Fiona O'Loughlin
Administrative Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Some 400 remote working hubs were also put in place, particularly following the Covid-19 pandemic, when we all had the realisation that some work - not all work - can be done remotely. The local enterprise boards are doing an incredible job in rural areas. I am speaking from experience.”
“I join the Cathaoirleach in welcoming both the Belgian ambassador and my friends Joeleen and James. Anyone who has visited Chat N' Chew in Newbridge will have met Joeleen. I certainly hope her lunch today will be up to the usual standard at Chat N' Chew. It was lovely to meet with our former colleague Catherine Martin last night.”
“Continuing the theme of Kildare connections, she is a grand-niece of the late Rathangan author Maura Laverty, who wrote many books and wrote the very first soap opera for RTÉ, "Tolka Row". We wish Áine well on her retirement. I wish to talk about a serious issue relating to the blueway.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her positive response. In terms of premises, I had meetings with Jigsaw over the years in Newbridge and we did look at various premises. No later than yesterday, I spoke to the chief executive of Kildare County Council in relation to this.”
“We know young people are showing signs of stress or anxiety and that it is a very stressful and anxious world. Interventions can be made at this stage. The reason I have tabled this Commencement matter is that I have been advocating for a long time for Newbridge to have a Jigsaw service.”
“I always hate talking about these figures, but in terms of the rate of youth suicide, Kildare has the highest rate in Leinster. According to CSO figures, 14 people died by suicide in Kildare in 2023, in 2022 the figure was 26 and in 2021 it was 27. Demand is rising sharply for services.”
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“For example, a second bridge is needed in Newbridge because so many people traverse the town centre using its only bridge. We have housing developments on four sides of Newbridge now. We need to have this second bridge. I understand Kildare County Council recently provided €150,000 to help make a business case for it but it is only one part of the outer orbital route. It is crucial that we have that route and a new secondary school, because the secondary schools are full. Young people have to be bused out of Newbridge to go to school. We are to have a new secondary school on the edge of Kildare town, which will solve the problem over the next few years for the Curragh, Kildare town and the Newbridge area, but Newbridge absolutely needs to have that.”
“I welcome the Minister to the Seanad. We are pleased to have the opportunity to talk to him about some of the most pressing issues in our communities and throughout the country. I join my colleagues in wishing the Minister well with the arduous task ahead of him. He has hit the ground running and I have no doubt he will continue to work 24-7 on this difficult area with ingenuity and with many stakeholders. Housing cannot be siloed within the Department of housing. Working with local authorities, Irish Water and many different agencies, we can and must deliver more houses and sustainable communities. Houses are being built - I see this day after day because a lot of building is going on in Kildare - but the infrastructure we need is not keeping pace.”
“That practice is just driving the practice into Blessington. Many people I know in Ballymore Eustace are using Vista and out-of-hours services, so something is wrong. I will respond with an email to the Minister and copy the Minister of State on it. I will also contact the HSE directly. I thought it was important enough to bring up as a Commencement matter here.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response. He stated that additional emergency appointments are provided in Ballymore Eustace as required, with appointments also available at the Blessington practice. My understanding is that additional emergency appointments are not being given. There are no same-day appointments in the Blessington practice. Some people have had to wait weeks for that. I appreciate there are some areas where there is a shortage of available GPs. The Minister of State's response was that while a GP cannot be directed to open a practice in Ballymore Eustace, there is a GP who wants to do that. I question how one GP can hold on to a contract that has been reduced from four clinics to two, with one of them on a Monday. That is absolutely wrong. It is being ignored by the HSE.”
“A doctor is prepared to go in and give a full service in Ballymore Eustace but is precluded from doing so. The fact that there are only two clinics per week, and on some weeks only one, means the population, which is growing, is not served. I feel strongly that the Minister of State is in a position to help deal with this and ensure the people of Ballymore Eustace get the full-time GP practice they need and deserve.”
“Eventually, they got another clinic, which meant there were three clinics a week, but given that one was held on Thursdays when the pharmacy was closed, it caused difficulties for people who attended the clinic and needed to get prescriptions. Covid-19 then came along and there was nothing for two years, including vaccinations. A doctor from Naas approached the HSE about coming, using the extra times and being able to give vaccinations, and the local population were delighted that this could happen. On the agreed day, however, when the doctor went to the clinic, the locks had been changed and the HSE said that it could not happen. Eventually, after two years, here we are back down to two days on Mondays and Tuesdays . I feel very strongly about this issue and I recently met with Margaret Pearce and with Rose in that regard.”
“Over the first summer, however, without any consultation with the HSE or the local people, that was cut to two clinics, on Mondays and Tuesdays. Given that on bank holiday Mondays, the practice would not open, that meant there was a service of just one clinic morning a week, which is totally inadequate. The practice was trying to encourage everyone from Ballymore Eustace to go to Blessington, which is a distance away with poor public transport, and for people who did not or could not drive, it was a huge inconvenience. A number people got together to organise a protest and to lobby on this. Rose Barrett O'Donoghue, a good friend of mind and somebody who is always to the forefront of trying to do what is right for Ballymore Eustace, spearheaded that, along with Muriel Maguire and the late Bernie Toomey.”
“I thank the Minister of State for being here to answer this question. My query relates to Ballymore Eustace, a beautiful small town in County Kildare between Naas and Blessington. It has a population of 1,700 people and is growing all the time. In fact, it has the highest number of older people in Kildare, according to the most recent census. The issue I raise relates to the lack of adequate GP clinics. There was a full-time clinic in Ballymore Eustace and about 15 years ago, a GP based in Blessington, whose name I will not mention, took over the practice. Initially, the agreement was that there would be four clinics a week in the HSE premises and that, therefore, the local population would miss one day.”
“I was the proposer for the Bill and it will be put back on the Order Paper this week. It is beyond time for us to deal with catfishing.”
“This is a rural part of Kildare where people are quite vulnerable and dependent on this delivery five days a week. I had the opportunity to call to the daycare centre on Friday to thank Albert, Fred and the other staff and to wish them well. There were tears on behalf of the service users and the staff. It was very sad. I am disappointed that the Minister of State did not meet the group, as he committed to here. Finally, I raise the issue of catfishing. It needs to be taken seriously. Teenagers are being misled daily and adults are being manipulated by fraudsters preying on people’s vulnerabilities and loneliness. The consequences can be very serious and far-reaching. I pay credit to former Senator Lisa Chambers, who authored a Bill to deal with this issue.”
“While today is a good day for commuters, last Friday was the start of bad days for daycare and meals on wheels services in Allenwood. The meals on wheels service in Kildare South delivered almost 40,000 meals in 2024. There were 11 different providers, of which Allenwood was one. Now, there are only ten. The Leader will recall that I have raised this issue previously, including as a Commencement matter with the Minister of State, Deputy O’Donnell. The problem was that the existing service provider pulled out last December, although meals on wheels were delivered right up to last Friday. There is a new provider ready to step in but apparently that will not happen until June. Between December and June, we will have no daycare and, between last Friday and June, there will be no meals on wheels.”
“I support the Order of Business. I, too, wish Jeremy well. I had the opportunity to do so outside the Chamber. Of course, I wish George well too. He has big shoes to follow in terms of the excellent work that Jeremy has done. Today is a good news day for commuters from Kildare and Newbridge because the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, announced that the fair fares scheme will be implemented on 28 April. What does that mean? It means an incredible amount. For commuters from Newbridge, fares will go down by 45% on average and, for commuters from Kildare town, fares will go down by 37% on average. There will also be an integrated Leap card scheme. This is long overdue but it is very important that we finally have the date it will be implemented. We all look forward to that day.”
“That is important because over recent months, there has been a chasm whereby it was difficult to get answers, particularly with regard to Ukrainians and those in other systems who are beneficiaries of protection, when they had to move for different reasons from one place to another. It was really difficult to get a proper and adequate response to why those movements were needed and to be able to make an intervention where it was needed. This is particularly true for children going to school to ensure they would be able to stay within the environment they were comfortable in. They have experienced so much displacement in their short lives and we want to ensure they have the best possible opportunities while we host them in Ireland. The Minister's order brings clarity to where this will be placed in the future.”
“As numbers in hosted accommodation have increased, the numbers in the State-contracted accommodation have fallen from a high of more than 58,000 at the end of 2023 to approximately 25,800 at present, which is a 50% reduction. The number of beneficiaries in hosted accommodation now exceeds the number of those in contracted accommodation, which is important. We hope the extension will be approved by the Seanad today. Further consideration will be given to operational improvements to the scheme and the responsibility of the ARP will be transferred to the Department of justice, home affairs and migration, as the Minister has said.”
“The fact that many of hotels were taken up for hosting caused problems for local economies so the last thing we want to do is to add those problems. It is important to note that the ARP is a goodwill payment. It is not linked to the actual costs incurred by the person providing accommodation. It is intended to recognise the very valuable contribution of those hosting the beneficiaries. The fact that so many got involved in this scheme has been instrumental in helping Ukrainians to integrate within local communities, local schools and local community organisations and to get much-needed employment. I underline the importance of allowing the Department to move away from a total reliance on tourism and hospitality settings and facilitating the consolidation of the State-contracted accommodation portfolio.”
“This will provide certainty to Ukrainians that are living in hosted arrangements, their hosts and the NGOs that are supporting them. Over the past month or two, there was a lot of concern throughout the country when people felt that this scheme might cease at the end of March this year and would not continue. It is really important that it is continuing and that that certainty is provided. There are some challenges and issues with the scheme but the failure to extend it would certainly risk placing significant pressure on an already strained private rental market. It would displace 37,000 beneficiaries. It has been a huge issue throughout the country and particularly in those areas that have been very well-known for tourism and had significant tourism businesses.”
“There are always going to be issues and challenges with every programme that we have and every intervention that is put in place to ensure that the right thing is done. The motion reaffirms the solidarity of the Irish people with Ukraine. Given that we have witnesses increased aggression by Russia against Ukraine over the past few weeks, we have to reiterate that we stand firmly with Ukraine. We have to continue to mobilise assistance throughout our country to address the biggest movement of refugees in Europe since the Second World War. The motion extends the ARP to 31 March 2026 and this aligns with the extension of the European Commission's temporary protection directive and, as the Minister outlined, will reduce the monthly payment under the scheme. That will commence in July, which gives time to those who are hosting to adjust.”
“This group got together to empower individuals throughout the country to make their homes open and to offer a céad míle fáilte, which the Irish people are so renowned for. As the Minister rightly pointed out, 91% of the people who offered their homes were not traditional landlords. They were certainly not doing it for an economic benefit and gain, but to help support those fleeing from war in their own country. They worked to expand what they were doing to make hosting a sustainable practice. In meeting and knowing many of the hosts and many of the Ukrainians who have stayed with the hosts and host families, it really became a very worthwhile practice. However, it has not been without its challenges.”
“I thank the Minister for being here and I wish her well in her new position. I have no doubt that she will serve with the same energy, enthusiasm and integrity as she did in her previous portfolio. I welcome this important debate. The Fianna Fáil group supports the motion. I pay tribute to the Helping Irish Hosts organisation, including Angie Gough, Aideen Gough and Jill Robinson, who are a fantastic team of committed people who did an incredible amount of work in preparing hosts and communities and matchmaking. They came together as a group after the horrific events of January 2022. I had to think about that because it is three years ago, which is quite incredible when I think about it. They quickly realised that Ukrainians had to flee their country and would need a warm, welcoming home and environment.”
“Committee Stage Seanad Electoral (Amendment) Bill 2015. Committee Stage Defence (Restriction on Use of Certain Titles) Bill 2021. Committee Stage Remuneration Information and Pay Transparency Bill 2023. Committee Stage Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Bill 2023. Committee Stage Sex Offenders (Amendment) (Coercive Control) Bill 2023. Committee Stage Control of Dogs (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2024. Committee Stage Curragh of Kildare (Amendment) Bill 2022. Committee Stage Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person (Amendment) Bill 2024. Committee Stage Criminal Justice (Public Order) (Amendment) Bill 2019. Committee Stage Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill 2020. Committee Stage”
“I move: That, in pursuance of Standing Order No. 180 of the Standing Orders relative to Public Business, the Bills which lapsed by reason of the Seanad General Election, January, 2025, and are set out in the Schedule to this motion, shall be restored to the Order Paper at the stage specified in the Schedule below: SCHEDULE Bill Title: To be restored at: Clean Air (Smoky Coal Ban) Bill 2021. Second Stage Health (Postponement of Certain Leave) Bill 2024. Second Stage Horticultural Peat (Temporary Measures) Bill 2021. Second Stage Electoral (Amendment) (Voting at 16) Bill 2021. Order for Committee First Aid and Mental Health in Schools (Existing Teachers) Bill 2018. Committee Stage First Aid and Mental Health in Schools (Initial Teacher Training) Bill 2018. Committee Stage Free Provision of Period Products Bill 2021.”
“I move: That, notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders- (1) the Committee standing established under Standing Order 125 shall be called the Seanad Select Committee on Subsidiarity (European Union Legislative Scrutiny), and shall consist of twelve members, of whom five shall constitute a quorum; (2) the Select Committee shall meet where necessary to perform the following functions: ( a ) to consider the potential requirement for a reasoned opinion that a draft legislative act does not comply with the principle of subsidiarity as provided for in paragraph (1) of Standing Order 127; ( b ) to consider such notifications under paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) of Standing Order 128 as may be referred to it by Seanad Éireann; ( c ) to consider potential infringements of the principle of subsidiarity as provided for in paragraph (1) of Standing Order 129; and ( d ) to consider other draft legislative acts which it deems appropriate; (3) the Select Committee shall have the powers defined in- ( a ) Standing Order 80(1), (2), (3), (4) and (10); and ( b ) Standing Orders 127, 128 and 129; (4) The Committee shall stand dissolved when the Seanad appoints members to the Departmental Select Committees established under Standing Order 79.”
“He said that, while the county received €23 million, which would seem like a lot of money, it is not receiving pro rata funding in comparison to other counties that have a similar population. The programme for Government allows for catch-up funds for roads in poor repair and the Senator noted that Wexford had the third-worst roads in Ireland, although I think Kildare is fairly close to it. We will look for a debate. The last time I gave a response on this issue, I made the point that we should have specific funding for footpaths and bridges. We will look for a debate with the Minister on those issues and we can talk about the funding element as well.”
“That is a problem. We will look for a debate with the Minister for agriculture. There was a debate with the Minister on CAP last week but I do not know whether the Senator had the opportunity to raise this with him. I accept it is an important issue. That needs to happen. Senator Ní Chuilinn raised the issue of dual diagnosis and the concern about funding for health workers being pulled. We will certainly look for a debate with the Minister in that regard. The Senator made the valid point that we were coming up to Mother’s Day and it was a very difficult time for mothers who had lost children, especially to suicide. We are thinking of them. Senator Byrne spoke about roads funding in Wexford, a county I am very familiar with.”
“It could possibly go in as a Commencement matter and we will certainly support that. Senator Craughwell spoke very movingly about his daughter, who had cancer at the age of 19. It is wonderful that she has survived. He makes a very valid point about her chronic health situation and the fact she has to go to accident and emergency all of the time and wait there. Certainly, anybody who has had cancer and has ongoing problems should have a medical card. We will look for a debate with the Minister for Health. Senator Brady spoke about the horse racing industry, with which I am quite familiar, being from Kildare. He referred to the issue of chip passports and identification. He noted that there was now a long delay with passports being issued for the Irish draught horse industry and that horses were being sold without passports.”
“It is always a huge loss when that happens. The fact there is a swimming pool that is not being used is a crying shame. Last August, the then Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Thomas Byrne, launched a national swimming strategy to make sure that access would be given to every individual in the country so people would have the opportunity to swim. At the moment, only 28% of primary school children have opportunities to swim and we want to get that to at least 40%. Ireland does very well in swimming at the Olympics, the Paralympics and the Special Olympics and, as a nation, we really value swimming. I totally agree. I support the call for the Department of sport to work with Mayo County Council and the community that owns Áras Attracta to try to have that.”
“There needs to be agreement at management level in relation to the long-term future. In the interim, we should look for overtime. We will ask the Minister for Health to come to the House to discuss the ambulance service in general, along with the accident and emergency situation, to which Senator Craughwell referred. Senator Duffy spoke about the regeneration of our towns. He noted the excitement regarding the community futures scheme for Killasser and Callow, and how the grassroots of the community had come together to ensure they could do that with their town, which is great. He also mentioned the Swinford swimming pool at Áras Attracta. I am familiar with a similar model at Moore Abbey in Monasterevin, where there was a swimming pool for those with intellectual disabilities who used the services, but it was also open to the community.”
“If that has not come up yet, I would suggest that she puts it down again. It is clear that engagement with the stakeholders is needed. We will write to the Minister for Education to say that. Senator Gallagher raised his grave concern about the ambulance service in Monaghan. He explained how, this week, 16 12-hour shifts were not covered and it will possibly be 19 next week. There is concern about the four vacancies given these have been found to be difficult to fill. As the Senator said, the solution is certainly not to take away overtime from those who are currently working and to look for shifts to be covered by personnel from Dublin and Louth. As the Senator rightly said, such personnel may be called out to different things that are happening and priority will be given to their own counties.”
“Senator Cosgrove spoke about the proposed move of the Donegal Education Centre from Donegal town to Letterkenny, which is a significant distance of 53 km. I feel for the six employees in this situation and also for those who use the services. I do not know the service but I presume it concerns further education. Such centres play a very important role in the lives of the full community. Has the Senator put down a Commencement matter?”
“We have all had people in our lives who, sadly, did not come through cancer but we also have people in our lives who have done so, and who have survived and thrived. In speaking to some of those survivors, they feel it has changed them for the better in terms of the way they look at and celebrate life now. Senator Wilson spoke in glowing terms about Aisling Hart and she deserves all of those glowing terms. She has been very dedicated and committed to this House and we look forward to honouring her here. Senator Ahearn, in his response to Senator Andrews, spoke about his pride in Clonmel and Kickham Barracks. He thanked all the people who served there. He rightly pointed out that we had former members in both Houses and we also have people who have family members who are members - I know Senator Wilson's son is a proud serving member also.”
“There are concerns about online shopping, and I certainly share them. I rarely buy anything online. I was concerned last week when there was much hype about Amazon.ie being launched. That cannot be good for our retail industry. We will certainly look for a debate with the Minister for local government. There must be a balance. We need to ensure that retail does not lose out because consumers lose out as well if they cannot park in location and go in and support local retail outlets. Senator McCarthy spoke about Daffodil Day and stories of hope and compassion. The Senator spoke about James and Kate Doyle and Jess Colivet and the fact that as well as being a fundraising day, it is a time and symbol of unity.”
“We should all try to follow suit with our own communities and towns. Senator Nelson Murray spoke about the problems for retail outlets with parking spots being taken. This is something that, unfortunately, we are seeing right around the country. The Senator is right. It is causing a major problem for retailers because, while it is important to have our town centres seen as consumer friendly and to have, as the Senator stated in the context of Navan, the necessary public spaces, public paving, trees, etc., there are many people who will not stop if they cannot find a handy parking spot. Retail outlets lose out as a result. The Senator was talking about how one individual indicated that they felt they lost 40% of their business. That is massive at a time when retail is struggling.”
“We introduced an amendment to say that only in the most severe cases and in circumstances where parents agreed would there be reduced timetables and that such a timetable could not be foisted on any student. That certainly seemed to gain traction but, I suppose, as things happen, things sometimes slip a little. We will look for a debate with the Minister for Education on the matter. Senator Fitzpatrick spoke about Drumcondra being the first village in Dublin, and, I think, the country, that has received a prestigious award from AsIAm because it has become an autism-friendly village. That is a huge achievement. Well done to Lucy Crean and her team. They worked with 20 different organisations to make that happen. I offer our thanks and congratulations to Lucy, and also to all of the stakeholders involved. It is a wonderful tribute.”
“Senator Flynn spoke about 1,275 students who are not fully attending school because they are on reduced timetables. These are generally children with additional needs or who come from different ethnic backgrounds. This is a concern. I commend Maria Delaney on the work she has done. We certainly do not want any child to be excluded from the education system. There can sometimes be difficulties involved, and there can be problems for teachers and other children. We have to find a solution. The education committee, during the term before last, brought forward legislation in relation to this matter. That legislation was on schools' admissions policies.”
“The Senator spoke about the importance of transparency. That is absolutely correct. We can all fall foul of looking at social media and thinking that something is the case when, actually, that does not prove to be the case when we did deeper. It was a welcome development last week when a decision was made in respect of two influencers regarding the fact that it was not clear that they were being sponsored commercially by organisations which had a lot to gain by those influencers being able to speak for them. That matter was called to national attention last week. That is a good thing. Transparency is important, particularly in a democracy. In terms of looking for a debate, it could be part of a wider debate on democracy. We certainly will look for that.”
“There will be an opportunity to raise the matter at that point. However, like Senator Ahearn, I wish to make a particular point. Coming from Kildare, I obviously know many Army families. I know families who take huge pride in their traditions. Sometimes, it is a generational tradition where people I would know are the third and fourth generation serving and they take massive pride in what they do, particularly in terms of peacekeeping duties. I accept that it is a way of earning a good deposit for a house, etc., but certainly I know many who take huge pride in it. It is more than just an economic necessity for them. Senator Stephenson spoke about a conflict of interests in relation to an individual who is an influencer and who, it is clear on the lobbying register, has a conflict of interests in terms of what they are saying.”
“Obviously, they are also making PRSI contributions and are contributing to local economies. Senator Andrews spoke about the futility of war. The Senator is absolutely right. It is shocking that when we wake up every day and look at our screens or newspapers and we see the ongoing events in Gaza, Ukraine and many other places around the world. The situation in Sudan is also particularly bad at present. The Senator referred to the possibility of losing our neutrality and the situation in terms of dismantling the triple lock. I agree that there is a need for a debate. I do not think it has been foreseen by anyone in government that we would forgo our neutrality, but is only fair that we have a debate in both Houses in relation to it. We certainly will. The Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs will be coming in next Thursday.”
“Senator Murphy O'Mahony referred to the fact that Mother's Day, which falls on Sunday, is not always a happy day for everybody, namely for mothers who have lost and for those who want to be mothers but cannot. On behalf of all of us, I wish all mothers out there a happy Mother's Day. Senator Keogan also spoke about Aisling Hart and wished her well, as did Senator Flynn. Senator Keogan asked about a debate around housing policy. We will have the Minister for housing in the House next Wednesday. We will be having a debate then, but just to make the point to the Senator that she spoke about people who are not Irish and who are earning a lot of money and buying houses. If they are earning large amounts of money here, then they are paying very high taxes.”
“The Senator also spoke about Heathrow coming to a standstill a week ago. My sister and her family were involved in that and had to drive to Manchester to get a flight on Saturday. A closure lasting 15 hours for a large airport like that causes major chaos. The Senator is right to ask if we have a plan B in Ireland, particularly in the context of Dublin Airport. We will look for a debate with the Minister for Transport in relation to aviation policy, because we need to support our regional airports around the country and, obviously, to look at Dublin as well. There are issues there. The programme for Government states that the cap will be lifted, but a full debate on that matter is certainly warranted. As stated, we will look for that debate.”
“This is something I feel strongly about. We absolutely need to put a great deal of focus on this area. As the Senator indicated, we need a structured transitional service to cater for those moving from school to the world of work or further education. We will look for a debate with the Minister of State, Deputy Naughton, on the matter. Senator Murphy O'Mahony paid tribute to councillors all 941 throughout the country. The Senator spoke about the fact that the role they play is often under-appreciated and undervalued and has given a commitment to try to ensure that the role will be enhanced. The Senator spoke about her commitment and experience as both a town and county councillor. I also have that commitment and experience. Certainly, starting at the town level, you learn so much about local government.”
“I totally endorse all the comments that have been made about Aisling and I absolutely approve of the suggestion by Senator Wilson that we invite Aisling back for a day to give us the opportunity to acknowledge her and show that we value and appreciate all the work she has done. Senator Kennelly spoke about the lack of respite care in Kerry and about St. Francis school in Beaufort and the gap in service provision there. He also said it would seem that there possibly could be some work done with St. Mary of the Angels that would alleviate the problems that exist. The Senator is right to raise this matter. Right across the country, there is a problem regarding the fact that there is a gap between people with additional and special needs leaving school and having some type of roadmap to ensure they have value in their lives.”
“The Order of Business is No. 1, motion regarding establishment of the Seanad Select Committee on Subsidiarity (European Union Legislative Scrutiny), to be taken without debate on conclusion of the Order of Business; No. 2, motion regarding the restoration of Bills to the Order Paper, to be taken without debate on the conclusion of No. 1; No. 3, motion regarding proposed approval by Seanad Éireann of the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2022 (Section 4(2)) (Scheme Termination Date) Order 2025, to be taken at 12 noon with the time allocated to the opening remarks of the Minister not to exceed ten minutes, group spokespersons not to exceed ten minutes, all other Senators not to exceed five minutes, time may be shared and the Minister to be given not less than ten minutes to reply to the debate.”
“Given the threats from the US regarding tariffs, we need to look at how we develop an all-island economy. It would be opportune to bring the Taoiseach to the House to address us because we also need to focus on the factors that are within our control in terms of tariffs and the possible tariff war, namely, diversification and expanding our markets. Doing that from a 32-county perspective would be opportune and welcome.”
“The Alzheimer Society of Ireland will attend the audiovisual room today for two workshops, one on at 3 p.m. and the other at 4 p.m. Part of the aim is to equip us all with the information we need to support those who live in our communities. I invite everybody to attend and I look forward to seeing Members there. One of the requests I would make of the Leader this morning is to ask the Taoiseach to come to the House to talk about the shared island initiative. The shared island unit was established when the current Taoiseach became Taoiseach five years ago. It is doing incredibly important work. It is harnessing the full potential of the Good Friday Agreement to enhance co-operation, connection and mutual understanding on the island and to engage with all communities and traditions on achieving a consensus towards a shared future.”
“I support the Order of Business as outlined by the Leader. As our population grows and ages, we increasingly have people living longer, which is very much to be welcomed. People in Ireland live longer than in any other European country. However, more challenges and health issues come with that. One area where we see a lot of growth is the number of people presenting with dementia. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland does incredible work supporting people with dementia to live as independently as long as possible and supporting families and carers. Part of what it does is organising dementia advisers, home care services, daycare services and supports for families. Research is important to what it does. It is interesting to read about the steps we should all be taking to improve our mental health and ensure we do not decline as we age.”
“Even in the interim, if a swim club has its own lifeguards and insurance, it should be given access. I would appreciate it if the Minister of State would bring that back to the Tánaiste and the Department.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response, which I am disappointed with because I hoped for some new information. I raised this issue previously as a Commencement matter and, as outlined in the response, I have been in contact with Department officials on a regular basis. When we have such a good community asset in an area where there is no public swimming pool, it is regrettable and completely wrong that schools and other swim clubs cannot use this pool due to a situation where no lifeguards are there. I cannot understand why private swimming pools are able to recruit lifeguards. I have seen that and asked about it in private swimming pools around County Kildare. Those pools are able to recruit so I cannot understand how that is an issue.”
“It is shocking that taxpayers' money was spent to enable people to access what should be a major community asset, as well as one for the Defence Forces, without a result. There must be another way, including even by contracting out the matter. I say this because as it stands, while we have private swimming pools, it basically comes down to whether people can afford to be a member of a private gym or club with a swimming pool or whether they are going to be disenfranchised, as I believe they are being. My plea is to get an update and timeline on this matter. There must be a way for lifeguards to be recruited, with access then given to schools and school children, in particular. Only 28% of school children now are going to regular swimming lessons but it has been suggested that this should increase to 40%.”
“I had several meetings with the then Minister for Defence, Deputy Micheál Martin, and it was agreed with the Defence Forces that money would be put into providing more access and into the changing rooms. When that was completed, along with the provision of new lifeguards, the swimming pool was to open to those who had had access prior to Covid. Those works were completed in September 2024, at a cost of almost €300,000. Several competitions have been held and advertisements issued to try to recruit lifeguards, but the Defence Forces have said they are finding it impossible to get them. One swimming club approached the Department of Defence and said it was willing to provide its own lifeguards and insurance.”
“It is divided into two Dáil constituencies. In the constituency of Kildare South, there is only one public swimming pool and that is based in Athy, which is some distance from Newbridge and Kildare town, where there are growing and developing populations. Prior to Covid-19, local schools and swimming clubs, as well as the families of serving and former members of the Defence Forces, were able to avail of the Curragh swimming pool. This was certainly a great asset and bonus while we await a public swimming pool. We all understand that the rules had to change during Covid, but there has been no sign of the pool reopening since then except to serving members.”