Michael Murphy
Tipperary South · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I want to briefly amplify what has already been said about Uisce Éireann. South Tipperary is in crisis, with 38,0000 households on a prolonged boil water notice. Most of the key towns are more often than not without water. Will the Taoiseach request a meeting for the Oireachtas Members with the CEO of Uisce Éireann, Mr. Gleeson?”
“The problem is numbers. The programme for Government rightly speaks about balanced regional development, yet when it comes to Garda resources, there is nothing balanced about the current approach. This year, 356 recruits graduated from Templemore over two intakes, and just two came to the entire county of Tipperary.”
“Businesses are witnessing open drug dealing in prime retail areas, families are increasingly concerned about antisocial behaviour and criminal gangs operate with increased confidence. At the same time, Garda visibility has reduced dramatically.”
“I am immensely proud to represent the constituency of Tipperary South, a constituency blessed with extraordinary strengths, great history, strong employment, great outdoors, an outstanding tourism offering, wonderful retail and hospitality businesses, and above all extraordinary community spirit.”
“This is about fairness. Just two gardaí have been allocated to Tipperary this year, with 245 going to the Dublin metropolitan region. Criminal gangs are operating with increased confidence in my constituency. Our gardaí on the ground in south Tipperary deserve reinforcement.”
“Will the Minister commit to organising a meeting for all Oireachtas Members in south Tipperary - I note Deputy Healy is in the room, as well as Deputy McGrath - in order to review the allocation model, particularly as it applies to south Tipperary, and more importantly, to explore a review of the Clare-Tipperary divisional structure, whic…”
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“I want to briefly amplify what has already been said about Uisce Éireann. South Tipperary is in crisis, with 38,0000 households on a prolonged boil water notice. Most of the key towns are more often than not without water. Will the Taoiseach request a meeting for the Oireachtas Members with the CEO of Uisce Éireann, Mr. Gleeson? There is also the issue of accountability. A public utility in receipt of significant taxpayer funding should be accountable to the Dáil. I cannot table a parliamentary question for this organisation. More importantly, however, it should be accountable to the existing committee structure within the Oireachtas or, even better, we should see the establishment of a dedicated Oireachtas committee for our public utility companies that are in receipt of significant taxpayer funding.”
“Will the Minister commit to organising a meeting for all Oireachtas Members in south Tipperary - I note Deputy Healy is in the room, as well as Deputy McGrath - in order to review the allocation model, particularly as it applies to south Tipperary, and more importantly, to explore a review of the Clare-Tipperary divisional structure, which is not serving the people I represent?”
“This is about fairness. Just two gardaí have been allocated to Tipperary this year, with 245 going to the Dublin metropolitan region. Criminal gangs are operating with increased confidence in my constituency. Our gardaí on the ground in south Tipperary deserve reinforcement. Our communities deserve reassurance and our businesses deserve to operate without open criminality undermining our town centres. The reputation of south Tipperary is only as strong as the people's sense of safety. Once that begins to disappear, everything else is put at risk.”
“Does the Minister support the review of the Clare-Tipperary divisional structure to ensure policing resources genuinely reflect the need of our communities?”
“The problem is numbers. The programme for Government rightly speaks about balanced regional development, yet when it comes to Garda resources, there is nothing balanced about the current approach. This year, 356 recruits graduated from Templemore over two intakes, and just two came to the entire county of Tipperary. By comparison, 245, or more than 70%, went to the Dublin metropolitan region. When retirements and transfers are taken into account, Tipperary has effectively experienced a net loss. Since the division restructuring was introduced in 2020, Garda numbers across the Tipperary-Clare division have fallen from 725 to 660. Having the chief superintendent based in Ennis is simply not delivering for the communities I represent. Will the Government commit to urgently reviewing Garda allocations for counties like Tipperary?”
“Businesses are witnessing open drug dealing in prime retail areas, families are increasingly concerned about antisocial behaviour and criminal gangs operate with increased confidence. At the same time, Garda visibility has reduced dramatically. Response times are far too long and in some instances people struggle to even make contact with their local Garda station. One constituent recently attempted to contact Clonmel Garda station more than 20 times during a serious incident without receiving an answer. Increasingly, people believe the only way of getting assistance is by dialling 999. I want to be absolutely clear: this is not a criticism of the men and women of An Garda Síochána serving on the ground in my constituency. Every interaction I have with them tells me they are working tirelessly, but under enormous pressure.”
“I am immensely proud to represent the constituency of Tipperary South, a constituency blessed with extraordinary strengths, great history, strong employment, great outdoors, an outstanding tourism offering, wonderful retail and hospitality businesses, and above all extraordinary community spirit. Of course, like every constituency we have our challenges. We continue to tackle vacancy and dereliction. We continue to fight for investment particularly in our water and wastewater infrastructure. However, today I want to raise what many constituents tell me is their greatest concern, the growing feeling that law and order is slipping away. Across many of our key towns, including Clonmel, Tipperary, Carrick, Cahir, Fethard and Cashel, people are telling me they no longer feel safe.”
“It would be a great step by the Government to consider an automatic entitlement for those people over the age of 90, perhaps first, and then extending it to those over the age of 80.”
“While I welcome the supports available to older people, there is a growing concern that the social welfare system does not address the additional costs associated with advancing age. What I am asking the Tánaiste to examine, in the context of budget 2027, is additional supports for older people, particularly those over the age of 80 and 90. I am particularly thinking about the fuel allowance. We have 189,000 people over the age of 80 and 29,000 over the age of 90 but not all have an automatic entitlement to the fuel allowance. It is those cohorts of people who are particularly vulnerable to fuel poverty. As I said, only 29,000 people are over the age of 90. Most of them are already in receipt of the fuel allowance but there is a small cohort who are not because they are above the financial threshold.”
“I welcome confirmation that these are durable homes with a 60-year lifespan. Indeed, I further welcome the Minister's suggestion around social housing or perhaps cost rental. It would be helpful as well if that Office of Public Works post-project completion report is published, particularly in the interests of transparency. The units in Clonmel were built at an average cost of €436,000 each. Taxpayers have invested many millions of euro. I welcome confirmation from the Minister that the people of Clonmel, together with Tipperary County Council local elected representatives, will have a genuine opportunity to shape the future of the Heywood Road modular unit site. That is key.”
“I thank the Minister. I want to focus on Clonmel. As he said, there are 654 units at the national level, of which 82 are in Clonmel. From the very outset, not all, but the vast majority of people understood that these modular homes were built as an emergency response to the war in Ukraine. They accepted that such extraordinary circumstances required extraordinary measures. I am somewhat concerned, though, that there is no final decision on the future of these sites despite that multi-agency process the Minister referred to, which has been under way since 2025. What I am really looking for is an assurance that consultation will take place with the local authority, the locally elected representatives and, in particular, local communities living close to the development.”
“Following on from the decision to withdraw from State-contracted commercial accommodation for beneficiaries of temporary accommodation, to what extent has a review been undertaken of the long-term role and cost-effectiveness of modular accommodation centres, of which there are 11, including whether alternative future uses for such facilities are being considered in light of that change in accommodation policy?”
“The key is to get the initial assessment done sooner and to avail of the capacity within the system. There are 1,000 BER assessors around the country. I understand there is a request within the action plan that is currently before the Department to better utilise those 1,000 assessors.”
“Since the early days of the scheme, which I continue to champion, more than 176,000 houses have been retrofitted. The Minister of State is right that the average retrofit cost per house is €31,000 but I am conscious that 30% of all applications are for what are called shallow refits involving both attic and wall insulation. When I met with the SEAI representatives this morning, there was a consciousness on both sides of the better energy homes scheme, which provides 100% funding for wall and attic insulation. We need to do more to encourage people on the waiting list for the warmer homes scheme who require only a shallow refit to avail of the better energy homes scheme instead, under which they can have wall and attic insulation done in the short term.”
“With the numbers eligible for the scheme increasing, waiting times will surge unless we do something differently. While I support the scheme, I appeal for changes that will accelerate its operation.”
“I reaffirm my support for the warmer homes scheme, which is having a real impact at local level, particularly for vulnerable householders, including older people and low-income families. The extension of the eligibility criteria for the scheme means that more than 470,000 families are now entitled to avail of it. My concern is the waiting times, with an average of 14 months for assessment and 24 to 26 months for completion of works. We really need to look at that. Having met with SEAI representatives this morning, my understanding is that there is an action plan for the scheme before the Department. A process is being gone through whereby there may be changes to the whole contractor system in terms of the individuals or companies that manage the contracts.”
“I want to champion the warmer homes scheme and the Minister's commitment to it. I am seeking an update on waiting times for initial assessment and for completion of works, and details of any action plan to reduce those times.”
“I reference the national dementia model of care, which the Minister of State is familiar with, and the six-week optimal waiting list. I appreciate the commitment that the Minister of State has given. We really need to push for a timeline for completion of the review and, more importantly, for the restoration of services in Cashel and the re-establishment of the memory clinic in south Tipperary so that we can set a clear plan to address what is a serious and growing waiting list. This is a systematic failure by the HSE. It needs to be corrected and I sincerely welcome the Minister of State's commitment tonight.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her reply and acknowledge the extent to which she has been a positive force. I acknowledge the Minister of State, Deputy O'Donnell, too, and the establishment of 25 memory clinics around the country. The central issue remains that we have no clear timeline for the restoration of service in south Tipperary. At the heart of my question lie the 450 people awaiting an initial assessment and the 168 awaiting a follow-up appointment. That waiting list will only grow as long as the clinic remains closed. As the Minister of State rightly pointed out, behind every one of those numbers is a person or a family living with uncertainty. Delayed diagnosis can mean delayed treatment, delayed supports and delayed planning for the future.”
“We know that dementia referrals are increasing year on year. This cannot be dismissed simply as a temporary inconvenience or an administrative issue. This is a systemic failure, in my view. We talked about ophthalmology a minute ago. We have a similar systems failure with ophthalmology provision in south Tipperary, and we have a similar systematic failure when it comes to orthodontic care in south Tipperary. However, this particular memory clinic service failure is leaving hundreds of patients waiting for a diagnosis and is leaving families in distress. I plead with the Minister of State to engage directly with the Minister to address the specific issues. When will the review be completed and when will the memory clinic reopen?”
“Patients are being left indefinitely, while GPs are being provided with information on private providers. I think that raises serious questions about equity of access. Will the Minister of State address the stark contrast with services available in other parts of the south east? I know the tremendous work the Minister of State has done in Waterford and Wexford, both of which provide a structured multidisciplinary approach to dementia assessment and support. Why is a comparable service not available to the people of south Tipperary? My understanding is that there is currently no dedicated memory service in north Tipperary either, and if that is the case, large parts of the county are effectively without direct access to specialist memory assessment services. We all know our population is ageing.”
“That is a total of 618 people caught up in a system that is simply not functioning. This matters, as the Minister of State well knows, because dementia diagnosis is not a luxury; it is a gateway to treatment, care planning, family support and future decision-making. While the HSE points to dementia advisers and other support services, those services are not a substitute for diagnosis itself. What families want and what patients deserve is timely assessment and diagnosis. I know the Minister of State is very familiar with the dementia model of care. I think that sets out a pathway for timely access to assessment and intervention of six weeks, yet in south Tipperary, we have a situation where public memory clinics have ceased operating entirely.”
“I raise the ongoing closure of the south Tipperary memory clinic in Cashel and the growing impact it is having on patients and families across the county. I thank the Minister of State for taking the question, as I know it is an area she is very familiar with, given her previous responsibility in this area. Through a number of parliamentary questions I submitted recently, I received confirmation from the HSE that the memory clinic has been closed since January 2026. There is no reopening date, and while there is a review under way, families have no certainty as to when a fully functioning service will be restored. The figures provided to me by the HSE are deeply concerning. There are currently 450 patients awaiting an initial assessment and a further 168 waiting for follow-up appointments.”
“Does the Government accept that public funds should never be used in a manner that facilitates the neglect of our architectural heritage? What immediate action will it take to ensure this protected structure is secure and preserved?”
“The State continues to fund an international protection accommodation services, IPAS, centre on the site of the former historic Dundrum House Hotel despite repeated concerns raised by me around due diligence, transparency, planning compliance and the protection of our built heritage. On the issue of planning compliance, a decision of An Bord Pleanála is imminent. In recent days, however, further evidence has emerged of the serious and accelerating deterioration of a protected structure on the site, that is, the manor house. What was once an important historic building is now being used as a dumping and storage area for the operation of the IPAS centre. There are broken and missing windows and stripped out interiors. It is a building left vacant, unsecured and exposed to the elements.”
“I acknowledge the work of Tipperary ETB, SOLAS and all of those involved to date as well as the Minister's steadfast support in particular. I look forward to seeing this flagship project continue to the next phase.”
“It presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver a modern tertiary educational campus. I acknowledge all of the stakeholders involved at the local level, particularly Tipperary ETB, but also the local authority, local industry, the public representatives and the wider community. Importantly, this project reflects the ambitions set out by the Government on balanced regional development, skills provision and parity of esteem between further and higher education. I look forward to welcoming the Minister to Clonmel in early June. Seeing the scale and potential of the project first hand will underline its continued momentum and Government support. That is important as the project moves to the next phase.”
“I will take this opportunity to not only highlight, but shine a light on the proposed college of the future on the former Kickham Barracks site in Clonmel and acknowledge the progress of the project in the context of the SOLAS major project process. It would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the Minister's steadfast support for the project as well. As the Minister knows, I wrote to him in March inviting him to come to Clonmel to see the site first hand. He is due to visit the site in the next number of weeks. I look forward to welcoming him to Clonmel. It should not be seen as just another major project. It is transformative in nature and involves the creation of Ireland's fully integrated further and higher education campus. I acknowledge the significance of this project for Clonmel, south Tipperary and the wider region.”
“There is no minimum age for driving a horse-drawn vehicle, so I would appreciate the Taoiseach's support in terms of amending section 74 of the Act and the establishment of the working group.”
“Does the Taoiseach agree that the racing of the horse-drawn vehicles called sulkies on public roads is completely unacceptable? It is incredible to think that, under existing road traffic legislation, in particular section 74 of the Roads Act 1993, it is allowed for under certain circumstances. I am engaging with the Department of Transport in my role as Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport on the heads of the road traffic Bill, which are due to be presented to the Government before the summer recess. There is an opportunity to address that and to amend section 74 of the 1993 Act. I have also written to the Ministers for justice, agriculture and Transport for the establishment of a working group that would also look at issues around minimum age, licensing and the regulatory framework.”
“I want to shine a light on the claim of our school secretaries and caretakers for access to the public sector pension scheme and other entitlements. I welcome the intervention of the Labour Court but for reasons unknown to me and ten months after their August 2025 strike action, we still await a recommendation. What I do know - I am sure the Minister will agree - is the extent to which they are such a positive force in our schools and centres of educational excellence. In recent weeks, many secretaries and caretakers have been in touch with me and my office to say they are deeply frustrated by this delay. Can the Minister provide any update as to when we might receive a recommendation from the Labour Court?”
“As I said, I am sorry to have to say I am convinced, as Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, that with a failure to act we will see the loss of human life and the continuing loss of equine life.”
“The incident in Clonmel resulted in two third-party cars being significantly damaged and those individuals had no comeback. What we have at the moment is a patchwork of old legislation. In the context of Dublin, it goes back to legislation prior to the foundation of the State, which covers the Dublin metropolitan area. It is legislation from the 1850s. We have local by-laws and limited enforcement powers. There is no coherent modern national framework governing the use of horse-drawn vehicles. This is why we need an interdepartmental working group, where we can get officials from the Departments of justice, Transport and agriculture into a room. If somebody gets behind the wheel there are clear rules around age, competency, insurance and enforcement. Unfortunately, similar clarity does not apply to horse-drawn vehicles.”
“I thank the Minister of State. The response confirms that under section 74 of the 1993 Act, with the permission of An Garda Síochána and the local authority, a race can be held. Section 74 should be removed from the 1993 Act. It is so difficult to enforce because the legislation allows only for the organiser of the particular race to be prosecuted and it is impossible to identify the organiser. These are matters the committee on transport will follow up. As I mentioned, we have no clear national licensing system. I am really concerned about the minimum age and I will explore with the Minister for agriculture whether it can be dealt with under the Control of Horses Act 1996. There is no equivalence in terms of insurance requirements.”
“There is no minimum age for driving a horse-drawn vehicle which can travel at up to 50 km an hour with a horse that might weigh up to 400 kg. What I have said reflects the seriousness and the need for urgency in terms of this work. We need co-ordinated action. The committee on transport is available and ready to facilitate this work. This is so serious. I do not say this lightly but if we do not act, we will see loss of life. I ask the Minister of State, if he can, to bring back what I have said to the Minister for Transport and I appreciate him taking this issue tonight.”
“On 24 April, in my role as Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport, I wrote to the Ministers with responsibility for transport, agriculture and justice requesting an interdepartmental group on this very issue. The purpose of this working group would be to conduct a comprehensive review of the current legislative and regulatory framework, examine road safety risks associated with such horse-drawn vehicles on public roads, strengthen animal welfare protections, assess enforcement powers, consider the introduction of national standards, explore the potential of a licensing and regulatory framework - and I believe they should also be insured - and look at the minimum age in existing legislation.”
“I support any measure taken by local authorities around the country that follow Kilkenny County Council's lead to create exclusion zones not only in terms of the racing of horse-drawn vehicles but also the leisurely use of horse-drawn vehicles in town centre areas. It also involves the Department of Transport in the context of existing road traffic legislation. Existing legislation bans the leisurely use and the racing of horse-drawn vehicles on motorways but, incredibly, it allows for the racing of horse-drawn vehicles on all other roads in certain circumstances. I refer to section 74 of the Roads Act 1993 and I am calling for the complete abolition of this section.”
“The racing of horse-drawn vehicles on public roads is totally unacceptable and represents a clear and present danger, not just to the operator of the horse-drawn vehicle but also to motorists, pedestrians and the horse itself. A recent incident in Clonmel shocked not just the citizens of Clonmel but also citizens around the country and resulted in a significant public and road safety issue and loss of life, as a horse died on that occasion. It intersects with multiple Departments. It involves the Department of justice from an enforcement perspective, and God knows we need enforcement of existing legislation. It also intersects with the Department of agriculture from the point of view of the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013 and the Control of Horses Act 1996.”
“If we truly value biodiversity, we must equip our local authorities and communities with the structures, resources and accountability needed to deal effectively with invasive species before these problems escalate even further.”
“It can severely impact development land and places huge costs on homeowners, councils and taxpayers alike. Communities often feel powerless when infestations spread across boundaries between public and private land, with no clear framework for enforcement or co-ordinated treatment. We need a national strategy that provides clarity and consistency. That means clear lines of responsibility within every local authority, proper co-ordination between biodiversity, environmental and district operations staff, national guidelines for treatment and containment, public awareness campaigns and, most importantly, adequate funding for early intervention because early action is far cheaper than long-term remediation. Biodiversity protection is not only about preserving what is native and thriving but also about managing what threatens it.”
“We do not have a sufficiently clear, consistent and co-ordinated approach across local authorities when it comes to invasive species management. Who takes operational control? Who co-ordinates the response? What happens when the infestation is on public land? What happens when it is on private land beside public infrastructure? How quickly are public safety measures implemented and what guidance exists for local authorities to ensure a uniform response nationwide? In the case of giant hogweed the dangers are very real. Contact with the plant can cause severe burns, blistering, long-term skin damage and eye injuries yet in some instances areas remain accessible to the public and without barriers or warning signage. Japanese knotweed presents another enormous challenge. It damages roads, footpaths, walls, drainage systems and property.”
“In recent weeks I have been dealing with a particularly concerning case involving the reported presence of giant hogweed in a public park in South Tipperary. This is a busy public amenity used daily by families, walkers, sports clubs, schools and children. This issue was reported many months ago yet there appears to have been uncertainty about who is responsible for co-ordination. Questions arose about who exactly is responsible for responding on the ground. Is it the council district office, the environmental section, the biodiversity officer, the National Parks and Wildlife Service or the Department of agriculture? While these questions remain unanswered the people continue to use these public spaces every day. That points to a much wider national issue.”
“This being National Biodiversity Week it is really important we acknowledge the enormous positive work at the local level within our communities by schools, farmers, environmental organisations and especially volunteers and Tidy Towns groups. They do extraordinary work to protect and enhance biodiversity. If we are serious about protecting biodiversity we also need to be serious about confronting invasive species and this is what I will focus on in my contribution. In towns and villages in County Tipperary and across the country communities are increasingly dealing with invasive plants such as Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed. These are no longer isolated environmental concerns but public safety issues, infrastructure issues and indeed major financial liabilities for local authorities, landowners and communities.”
“I thank the Minister of State. This is a practical and sensible solution. It would provide reassurance not only to peace commissioners but also to members of the public engaging with them. A member of An Garda Síochána can produce an official warrant card yet a peace commissioner, despite exercising a very important statutory function, has nothing comparable to confirm their position. I accept what the Minister of State is saying in terms of the initial letter of warrant, but I am talking about photographic identification. Given the relatively modest scale of such a measure, I again ask that the Minister of State give serious consideration to progressing it and commit the Department to a timeline for the next steps following this ongoing review process.”
“When identity fraud is growing all the time, I ask the Minister of State to give serious consideration to such an identity card.”
“I thank the Minister of State. For transparency, I put on record I am a peace commissioner and a commissioner for oaths. I think we have approximately 4,500 peace commissioners appointed nationwide. As the Minister of State said, they carry out vital functions on a voluntary basis, including witnessing signatures, verifying documents and assisting citizens who may otherwise have limited access to such services locally. However, in carrying out these duties many peace commissioners are increasingly finding themselves in situations where they are required to provide their own identity and official status despite not having formal photographic identification issued by the State. I welcome that the review is ongoing.”
“I understand that under the Minister's predecessor, the Minister, Deputy McEntee, a review group was established to examine the provision of official identity cards for peace commissioners. Will the Minister provide an update on what work has been carried out, whether any recommendations have been made and whether the Department intends to move towards the implementation of an official identification system for our peace commissioners?”
“While I welcome this strategy and the positive role that technology can play, I believe we must now match that ambition with stronger enforcement, better investment, better planning of infrastructure, better co-ordination and political will. I again acknowledge the strength of that political will in the Minister of State. If we do that, this strategy can become part of a genuine turning point in road safety in Ireland.”
“We need to continue to invest in active travel. Better and safer walking and cycling infrastructure not only supports climate and health goals but it saves lives. I assure this House and the Minister of State of the focused work that is ongoing by the transport committee. We intend to provide leadership by identifying concrete actions and making strong recommendations to the Government and other relevant agencies, including key actions that can be implemented in a timely manner. We all agree that we need urgency and, above all else, delivery. Every statistic in road accidents represents a person, a family and a community devastated.”
“More gardaí assigned to our roads policing unit is crucial. It means greater roadside testing capability and stronger enforcement against drink driving, drug driving and insurance offences. It means ensuring that enforcement is visible, consistent and nationwide. Of course, enforcement alone is not enough. Road safety begins with road design and too many of our roads are unforgiving, particularly in rural areas. There are junctions that people fear using every day, roads without safe walking or cycling infrastructure and communities divided by dangerous driving conditions. That is why we need sustained investment in safer infrastructure. We need greater delivery of low-cost safety-improvement schemes, which is crucial. We need safer junctions, better lighting, traffic calming, pedestrian crossings and segregated cycling infrastructure.”