effects of drug use on young people from the perspective of young people who have started using drugs and fallen into debt. It was a powerful expression of life through art and important for them to have the opportunity to explore this issue through performance and production. With the increased funding ceiling for Screen Island under this Bill, I would like to see that Screen Ireland in future could allocate additional supports to youth services like FamiliBase, so that they can continue to provide and enhance this important medium of expression for young people from all backgrounds, and ensure that barriers are reduced through the artistic medium of videography.”
“As such, it is important to ensure that we have visible pathways for our young people who wish to make a life and a career in the arts and the audiovisual industry. This Bill will allow for funding to be sustained and that will have a positive effect on the lower rungs of the industry, which serve as a window or gateway to the industry. An example of one such gateway is the work done at FamiliBase in Ballyfermot, which I visited recently. Young people are given the opportunity to learn about music, video and film production with access to and the use of recording studio and videography equipment. The dedication and work of the staff at FamiliBase provides young people in this area with an avenue for expression and to learn about production of short films and video.”
“At present, as colleagues can imagine, production is heavily concentrated in Dublin and Wicklow, leaving all other regions less developed. An upload for productions filmed outside of Dublin and Wicklow could offset higher costs, develop local talent, support regional economies and build sustainable production capacity nationwide. An additional regional incentive would allow the sector to grow organically through production hubs across Ireland, ensuring we have balanced regional development in the screen production sector. It would also enable crews, actors and production infrastructure to build sustainably across the country and support the economic and cultural life of areas outside of Dublin and Wicklow. The Bill states that training in all aspects of film-making is included in the increased funding ceiling.”
“This will have a hugely positive impact on organisations such as Screen Producers Ireland, the national representative organisation of independent film, television, animation and digital companies. With more than 220 company members, Screen Producers Ireland is recognised as the voice of independent audiovisual production in Ireland and is a key stakeholder in the landscape. I call for future discussion around a section 481 regional uplift. Notwithstanding the two uplifts the Minister of State mentioned, there were calls for an 8% regional uplift in the most recent budget. I know Screen Producers Ireland was grateful for the Minister's understanding and support of the proposal, so perhaps it could be tabled for future discussion at the next opportunity within the Department.”
“The proposed increase to the limit of funding is an enabling provision, as I understand it. This is because, as at 31 December 2024, an amount of €467.63 million had been provided by Screen Ireland since 1980. As such, the amount provided by Screen Ireland since its inception is obviously close to the current statutory limit of €500 million. A ceiling increase to €840 million is welcome and, frankly, crucial. Given we are speaking about audiovisual production in Ireland, I want to acknowledge today's announcement by the Minister, Deputy Patrick O'Donovan, that significant investment will be sustained via Screen Ireland to build on recent successes in film and television production.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here. He has had a busy day in the Seanad today and we appreciate that. I support this Bill, the Irish Film Board Amendment Bill 2025. It is, as the Minister of State says, a very technical Bill, but also crucial to the sustained support of the audio, visual and film industry in Ireland. Essentially, it raises the ceiling on the total cumulative amount that Screen Ireland can invest in the making of Irish films and training in all aspects of film-making, from that €500 million figure to €840 million. Now €340 million is obviously a huge sum of money for the Department to find to fund the industry, so it is encouraging to read in the brief that the proposed legislation will not mean any additional cost to the Exchequer.”
“They all ask us, "When are we going to get our Italia ’90?" We have an opportunity for both senior teams to qualify for the next world cups as things stand. Let us just hope and pray that the teams can continue on this positive wave. I just wanted to pay tribute to the players, all the coaches and the people who make these things happen on the field of play. Finally, I pay tribute to Paschal Donohoe. I will not pretend to understand the level of work he has put into Irish life in his tenure as a politician, as a Minister and at European level, but I will say that since I met him, his generosity of spirit is one of the things that has stood out for me as a new politician, a new Senator. He is so generous with his time and his sharing of knowledge. He is not afraid to share power, and that is a sign of a real leader.”
“The under-17s had a very hard act to follow last Friday night after the exploits of the senior team against Portugal the night before, but they gave us a thrilling penalty shoot-out on Friday night. I am sorry to say that since Senator Andrews stood up, they have gone two-nil down against Switzerland, but we all know what the Irish teams can do when they are behind in big games. There are about 20 minutes left in that match, so the best of luck to them in finishing that off. To Troy Parrott and his teammates, what can we say about the past number of days? As others have said, it was a source of immense joy. Some of us have children who are waiting and waiting to see a major championship.”
“As a former sports journalist, nothing pleases me more than when Irish football makes headlines for all the right reasons on the field of play. I pay tribute to all the Irish teams. They are really showing us that there is a wave of positivity around the game at the moment, perhaps in spite of reported shortcomings at governance level. I pay tribute to all the teams, all the footballers, all the coaches and all the ancillary staff who make these things possible for us to celebrate the way we have done over the past five days. As I said, there is a wave of positivity around the game, the international game in particular, at the moment. It began with Carla Ward's women beating Belgium in that relegation-promotion play-off in the Nations League.”
“It is going to be life-changing for the children who attend the school on Basin Lane but also for the wider community, which I am sure will get the benefit of the facilities.”
“It is an example of the wider need for sporting facilities in Dublin 8 and Dublin 12. There are a few exciting opportunities coming up such as the consultation on Marrowbone Lane in conjunction with Dublin City Council around lands there being converted into sports facilities. New facilities at Donore Avenue will also be launched soon. There will be a multi-sports playing pitch and a new base for Donore Boxing Club. I held a public meeting about the Iveagh Grounds sports facility on Monday night. It is a 17-acre site in Crumlin that will also be redeveloped with the help of its new owners, Trinity College. It is a good news story about sports facilities for Dublin 8 and Dublin 12. This morning I want to specifically congratulate Sporting Liberties on that huge announcement.”
“I congratulate a group of people following the announcement in the past week of a €1 million philanthropic fund for the provision of a long-awaited sports facility and playing pitch at St James's Primary School on Basin Lane. It really is an example of the type of reward that can come with amazing campaigning, fundraising and awareness efforts by Sporting Liberties in Dublin 8. There has been a lot of work done over the years because there is such a need for playing facilities and sports pitches in that area of the city. It is led by J.J. O'Mahony, Tom Magee and other people who have done so much work over the past decades raising awareness of the need. I congratulate Sporting Liberties on the announcement of that €1 million philanthropic funding during the week.”
“As I understand it, the building can house up to 800 civil servants, so options such as moving a Government Department to the site may be discussed or, as was mentioned previously by the Minister, Deputy O'Donovan, perhaps a State body like RTÉ could move back there. In any event, the GPO will remain in State ownership. There is a post office and a museum there and a business plan is being produced by the OPW in respect of the transfer of responsibility. It is important to reaffirm the position that the GPO is not and never was in need of saving. It has been operating as offices, retail and a commercial facility for more than a century and that part of the offering within the historic building will remain. As stated by Senator Fitzpatrick in this House on 8 July 2025, the GPO is not under threat.”
“The Department has been engaging bilaterally with the OPW on the cultural element of any proposed new works at the GPO and has recently joined this steering group. As part of the transfer discussions, the Department is liaising with An Post regarding its subsidiary company's interest in both the arcade properties and the museum of the GPO. The overall plans are progressing in the context of the report of the Dublin city task force, which outlines the redevelopment of the GPO as a cornerstone of proposed improvements to Dublin city centre. The OPW will generate a business plan for the GPO and to date that detail is not ready, but there is no danger to save the GPO from, be that from corporate enterprise or otherwise.”
“I also want to take this opportunity to put to bed any fears about the future of the GPO. Concerns have been expressed both in this House and publicly by way of online petitions and postal campaigns about the GPO and its need to be saved. I am not sure what it needs to be saved from. There is still a working post office at the GPO. Recent figures confirm just under 300 staff are currently working within the offices and postal hall. An Post is at an advanced stage in the process of moving staff to the new purpose-built headquarters. Ownership of the GPO is currently vested in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications. The Office of Public Works, OPW, has established a steering group with the Department, which is currently focused on the legal transfer of the building to the OPW.”
“There is a commitment in the programme for Government to expand welfare services through our post office network. Our postmasters have already shown that they can administer services on behalf of the State and at the Oireachtas joint committee earlier this year the union representatives stated that its members were willing, able and eager to play an even bigger role in the delivery of Government services. A recent survey by the union found that 89% of people wanted more Government services to be delivered through our post office network. It is a stated commitment as well by the Government to deliver on this. It is encouraging to hear the Department plans to work with postmasters on digitalisation and other innovations. Senator Conway has mentioned community banking as another avenue that perhaps could be explored.”