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…”
The complete record
Every one of 213 lines we hold for Michael Murphy, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 2 of 5.
“However, if we are serious about reducing deaths and serious injuries on our roads, we cannot consider or treat this strategy as the silver bullet. While it is important, the reality is that cameras do not pull over impaired drivers or detect drunk or drug driving on the roadside. We know from evidence this morning that alcohol is a factor in one third of all fatalities. Cameras do not replace Garda roads policing units operating in our communities, on rural and regional roads, and at times when dangerous behaviour is most prevalent. That is why any serious road safety strategy must include a substantial strengthening of our roads policing unit, which currently stands at in the region of 650 members. Back in 2010 when we had 1 million fewer cars on the road, I believe it stood at 1,050.”
“That is why this strategy is so important and most welcome. The expansion of fixed safety cameras, average speed cameras, red light enforcement and a broader use of intelligence enforcement technology represents a significant step forward. International evidence shows us that these measures can reduce collisions and save lives. We had 200,000 road traffic offences last year with 126,000 related to speeding, of which 45,000 were for exceeding the 100 km/h speed limit. I acknowledge the work being done across the Government, in particular by the Minister of State, Deputy Canney, and the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, and by An Garda Síochána, the RSA, local authorities, victim advocacy groups like PARC, and many other organisations and NGOs to modernise our approach to road safety.”
“Of course, every statistic represents a family and a community dealing with devastating loss. I mention also the serious impacts that extend far beyond fatalities, including long-term disability, loss of employment, family trauma and mental health impacts. Only today, the joint committee heard evidence from Alcohol Action Ireland that Ireland has the lowest rate of roadside breath testing in the European Union. That should concern every one of us in this House. We must, therefore, recognise a very simple truth, that technology alone will not solve the road safety crisis that we face. Nonetheless, I want to be clear. We can and should invest in cameras, in enforcement technology and in data-led interventions. Cameras detect speeding. They can identify people running red lights and support safer driving behaviour.”
“I welcome the publication of the National Safety Camera Strategy. I do so not only as a TD but also as Chair of the Joint Committee on Transport, for which, as the Minister of State will be aware, road safety has become one of the most urgent and consistent issues for discussion. As the Minister of State will be aware, in recent months the committee has undertaken a focused programme of work in this area. Of course, that is against the backdrop of a continued increase in road fatalities, with the most recent figures confirming the highest number of deaths in recent years. There were 190 lives lost last year. Fifty-eight have so far been lost this year. I personally thank the Minister of State for his close co-operation with the committee's work. The Minister of State is due to appear before the committee in the coming weeks.”
“When the local democracy task force report comes before Cabinet, will the Minister be a strong voice for the restoration of town councils above a certain population threshold, in particular, the restoration of borough status for those five towns, including Clonmel?”
“I welcome recent comments in this Chamber by the Taoiseach in which he acknowledged that the abolition of town councils was a huge mistake. My home town of Clonmel was one of five former boroughs established by royal charter in 1608. It was self-governing for more than 400 years and that 400 years of history was wiped out by pen in 2014. I am conscious of the consequences for those representing a region in Spain who flirted with independence recently. I make a similar call for independence for Clonmel - independence from Tipperary County Council and financial independence from the power base that is Nenagh.”
“I welcome that a multidisciplinary working group has been established involving consultants from University Hospital Waterford and the national clinical lead for ophthalmology. This is a matter concern for all the elected representatives in south Tipperary. Perhaps a meeting could be set up with Deputies Healy and McGrath and myself. It is important that we be kept updated. What are the contingency measures in the meantime? My understanding is that there is no additional capacity. Everybody is working hard down in University Hospital Waterford. I do not like to put on the record of this Chamber that parents are telling me that the phone is going unanswered, but parents are unfortunately being forced into accessing private ophthalmology. It is a crisis. I would like to organise a meeting with the Minister.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her reply. It is very unfortunate. What I find most frustrating is that Dr. Hillery's retirement was a planned retirement. The recruitment processes that we have been going through for the past 15 months should have commenced before Dr. Hillery's planned retirement. I am a small bit alarmed about what was not mentioned in the reply, namely, the HSE's engagement with the Royal Victoria Ear and Eye Hospital in Dublin. What was the outcome of that engagement? There was also no reference to engaging with the private agency, as was suggested in the reply to me on 18 February. There is no detail on the scoping exercise or, indeed, any plan to avail of capacity within the private sector.”
“The HSE said that it was engaging with the Royal Victoria Ear and Eye Hospital in Dublin with a view to supporting Tipperary South. Is there any update? The HSE also confirmed that it was entering into discussions with a private agency with a view of a scoping exercise being conducted. I previously spoke about availing of capacity within the private sector. There are 2,000 children waiting, with 1,500 under the age of four. As if the crisis in orthodontic services was not enough across the south east, this is another full-blown crisis with regard to ophthalmology.”
“What immediate actions are being taken to secure a permanent consultant ophthalmologist for south Tipperary? We have now had three campaigns. Following the first campaign, the successful candidate declined the position. The second campaign found no eligible candidates. I do not think there were even any applications. None of the candidates who applied during the most recent campaign were deemed eligible. We also need to know what changes are going to be made. We are now entering into a fourth recruitment campaign. We need to ensure it is successful. How will the Minister for Health ensure that patients in south Tipperary receive timely and equitable access to this critical ophthalmology service? I wish to refer to the response that I received on 18 February last delivered by the Minister of State.”
“Very young children are waiting two, three or four years. In some cases my office has been made aware of, children have been waiting for an appointment since 2023. This can mean missing critical developmental windows. In the interim, families are being advised to contact the emergency clinic at University Hospital Waterford if concerns become urgent. Families who have engaged with me tell me that the reality is that, more often than not, the phone in Waterford is not being answered. Waterford is already under huge pressure with its own waiting list. What we really need is a structured contingency plan. I have raised this matter repeatedly throughout 2025, in February, April, July, October and December, and I had a Topical Issue debate on it with the Minister of State on 18 February this year.”
“I am raising this Topical Issue again because children across south Tipperary are being left without access to critical basic community ophthalmology services due to repeated recruitment failures following the planned retirement of the previous consultant, Dr. Hillery, in August 2024. This is not a new issue. It has now escalated into a full-blown failure of ophthalmology service delivery across south Tipperary. What should be a core community service simply has not existed for the past two years. More than 2,000 children are on the waiting list, 1,500 of whom are under the age of four. As we all know, vision development in early childhood is time-sensitive. Delays in assessment and treatment can have lasting consequences for speech and language development, educational progress, social interaction and general confidence and well-being.”
“We need to do everything we can to support our retailers. They are the real heroes at the local level due to the extent to which they hire locally, spend locally and invest locally. Those same retailers tell me that the offenders are well known. Incidents are frequent and brazen and the system is simply not responding at the pace required. We cannot let the situation continue whereby honest businesses invest, employ people and contribute to their communities while others repeatedly break the law with little fear of consequence. What immediate actions, not long-term plans, will be taken in the next three to six months? Critically, who is taking ownership of this matter across government?”
“The reality on the ground is stark. Retail crime is no longer sporadic; it is systematic. We are seeing organised shoplifting, repeat offenders and a growing sense among retailers that there is little deterrence and few consequences. For small and family-run businesses, retail crime leads to lost income, rising insurance and security costs, and in many cases fear among staff going to work. I hear directly from retailers that feel they are being asked to absorb the cost of crime themselves and that cannot be acceptable because right now the perception, and increasingly the reality, is that retail crime does pay.”
“I thank the Minister. It was remiss if me not to acknowledge his own visit to the site at Ballingarrane. This site has been in IDA ownership for a very long time. The people I represent want to see tangible results, zoned and fully serviced lands, planning permission secured and a clear opportunity to deliver a flagship facility. I appeal to the Minister personally to keep the pressure on the IDA. I do not want to be asking the same question in six, 12 or 18 months’ time, but I will. I really want to see a timeframe for delivery of an IDA-linked company at this particular site. It is great to see more than 300,000 people now employed in IDA-linked companies. I want to see Clonmel in that number.”
“It is positive to see that foreign investment is now at record levels. There have been 323 investments in the past 12 months that will realise more than 15,000 jobs. Unfortunately, none of those investments are at Ballingarrane industrial estate. As the Minister said, this is a fully-serviced, strategically located land bank of more than 50 acres. It is in IDA ownership for more than 25 years. We have planning permission for that 100,000 sq. ft advanced building solution. As the Minister knows, Clonmel has a strong track record in terms of delivery, multinational employers, a skilled workforce and a reputation for reliability. Why has it taken so long to get to this point? It is crucial that Ballingarrane is prioritised within the IDA’s international marketing efforts.”
“Will the Minister give an update on the IDA-owned lands at Ballingarrane industrial estate in Clonmel and the extent to which the IDA is actively promoting the site, particularly following the recent granting of planning permission for a 100,000 sq. ft advanced building solution?”
“It is important to acknowledge that a lot of analysis has already been done and is likely to be done but it is fragmented and very technical. It comes back to that overarching point I am making, which is that it is not easily understood by the general public. It is so important that information is collated in a way that is coherent and user-friendly and uses easy-to-understand language. Should we commission some kind of centralised, cross-departmental assessment that would publish regular updates and ensure that information is presented in a clear and non-specialist way? It is really about informing democratic discussion. It is not about prejudging any outcome. Without this, there is real risk that the public debate becomes shaped by partial information or competing claims.”
“Other jurisdictions facing future constitutional or structural change have invested in serious, evidence-based preparatory work and there is no reason we should not do the same so that citizens can make that informed decision at the appropriate time.”
“For me, it is really about ensuring that citizens are properly informed. Any decision must be grounded in credible, transparent and accessible financial analysis. I know various independent academic studies are being carried out and some already exist but I do not think there is any single authoritative, State-led body of work. There are a number of areas where clarity is essential, including taxation; the difference between tax bases North and South around income tax, corporation tax and indirect taxes; public spending around health; social protection measures; public services; and the complex area of fiscal transfers, such as the extent of subvention currently provided by the UK. These are complex issues.”
“It is important that we look at interim measures, including outsourcing or additional clinics, accessing capacity that is in the private sector in the same way we are doing in the context of ophthalmology to bring waiting lists down quickly. This has to be treated as a priority within the regional health structure. The Department of Health needs to intervene. This is beyond a local staffing issue. I want to see a clear plan published for how we can bring down these waiting lists. We know there are pressures nationally, but the situation in south Tipperary is more than acute and cannot be normalised. Even in a stretched system, a seven-year waiting list for a young child awaiting critical orthodontic care is indefensible. No child should spend his or her time on a waiting list. That is the bottom line.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply, but there was nothing in it to give any comfort whatsoever to those children on the waiting list across the south-east, and in particular south Tipperary. I am thinking of those children who have been waiting for up to 82 months for a critical intervention. The solution is not complicated. It is about filling those posts that have been vacant since 2021. We need a targeted recruitment drive for orthodontists in the south-east. We need them now. Relying on staff travelling from Waterford to Clonmel a few days a month is not a sustainable model of care. What is needed now is a clear recovery plan with timelines, targets and accountability.”
“The HSE has openly admitted that waiting lists will continue to grow over the next two years. We are talking about children missing the critical window for treatment that can have life-long impacts on their oral health and confidence. Parents are being left with an impossible choice: either pay privately or watch their children wait for years. By the time some of these children are seen, the clinical need may be more complex and, indeed, more costly. This is a classic example of a service where demand is known and predictable but not planned for. There is no credible explanation for having no reduction targets in the face of such a crisis and such extreme delays. If this were happening in any other part of the health service, it would be treated as an emergency.”
“The HSE acknowledged to me that demand is exceeding capacity, with more patients joining the waiting list than can be treated. Urgent action is now required. We need immediate recruitment to fill long-standing vacancies, a clear recovery plan with measurable targets and additional capacity put in place without delay. I am sure the Minister of State will agree that no child should be left waiting years for care that is critical not just to their health but also their confidence and development. What we are looking at here is not just pressure on a service but the effective absence of a functioning orthodontic service across the south-east and particularly in my constituency. Seven years is not a waiting list but a denial of care. The most shocking element is not just the delays but that there are no targets at all to reduce them.”
“The HSE has confirmed to me that there are no waiting list reduction targets for 2026 or 2027. The service is operating with just 0.1 whole-time equivalent consultant orthodontist cover for assessments in Clonmel. A specialist orthodontist post has effectively been reduced from full time to 0.6 whole time equivalent and vacancies remain unfilled dating back as far as 2021. It is extraordinary that in the face of such extreme waiting lists the HSE has set no targets whatsoever to reduce lists. This points to a lack of urgency and a lack of accountability. Even more concerning is the admission that waiting lists will continue to grow over the next two years. This means children who are now only being referred may not be treated until they are well into their teens.”
“As if the crisis that exists in the provision of ophthalmology services across the south-east was not enough, we have an even greater crisis in the provision of orthodontic treatment for children across the region. I can only describe the state of orthodontic services in County Tipperary, in particular, as deeply worrying and shocking following new information that I received from the HSE. Figures reveal that 546 children are waiting for critical orthodontic treatment, some of whom have been waiting for up to 82 months, or almost seven years. There are another 312 children waiting for an initial assessment. Children in my constituency of Tipperary South are being left to wait for the best part of their childhood for essential orthodontic care. This is not a delay but a systems failure.”
“To what extent are we engaging with the Garda Commissioner with a view to targets for our roads policing unit this year and during the lifetime of this Government? I appeal to the Minister. Can we set a target for the lifetime of this Government to have 1,000 members in our roads policing unit, bringing us back to where we were in 2009?”
“In my role as Chair of the Oireachtas Committee on Transport, I again want to highlight the crisis we now have on Irish roads. Already this year, 37 lives have been lost, which is up on the previous year. Most experts agree that the biggest cause of fatalities on Irish roads is driver behaviour, and what shapes driver behaviour more than anything else is enforcement on our roads. I, like many more, was shocked, following on from the December operation by An Garda Síochána, by the operation over the past week during St. Patrick's week when 188 drivers were arrested for drunk or drug driving, 4,250 fines were issued for speeding and 450 fines were issued for either use of a mobile phone or not wearing a seat belt. We need to strengthen our roads policing unit.”
“I welcome students from my alma mater, CBS High School Clonmel , their teacher Claire Bell and SNA Michael Power. The expansion of Scoil Aonghusa special school in Cashel has been a key priority of mine since I was first elected. I thank the Tánaiste and the previous Minister for education, Deputy McEntee, for their support. This centre of educational excellence caters for the complex needs of 150 students. The tender process is complete and the contract has been approved. There is an outstanding issue around a letter of acceptance. Will the Tánaiste engage with the current Minister for education so that this letter of acceptance can be issued to allow us to begin the detailed design planning phase and, in parallel, the construction phase, as this is a modular unit expansion?”
“In my role as Chair of the Committee on Transport, I again want to highlight the road safety crisis on Irish roads. Already this year, 28 precious lives have been lost and 190 lives were lost last year. Of course, behind every one of those statistics are a family and community devastated. I believe this to be a profound failure of our road safety strategy. I do not think the issues can be addressed by a single Department. Matters like enforcement, court processes, emergency responses and legislative reform intersect with many different Departments. Committees are in existence, but such is the crisis that I ask the Taoiseach to give consideration to the establishment of a full Cabinet subcommittee on road safety, given that the issues intersect multiple Departments.”
“I want to speak on behalf of the small businesses that are the backbone of our local economies. They are the real heroes at local level in light of the extent to which they invest local, spend local and hire local. These businesses are under huge pressure as a result of increased costs, something that is acknowledged on page 15 of the programme for Government. The programme for Government contains a commitment to making changes to employers' PRSI to ease the pressure on small businesses. Is consideration being given to a PRSI rebate scheme for employers that would be linked to lower paid employees and that will ease the pressure on these heroes at local level, many of whom are in the eye of a perfect storm in the context of increased costs?”
“If we use this pause constructively to update policy, clarify criteria and strengthen planning, something positive can come from what has understandably been an upsetting period for many school communities. Let us match our record investment with a modernised framework that delivers certainty, dignity and inclusion school by school and child by child in order that every child will have the opportunity to reach the maximum of his or her ability.”
“Many children who do not meet a narrow interpretation of primary care needs nonetheless require structured support to access education safely and meaningfully. Teachers, SNAs and parents know this. The pause in the review process should, therefore, be seen as an opportunity to modernise the criteria so that we clearly have a child-centred approach. It is an opportunity to put in place a coherent special education workforce plan that gives certainty to schools and SNAs. We must ensure that reviews are not perceived as resource-led exercises but are perceived as needs-led assessments grounded in professional judgement and the lived reality of classrooms.”
“I begin by acknowledging the scale of the Government's investment in special education. This year, over €3 billion is being invested in special educational supports. We will have nearly 25,000 SNAs in our schools in September - an additional 1,700 this year alone. The number of SNAs has increased by approximately 45% since 2020 and by 47% in my constituency of Tipperary. We cannot say that this is not significant progress. It reflects a genuine commitment by this Government. Investment is not enough, however. What recent weeks have shown is that the framework underpinning SNA allocation, particularly the 2014 circular, may no longer reflect the realities of mainstream modern classrooms. The circular's emphasis on care needs has in practice created confusion and anxiety.”
“Parents should not have to travel to different counties, seek private care or wait a minimum of 18 months for assessment. As I said, I welcome progress finally being made and I hope that through the latest recruitment process we will have a permanent consultant. I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for upgrading the post to a consultant level. I also acknowledge that the other key appointments are already in place. In essence, children cannot wait. They need appointments and they need them urgently. If we have a permanent ophthalmologist in place, we also need to focus on contingency measures that will assist in bringing down the waiting lists at the earliest opportunity. As I said, the children across Tipperary south need these appointments. It is an emergency.”
“I thank the Minister of State. I welcome confirmation that there has been concrete interest and that a number of applicants have applied after the most recent recruitment drive. It is important that a permanent consultant ophthalmologist is in place at the earliest opportunity. I also support additional contingency measures and the scoping exercise referred to by the Minister of State, linking in with the Dublin hospital because we have waiting lists. I alluded to the fact 1,800 children, mostly under the age of five are on the waiting list, including Rory and Aoife, who were referred to my office. They are both under the age of five and were referred back on 10 October 2023. Today, I cannot give them any indication of when they may be seen. In early childhood, delays in vision care can unfortunately lead to damage.”
“In the interim, families are advised to contact the clinic in University Hospital Waterford if concerns become urgent. The reality is that the phone is not being answered. This is not a structured contingency plan. Recruitment failure cannot mean service absence. I again ask the Minister of State very directly about this. Are weekend clinics currently operating? Has private provision been formally contracted? Are children being systematically referred across HSE areas? Is temporary contracting or emergency outsourcing now in place? Crucially, what is the update on the appointment of the permanent ophthalmologist for south Tipperary to be based in Clonmel? We are now looking for concrete proposals. Children across south Tipperary are entitled to the same access to community ophthalmology services as children anywhere else in our State.”
“The latest figures made available to me show that almost 1,500 children under the age of four, and 334 children aged between five and 17, are waiting for basic community ophthalmology services. That is almost 1,800 children in south Tipperary alone waiting for basic ophthalmology care, the majority of whom are under the age of five. As the Minister of State and everybody in this House will know, in early childhood, vision development is time sensitive. Delays in assessment and treatment can have lasting consequences. For every young child, an 18-month wait is not neutral. It can mean missing critical development windows. Parents are being told routine referrals carry waiting times of approximately 18 months. Some children in my constituency whose parents have been in contact with my office were referred in 2023 and remain on the list.”
“I raise this Topical Issue because children across south Tipperary, and children across the south east, are being left without access to basic community ophthalmology services due to repeated recruitment failure following the planned retirement of the previous consultant, Dr. Hillery, in August 2024. This is not a new issue. I have raised it repeatedly throughout 2025, in February, April, July, October and December and, most recently, in January of this year. On every occasion, I sought an update on the recruitment progress and, crucially, what contingency arrangements were put in place or are in place. In January of this year, I again asked what immediate measures were operating, yet here we are in February 2026 and still no change.”
“I speak on behalf of the small convenience store, often the only store now in every village in rural Ireland. I want to raise serious concerns about the new tobacco and vaping licence fee due this month. What was a once-off fee of €50 is now a combined annual fee of €1,800. That is a 3,500% increase and 36 times higher than what it previously was. I understand the public health issue at the heart of this, but the fact that the small convenience store must pay the same as the big players in the market - the Tesco and Dunnes Stores of this world - is very unfair. The average licence fee across the US, the southern hemisphere and the European Union is €250. I ask the Taoiseach to urgently review this fee as it applies to the small retailer and to apply the SME test.”
“It is not good enough that we simply say that numbers in our roads policing unit are a matter for the Garda Commissioner. We have to strengthen our roads policing unit. We have to get back to where we were in 2009, with 1,000 members. That is the number we need in our roads policing unit.”
“The reality is we have less than 650 gardaí currently in our roads policing unit. In 2009, that stood at 400 more, when we had perhaps 1 million less cars on Irish roads. In May 2024, former Commissioner Drew Harris appeared before the Oireachtas committee. He gave a commitment that by the end of 2025, 150 additional Garda members would be appointed to the roads policing unit. Unfortunately, assistant commissioner Gunne, in a recent appearance before the committee, confirmed that only 50% of those posts had been filled. Notwithstanding any outcomes of our Oireachtas hearings on road safety, my appeal to the Minister of State is that the number one priority be enforcement. Enforcement shapes driver behaviour. It is about enforcement of existing road traffic legislation. Driver behaviour matters.”
“I will focus on the matter of enforcement. Why is enforcement so crucial? It is because it shapes driver behaviour. The biggest cause of accidents on Irish roads is as a result of driver behaviour. We have got an urgent issue to address - the strength of our roads policing unit. What shocked me was the extent of non-compliance with existing legislation during the December period with the Garda operation of 10,000 checkpoints. During that period, there were: 26,500 speeding fines; 1,700 fixed penalty notices were issued with regard to mobile phone usage; 450 individuals were not wearing a seatbelt; 765 were arrested for either drunk or drug-driving; and, amazingly, 3,000 vehicles were seized at the side of the road for various offences, 60% of which did not have insurance.”
“Of course, behind all of these statistics are families who are absolutely devastated having lost a loved one. It is those families that guide me in my role as Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport. As the Minister of State knows, yesterday marked the first of a series of committee hearings focused on road safety. The committee is keen to move beyond just broad commentary to concentrate on enforcement, operational capacity, legislative gaps, licensing and regulatory gaps, the role of the RSA and other key stakeholders, shortcomings in data capture and data access. The goal is to frame clear, evidence-based proposals that can be implemented in the short to the medium term, with the ultimate goal being to save lives. I look forward to working with the Minister of State and I thank him for his close co-operation to date.”
“I have a copy of the RSA's provisional review of fatalities for last year. I encourage all Members, as policymakers and legislators, to read this review because it reflects the crisis we have in this country when it comes to road safety. Last year, 190 precious lives were lost. They were 76 drivers, 21 passengers, 41 pedestrians, 14 pedal cyclists, 30 motorcyclists and three e-scooter-related deaths. Forty-five were under the age of 25 and 43 were over the age of 66. In my county of Tipperary, ten lives were lost compared to two the previous year. It is interesting to see the counties with the highest numbers were Dublin at 22 and Cork at 21, yet, in counties such as Longford, there were zero fatalities. There was one fatality in Leitrim, one in Sligo and two in Cavan.”
“In terms of the college of the future, I ask the Tánaiste to engage with the Minister, Deputy Lawless, to drive this project forward.”
“I ask the Tánaiste to provide an update on the proposed college of the future for Clonmel. It is a project with which the Tánaiste is very familiar. The proposal is the first of its kind for a fully integrated tertiary campus of further and higher education on the one site in the heart of Clonmel. I pay tribute to all of the stakeholders involved, particularly Tús and Tipperary ETB. We are very much ready to move forward to the detailed design and planning phase. It is on the former Kickham Barracks site in Clonmel. It is the final phase and we are anxious to realise the ambition and vision we have for the site. Phase one, the plaza, is complete and phase two is under construction. The latter is the new south Tipperary Garda headquarters.”
“As we look towards the URDF call 4, Clonmel represents a low-risk, high-impact investment that is advanced, deliverable and capable of immediate mobilisation. Supporting Clonmel in a meaningful way would demonstrate the strength of the infrastructure plan in backing towns that are ready to deliver and committed to long-term regeneration. This is a real opportunity to complete a strategic vision that has been carefully built over many years and to show how national and local government can work together to renew our regional towns successfully.”
“Those projects, such as the Kickham Barracks Plaza and the regional sports hub, were successfully funded and delivered. Since then, our ambition has only grown. Having regard to the upcoming URDF call 4, Clonmel is uniquely positioned. Planning permission is in place, design work is complete and tender documentation is ready. Tipperary County Council can move immediately on town-centre public realm works valued at approximately €21 million. Matched funding of €5.25 million has already been set aside. The level of local alignment is particularly positive. The local authority is ready. Businesses have stepped up. All stakeholders are willing to work as one. The community is fully behind the programme. This is exactly the type of place where national capital investment can achieve maximum return.”
“I take this opportunity to highlight a very strong example of how Government investment in infrastructure and regeneration can deliver a real and measurable impact. That example is Clonmel, which is identified as a key economic driver in the regional economic and spatial strategy. Clonmel has spent the past number of years doing exactly what national policy has encouraged towns to do, namely developing a coherent, strategic, long-term regeneration plan, backed by delivery capacity and local commitment. The Clonmel strategic transformation plan for the period to 2030 is not aspirational; it is practical, detailed and ready to proceed. Under URDF call 1, Clonmel demonstrated that readiness by delivering shovel-ready projects at a time when very few towns could do so.”