Joe Flaherty
Nominated by the Taoiseach · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“To his credit, the responses are skilfully crafted, and if you were not familiar with the situation, you would say there is nothing wrong here, move along. However, that simply is not true. The entire Lanesborough community is aggrieved and feels that it is now being used as a mere pawn.”
“Patients tell me that, in many cases, they are not given the option of booking the surgery in Lanesborough, but instead are being encouraged to attend the Longford clinic. I would be more than happy if Dr. Booth wants to continue his five-day service in Longford, but it cannot be at the expense of a rural surgery.”
“Regrettably, I have to raise this issue for a second time. It relates to Dr. Booth, who has taken over a GMS contract for two surgeries servicing Lanesborough and the larger Longford town in County Longford.”
“It is a dangerous generalisation the Senator is putting forward and she is forgetting that in the front line of dealing with housing and difficult cases are staff and housing departments across the country. From my experience, housing staff generally think through each case.”
“The consultants at the Rotunda were quickly brought to heel when they were not complying with their contractual obligations. It is critical that we do not allow this situation to continue any longer in Lanesborough. A contract is a contract, as I said. What we are seeing here is a concerted effort to close a rural surgery by stealth.”
“They did not write the legislation, but we need legislation to frame what we are doing. We are, on a daily basis, tackling a crisis. On the front line in that effort are our housing staff. We should commend them at every opportunity rather than throwing out gross generalisations that are deeply hurtful.”
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“While its full advantages and impact are only being felt in large cities and large urban areas, we cannot underestimate the huge role it has played in the delivery of social and cost-rental houses and student accommodation throughout the country. The latest reports show just over 25,000 social homes are at various stages of design and construction. This includes 11,500 social homes on site at the end of March 2025, with an additional 13,953 homes at design and tender stages. In quarter 1 of this year alone, 50 new construction schemes, or 875 houses, were added to the pipeline. The quarter 2 report on social housing activity was published yesterday. The scale and extent of development across the country were very impressive.”
“I commend the Minister of State on a very detailed overview of what we have this evening. The significance of the Bill speaks to the enormity of the challenge we have in housing at present. It remains the foremost challenge for us as a country and as a society. It also speaks volumes in terms of the Government's commitment to addressing the issue. I commend the Minister, Ministers of State, staff and officials in the Department on the efficiency and speed at which they have moved on this critical legislation. The HFA is still very much in its infancy but it is already proving itself to be a very important arm in the delivery of housing throughout the country.”
“It includes a number of large capital projects. The first Cathaoirleach of this House was Lord Glenavy, who was a staunch unionist from the South. He was a former lord chancellor. The Seanad was put in place to show we can work as a community. We need to reach out to the unionist and loyalist communities. They are beleaguered, there is minimal investment in education or housing and they are being forgotten, in large part, by the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK Government. Senator McDowell referenced a changing of the guard in English politics. We should use the shared island initiative to invest in those unionist communities, especially in the area of education, and try to bring about a change in mindset.”
“We need to be a force for change and bring the two sides together because this war is creating an untold cost for the European family. Europe needs to step up to the plate, as I do not see America doing so. I hope the Taoiseach can take a strong lead in this, especially during the EU Presidency, so we can be a strong voice. As a small nation that has seen the horrors of terrorism and aggression over many years, we need to stand up and say a negotiated settlement is needed for Ukraine. I would like to see Ireland be a strong voice on that. The shared island initiative was mentioned. All of in this House aspire to a united Ireland in their lifetime. Some Senators are younger than me and probably will see a united Ireland. The shared island project is very close to the Taoiseach's heart, and one he has championed over many years.”
“If I have one concern, it is the way NATO has perhaps been sidelined in this process and we see no role for NATO in that in future, which is a deep concern. The Taoiseach spoke about the changing of the world axis and how power is shifting. That is something Europe needs to try to address. Ireland will assume the EU Presidency next year. It is then that we will see the Taoiseach's leadership reach a pinnacle. It is a challenging time for Europe. A war has been raging on the border of Europe for three years. Again, we have been unwavering in our support for Ukraine but Europe, as a community, needs to take a position that this war will never be won and will probably rumble on forever, at a great cost for the people of Ukraine, the people of Russia and the wider EU community. Europe needs to engage with Russia at this point.”
“It is deeply disappointing that the previous speaker sought to demean the Taoiseach’s unblemished record on leadership. It is taken as read by every European leader that Ireland has led the way in terms of voicing concerns and fears in the context of what has been happening in Gaza. As a small nation in Europe, Ireland forced Europe to stand up. Ireland was the first voice to raise concerns in Europe and we brought many European nations with us. That was in large part due to the Taoiseach's efforts and the people know and understand the work he did to bring that about. I applaud him for that. Any effort to do otherwise is a sad indictment of this House. It is great to see a fledgling peace in the Middle East.”
“We need more late evening trains to take account of people trying to get to Dublin for events and concerts. Many people have mentioned the food trolley or the food carriage. I listened to Mr. Barry Kenny speak on the radio during the week where he explained that it is not Irish Rail that provides those food carts. Rather, it is an outside provider which Irish Rail pays to provide this service. There is an opportunity for Irish Rail in this regard. If it works with local communities, it may find a young person who wants to open a food truck outside the station. I am sure Irish Rail is not getting that food carriage service cheap. If it could redirect that money and give it to the local community or some guy who wishes to start up a food business, let those people operate and it would be money very well spent.”
“As Senator Brady referenced, Longford is very much in the commuter district now. Those early morning trains in particular are full. If we were able to achieve that journey time reduction, it would ease the situation with regard to the demand for housing. In those discussions, Mr. Meade assured us that we would have an hourly train service from Longford to Dublin by early 2027. It is critical we follow through on that. Ideally, if we could get that earlier, it would be much better. We also need a later train. Mr. Meade told me that, as part of those plans, we would have a late train leaving Dublin at 8 p.m., which would be welcome. I would like to see that go to 9 o'clock, but his issue in that regard was the time the train would be arriving in Sligo for staff.”
“Speaking specifically on the Sligo to Longford rail line, when I met Jim Meade, he assured me at the time that Irish Rail was conducting a review of the route at that stage to establish the exact point where two trains cannot pass each other. For example, if both the Dublin-bound train and the Sligo-bound train are coming, one has to stop, which can often add up to 45 minutes to the journey time. The journey time at the minute is 2 hours and 15 minutes. If that journey time could be reduced to one hour and a half, it would mean that it would be quicker to travel to Dublin by rail than by car. I am being told unofficially that the cost of those works would be €250 million. In the context of the infrastructure challenges we have in Ireland at the minute, that is money well spent and should be included in the national development plan.”
“Would they swap one for the other? It is important we get more people back on our trains. I am delighted to hear many people mention Jim Meade. He was a force for great good in Irish Rail. He drove through phenomenal change and he took on the agenda of getting us back on trains. We have a lot to be proud of with our rail service in Ireland, notwithstanding the challenges we have. In comparison with the UK, where there are multiple operators, we have one single operator in Ireland. Our trains are much cheaper and efficient and our staff are better. We have a lot of positives but we certainly need to make rail travel more accessible.”
“I thank the Minister of State for facilitating the additional time to hear the very important issues from Longford. I know that is why the time was extended. Obviously, at the risk of giving a history lesson, we could blame Henry Ford for the state of our rail service. That is probably why we have no one from Cork in the Chamber to take responsibility because they claim him as a Cork man. Certainly, we had a much better rail service 150 years ago. Obviously, the advent of the car and car transport and the fact that it became so cheap to buy cars changed how we travelled in Ireland. We are now looking to go full circle to some degree. When I hear people talking about the western rail corridor, I wonder would they swap the Wild Atlantic Way for it, large tracts of which are built on what was a railway track.”
“As we know, there is enough already in Athlone and Mullingar and it would be seen as a very political decision if it was located there, but the Minister is aware of the empty shopping centre and the Providers building and I know Longford County Council management has spoken to him at length. It would be an important statement from this Government of the role that AI is going to play, not only for the future Ireland, but indeed for the regeneration of rural Ireland. I would welcome the Minister's thoughts on where he thinks that will be located and if it is a possibility that it can be located in rural Ireland.”
“We have a huge challenge in the country in terms of AI literacy, particularly with older people, but surprisingly with our young people as well. It will be one of the key challenges for us as we move to the next phase of tech investment in Ireland. To that end, I think the national AI centre is critical. It was good to see the money announced for this in the budget. There is no reason that the centre has to be based in Dublin. AI can be anywhere and it would be an important statement for the Government and the Minister's office if that facility went to rural Ireland.”
“I thank Senator Conway. I do not think we have any more Senators offering to contribute, so before he responds, perhaps the Minister could indulge a few of my queries if he does not mind. As his Westmeath colleague, Senator Davitt, has pointed out, the Minister has delivered enough jobs to Athlone and Mullingar already. I ask him to update us on the plans for the IDA advanced manufacturing facility in Longford town. Will he confirm that it will be 30,000 sq. ft, as per the spec of other facilities that have been delivered nationwide? Are we close to a date when work can start? Are they close to applying for planning permission on the site? I was pleased to see the commitment to AI in the budget, which was an important first step.”
“I would like the Minister for agriculture to come in to update us on where we are. I know he was in the House last week, but I would like him to come in specifically regarding the nitrates directive and holding on to our derogation. It is critical not only for the farming community but for Ireland Inc. that we hold on to it. As a matter of urgency, I ask the Minister to come to the House to address that one specific point.”
“Every time the EPA came before the committee, it berated us and said the farming community was indeed the devil incarnate. Again, it trotted out that message this morning, saying that the lead perpetrator of this is the farming community. Everyone in the House knows how critical agriculture is to this country but, more importantly, how critical the nitrates derogation is and how important it is that we hold on to it. Discussions on that are imminent. I am perplexed that these latest water finding reports will be feeding into that. When the EPA was last before the committee during the previous Government, we asked it to do more contemporaneous reports. We are relying on figures from 2024 which do not take account of the work farmers have done over the past year. Alas, that ask fell on deaf ears.”
“I was listening to "Morning Ireland" this morning. I think I should write to the director general of RTÉ and ask that, when EPA spokespersons are on, a health warning be given to the farming community. It was the EPA's latest dispatch on its water quality report for 2019 to 2024. If you were to listen to the radio, you would think that farmers are doing absolutely nothing in terms of water quality. Yet, from digging into the detail of the figure, particularly in relation to nitrate levels, they have reduced significantly, down 25% over that five-year period and 39% of rivers showing reduced nitrate concentration. Nitrate levels in our rivers overall are trending in the right direction. That is testament to the work done by farmers. In the lifetime of the previous Government, I spent many frustrating hours in the agriculture committee.”
“We pride ourselves on the access we give but we gave a terrible message yesterday to Ireland and to Europe that we are afraid to govern. That was essentially the message. I would be troubled to think the management of this House gave that message yesterday. Was it a decision of An Garda Síochána to close down this area yesterday or was it a decision of the management of Leinster House?”
“There had to be north of 100 gardaí on duty yesterday for absolutely no incidents, nothing whatsoever. If I was a trader or if I lived in a community in Dublin that is rife with crime and I was looking at that, I would be annoyed. As a member of this House, I am embarrassed. We are told the Garda has highly sophisticated intelligence and is able to monitor social media to know exactly when protests are coming. Was this a decision of An Garda Síochána or was it a decision of the management of this House? This is important in a modern democracy, and we pride this House and Ireland on being a modern and progressive democracy. This is one of the few parliaments in the world where you can readily have access. You just need to contact your local TD or Senator and you can get access to the House for a tour with our wonderful ushers.”
“Yesterday was budget day, an important day in the life of any democracy. I assume many other Members, like me, were deeply troubled to see several streets in the perimeter of the Government buildings closed down. There was no protest, and no people were gathering. A small number of businesses on nearby streets were closed off. There were tourists looking at what was going on and wondering why. We have a new Garda Commissioner, Justin Kelly, and I wish him well. He has been enthusiastically welcomed by members of the gardaí. I have no doubt he will be a force for good. His predecessor, Drew Harris, probably got matters wrong when the riots unfolded in Dublin. I think he reacted heavy-handedly with his subsequent security measures around Dublin, particularly around this House. Who took the decision on the policing yesterday?”
“It would be a stand-out building for such a facility and I hope the Minister, as it is in his grasp and ability to deliver, will engage with Longford County Council and look to develop and deliver this project for Longford.”
“There is no mention of a minor injury unit for Longford, or for any location nationally. It reminds me of 2018 when the then Minister, Deputy Simon Harris, rolled into Longford and said it would be the centre for a brain injury unit which would quickly follow. However, subsequently the HSE told us it never featured in its plans. I have one more point to make relating to our constituency colleague, the Minister, Deputy Burke. Recently he spoke at length about artificial intelligence and committed to delivering an artificial intelligence national office. It is good to see €1.4 million in funding for this. It will be a focal point for the promotion and adoption of transparent and safe AI in Ireland. Longford County Council has long been vying to develop the Providers building in Longford town.”
“This is timely for Longford GAA, which is planning a major development at the Pearse Park grounds. I attended the Glennon Brothers fundraiser in Croke Park last Friday. They, as the team sponsors, and the new chair of the county board, Derek Fahy, are very enthused about the project. This funding is coming at a critical time for them. Another source of worry is the absence of a commitment on the further delivery of primary healthcare centres. The budget acknowledged the recent delivery and roll-out of 180 new primary care centres but it is notable I did not see any commitment for additional centres. This is a source of concern for Edgeworthstown, Granard and Longford town, where plans were advancing for these centres. I would welcome some clarity on this.”
“I will impress upon her the savage inequality and socioeconomic challenges we face in Longford, and the critical need for an FRC in Longford town. I will ask her to look at a mechanism to allow the Longford committee to reapply and, hopefully, be included in the next tranche of funding. It has been a positive budget for sport, certainly for the GAA. It is great to see the Government follow through on a commitment to support FAI grassroots soccer. I am also delighted to see a commitment for a further round of the community sports facility fund, which we used to know as the sports capital grant. It has been a huge win for regional Ireland and it is great to see it. I hope it will follow through in 2026. Significant also is an additional increase of €18 million for the large scale sports infrastructure fund.”
“The stand-out disappointment for the people of Longford is the failure to see a commitment for additional funding for family resource centres, FRCs, in budget 2026. I fought tooth and nail in the lifetime of the previous Dáil to get funding for additional FRCs in the previous budget. I commend the former Minister, Deputy O'Gorman, who followed through on the commitment and delivered the funding. A total of 49 local areas applied for funding. Tusla whittled it down to a shortlist of 15 and the Minister was able to approve funding for five of them. Unfortunately, they did not include Longford. As a follow-on to this I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Foley, who is committed to visiting Longford in the coming weeks.”
“I am pleased the Minister has confirmed the infrastructure task force will report next month and publish a detailed action plan to tackle barriers to developing critical infrastructure. Beyond the N4, which I have mentioned, it is also critical that we seek positive and definitive timelines for the delivery of water treatment plants for the towns of Granard and Edgeworthstown. I welcome the additional funding for IDA Ireland, which is at the front line of delivering critical FDI investment and jobs to the country. It is critical that it follows through on plans for an advance factory in Longford town. We have had notable successes with FDI employers in Longford through Abbott, Avery Dennison and Technimark. Another FDI firm, with more than 200 jobs to start with, is critical for the future growth and development of Longford town.”
“I welcome the Minister of State, my constituency colleague, Deputy Troy. I commend him on his very positive input into what is a progressive budget. We have spoken on many of the macro points in the budget but all politics is local and I want to look at it on a more micro level and highlight some of the issues as they continue to pertain to Longford. We would have preferred to see some indication on the continuation of the N4 project, in keeping with the ambitious €19 billion capital investment. However, I welcome the announcement by the Minister that detailed specific projects to be delivered in 2026 will be announced shortly, with the sectoral investment plans for the next five years to be published by the various Departments. It is important that this features the N4 and that we see an escalation of the funding process.”
“It would be a major breakthrough for tourism generally in Longford as, apart from a small facility in Clondra, we do not have a dedicated camper van site in Longford. He has visited a number of sites across the country with officials from Longford County Council. It is an ambitious project and is indicative of the ambition this councillor has for his home town. I, and Longford County Council, will work fervently with him to deliver on all those projects.”
“I know this will be warmly welcomed by my colleague in Lanesborough, County Longford, Councillor Sean Mimnagh, who has been championing the delivery of a new purpose-built community centre for Lanesborough. It is one of the few large towns in the county that does not have a dedicated and modern community centre facility. It is important that he works with Longford County Council to deliver this. He is looking at a notable site in the centre of the town. There is also an opportunity for industrial sites and the reactivation of the plans for a food hub in Lanesborough. I want to continue to work with him and I encourage Longford County Council to engage with his plans. He has many ambitious plans. He is also looking at a camper van site for the banks of the River Shannon.”
“I warmly welcome budget 2026. It is fair to say that no one budget can achieve everything a nation aspires to but this is a seismic budget in terms of what we are setting out to achieve on the single biggest challenge we have in the country, which is housing. We will have 10,200 social homes delivered in 2026 and 15,000 starter homes, through a variety of schemes, such as the first home scheme, vacant grants and affordable and cost rental properties, as well as the help to buy scheme. All in all, it is a positive budget for housing. In addition, I was very pleased to see an additional €3 million for the community centre investment fund to support the refurbishment of existing and construction of new community centres right across the country.”
“I echo the sentiments of colleagues for Senator Chris Andrews. As I understand it, nine Irish nationals have possibly been detained. One such member of the flotilla is Naoise Dolan, who is connected to my county of Longford through her grandparents. We are obviously concerned for all of those people and send them our best wishes. I will be impressing upon the Tánaiste and the Taoiseach to do everything possible to get the people who are detained released. However, I take issue with one point. Last night, Sinn Féin released a video of Chris Andrews that was clearly recorded before he left. In that video, he claimed he had been kidnapped. Chris Andrews-----”
“The people of Ireland, almost in our entirety, are shocked at what is ongoing in the Middle East. Ireland has been very much in the vanguard when it comes to pressing the case for Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank. No country of our size has done more. We have dragged many of the larger European countries to the table and emphasised at European level, national level and at every opportunity that what is taking place in the Middle East is nothing short of wanton destruction and genocide. However, we are dealing with a nation that does not understand a proportional or rational response to any situation. The Israelis are simply not going to react rationally to any situation. We continue to do as we have consistently done since the 1970s. Fianna Fáil was to the fore as far back as then in acknowledging what was happening in the Middle East.”
“We have Leopardstown Racecourse, we have the RDS and we have plenty of other facilities. We can bring several hundred thousand people to the city. This would be a major sporting event and would provide an opportunity to showcase the success of the Irish horse. I ask that the Minister of State engage with Horse Sport Ireland specifically on that matter. I commend the Fagan family in Mullingar, particularly as Mullingar has been proposed as the Irish venue to bid for a leg of the 2026 Longines series, which is a major showcase event. The Fagans are one of the many families across the country who have invested in the horse sector and who are making huge strides. I hope that this Government and future Governments will always remember that sector.”
“The Department needs to engage with the Irish Horse Board and provide more money and more schemes, particularly in the context of environmental schemes, to encourage farmers, especially those who are working, to return to horse breeding. There is a great opportunity there for the Department and for rural communities to support that. We saw the huge success of and the many visitors who came here from the US for the American football game. I did not understand what was happening at the game, but it was a great boost to Dublin. The last time we suggested we would host the World Equestrian Games in Ireland was 1998. Dublin was put forward as a likely location. For some reason, the organisers pulled out at the last minute. There is an opportunity for the Government to look at hosting the World Equestrian Games in Dublin.”
“In the previous Dáil, issues relating to the sector were debated at length. Those issues have not gone away. I ask Senator Daly, who is on the agriculture committee, to raise those issues at the agriculture committee. The sector has never been as successful as it is now. At one stage during the summer, we were able to put out five Nations Cup teams on three different continents. That was unprecedented. No other country anywhere in the world was able to do that. If there is a concern about the sector, it has to do with the position regarding traditional Irish-bred horses for showjumping, eventing, etc. The traditional draft-thoroughbred cross has been overtaken by a more continental European-bred horse.”
“The Government has been almost a year in office, and the Minister of State has been in post for a number of months. However, I do not think the forestry sector has felt the love to date. I am sure it was an oversight by Senator Brady, but he left the horse sector out of his motion. That sector is a very important part of Irish agriculture in terms of horse racing and horse sport. Will the Department ensure that the horse and greyhound fund is protected at all costs? We have thriving industries in the sport horse sector, in racing and in greyhound racing that depend on this fund. I would like to hope that this Government and those that succeed it will be absolutely steadfast in their support for that sector and in their defence of funding of horse racing and greyhound racing.”
“The EPA has its foot on the industry's throat and is using local authorities to berate many of the operators involved. The industry has changed. The big multiples in the UK are insisting on horticultural peat that is not entirely 100% peat based. They are looking for sphagnum and other alternatives. I visited a peat producer during the summer, a young producer who has the first sphagnum crop in Ireland. It is similar to a peat product. It is very innovative and has great advantages in relation to carbon. We did not address forestry. The Minister of State, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae, is involved in dealing with that at the moment. There were great expectations for what he was going to do. It was very much a case of poacher turned gamekeeper. We need to see him being proactive on that matter.”
“Sinn Féin did an about-face and accepted the EU after a while. The nitrates derogation is a big issue looming for farmers. In the agriculture committee of the previous Dáil, I said that there was an onus on us to engage proactively with the EPA. The biggest threat to our holding onto our nitrates derogation is the EPA not giving us timely information. Most of the water quality reports it was giving us were 18 months if not two years out of date. Significant progress has been made on water quality across the country. It is important that issue is raised. There were a couple of points that were not mentioned in the motion. I will speak about peat producers. We need to address that issue again. They have made significant progress in that area. It is very much an industry that is in its twilight years.”
“It is a starting point. With all due respect, the Senators will not decide the Mercosur deal here. It will be negotiated at a higher level. These things need to be looked at in the round. It was the Senator's party that said we should not go into the EU. If we had not gone into the EU, where would Irish farmers be now?”
“I will try not to go over the many points that have already been made but it would be remiss of me not to address some of the issues in relation to the Mercosur deal. The Opposition seems to take the position that the Mercosur deal is bad but the Opposition has never had to negotiate a trade deal. The success of Irish agriculture is based on trade deals made through the EU. We have a team that will negotiate a Mercosur deal, and it will be a good deal for Irish agriculture. Nobody sets out to get a bad trade deal. It will be a very solid trade deal for Irish farmers. We are confident of that. I am quite satisfied that it will be a good deal for farmers.”
“I would love to see whether a comparison has been done on the value for money achieved with the €512 million we spent in 2024 on school transport. I do not believe there is value for money, nor do I believe the service is meeting the demand. It is creating too much uncertainty for parents, but also for young children. I thank the Minister of State for coming into the Chamber. I realise he has many hats to juggle in his Department, and that this is just another one. He is doing a great job.”
“It is past time that we admitted the current school transport system is not working. The obvious solution is to integrate it into the wider network of transport, particularly the TFI network, which has been a huge success in the country. I pay tribute to the people working within TFI, particularly in respect of our local scheme. Damien O’Neill operates it from Mullingar. It is a fantastic service and it is continually improving. This is an obvious next step for us as a society and as a Government. If we are serious about the challenges we have in terms of climate and adapting to climate change, it makes no sense whatsoever to run duplicate buses on the same road on the same morning. It does not represent value for money.”
“It is not for me to overstate them, but it is a big change. They want to go to a school where their friends are. It might be a small close-knit circle of friends, but they need to be with them to help them through the transition. Just as the concessionary ticket does not make sense, neither does the nearest-school rule. Life and circumstances have changed. Different schools offer different things. The nearest school might not offer computer science, for example, whereas farther schools will. At the same time, we are trying to encourage young people to pursue STEM subjects. One might have a child that is quite bright and leaning more towards science subjects than general academic ones, and in truth that child needs to go to a school where computer science is on the curriculum and offered as a leaving certificate subject.”
“The most difficult thing in my time as a politician has been calls about mental health services and school bus tickets. It is exasperating. When you get such a call, your heart sinks because you know that it is not going to be a happy outcome for the family 95% of the time. Families really cannot understand the concept of concessionary tickets. It makes no sense, particularly where a pupil gets a seat for four years and then suddenly does not get it for fifth or sixth year. It makes no sense to an affected family. It is an injustice to the family because both parents may be working, or maybe the family has minimal income and simply cannot afford to get those children to school. Many have referenced the fact that transition into secondary school is a huge thing for children with many challenges in their lives.”
“There is a case to be made for integrating the school transport system into the TFI network, particularly in rural areas, to make the scheme more viable. There would be a significant cost saving. If one talks to bus drivers and people involved in the service, they will say the biggest challenge at the minute is finding drivers, but also buses. Ninety-five percent of the buses on the school transport system at the minute are provided by private operators, many of whom are also providing Local Link buses. It is a challenge for them because they have to have two buses out: one to serve Local Link and one to serve the school route. In reality, they probably just need one large bus to do the run, and, if needs be, a smaller bus if the run is successful.”
“Unfortunately, Senator Craughwell is not here. I am not sure of his position on Fianna Fáil but not only did it introduce free school transport but it also introduced free schoolbooks and free school lunches. I am sure he will check the record because I know he likes to hear the virtues of Fianna Fáil. I am a bit alarmed as I am probably starting to sound like my colleagues from Labour and Sinn Féin, but I too have reached a point where I believe the school transport system we have now, albeit a Fianna Fáil creation, has been overtaken by circumstances and other developments in transport. For example, we are spending €512 million on school transport while at the same time spending €658 million on the PSO and TFI transport network right across the country.”
“His reward for that work was to be dragged before the local District Court at a difficult time for him and his family. I found that quite extraordinary. I would go as far as to say that nothing less than an apology from the Minister is what is needed in respect of this extraordinary situation. I want to know if she knew this case was being taken and if she authorised it. It seems bizarre that any Department would, as happened in this case, go on such a folly and seek to blemish an impeccable career. Will the Leader take this matter up with the Minister for education? I would like the Minister to come before the House as soon as possible to discuss other education matters. If she does come here, I will raise this specific matter with her because what happened is one of the most troubling things I have seen.”
“While all of us in this House can sometimes be befuddled by and query some of the logic and decisions of some Departments, it was shocking to see that man dragged through the courts and his name appear online on the very front page of the Leitrim Observer . Where the story was placed, is something I would question. There must be accountability within the Department of education as to why the man in question was put through what I have outlined. I know him and I know how passionate he is about education. He was very much in the vanguard of special education at a time when we were struggling to get rural schools to embrace and take on the challenge of special education. He was a leader. He looked after two of the largest classes in a primary school in Leitrim.”
“Their parents had given permission to include them on the roll, but they did not turn up. In addition, a child who was absent was marked down. The school board of management refunded the money relating to the teacher who was kept on the books for that year. It was extraordinary. Even Judge Éiteáin Cunningham acceded that the principal was acting out of goodwill to protect the children and staff at the school. I cannot see the logic of the Department of education going to the expense of taking this case when there was clearly no reason to bring this man, who had an unblemished career, before the courts for something like that. I was shocked and horrified.”
“I call on the Leader to draw to the attention of his party colleague the Minister for education details of a bizarre case that unfolded in County Leitrim recently regarding a venerable and much-respected former school principal, who is 66 years of age and who dedicated his life to education and to rural Ireland. He was in the vanguard of the delivery of special education. I was shocked to discover that he has been brought before the courts. It was alleged, and he admitted, that the enrolment figure for his school for the 2019-20 year had been inflated by three in order to make the total up to 201. This was done in order that he could keep a teacher in a rural area. He had adequate reasons as to why it happened. There were two children who indicated they were coming to the school.”