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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“The current waiting time is averaging ten weeks and we need to get it lower. There is a capacity in the system to do 7,200 tests on a weekly basis. However, the issue of multiple successive learner permits remains a glaring gap in our road safety framework. I acknowledge all those who have lost their lives this year - 147 people. I also think of their families today. I also want to acknowledge the work of PARC, the road safety advocacy group, in particular Susan Gray, with whom I work very closely in my role as Chair of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Transport. According to the RSA, more than 56,000 people currently hold three or more learner permits and many of them have never once sat a driving test.”
“I thank the Minister of State for taking this important Topical Issue. I raise this issue today because there is an urgent need to finally close the loophole that allows drivers to continue renewing learner permits indefinitely without ever sitting a driving test. Of course, this is not a new problem. It was identified more than a decade ago in the RSA's Road Safety Strategy 2013-2020. Action 33 of the strategy clearly commits to addressing this loophole with a completion date of quarter 1 of 2014. Eleven years later, this loophole still has not been closed. I acknowledge the Minister's ongoing work, and that of the RSA, in improving waiting times for driving tests. We know that waiting times have been reducing steadily and additional testers have been recruited. This progress deserves recognition.”
“In the context of maintaining that momentum, I appeal to the Tánaiste to engage with the Minister for education so we can see the realisation of this project at the earliest opportunity.”
“As the Tánaiste knows, since I was first elected, the expansion of the Scoil Aonghusa special school in Cashel has been a priority of mine. I pay tribute to everybody involved in this centre of educational excellence. The school is under huge pressure as it caters for 150 children with complex special needs. Thankfully, the 15-room modular expansion was approved in February this year. It is my understanding that the tender process is just about complete. As the Tánaiste knows, it is all about delivery now. I am anxious to maintain the momentum to ensure we move to the detailed design and planning phase at the earliest opportunity and soon after to the modular construction phase.”
“My own constituents in south Tipperary deserve better. I am asking that the HSE ensures that this issue is resolved once and for all.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the response, but I emphasise again that this issue is not theoretical. It is happening daily. When people are sick, anxious or dependent on transport to receive treatment, the ability to get through on the phone is not a luxury; it is a necessity. This service must be accessible, responsive and properly resourced. I urge that the HSE be directed to carry out an immediate service review focusing specifically on communication systems, staffing levels, call-handling capacity and response protocols. I also believe that there should be a dedicated contact point within the south-east community healthcare area for public representatives to escalate urgent cases where patients are being left stranded. This is a straightforward fix if there is leadership and oversight. The people of the south east deserve better.”
“What people want is very simple: a phone line that is staffed and answered during core hours; a clear system for call backs and responses; and a sense that their needs are being treated with respect and urgency. Will the Minister of State to confirm that the Department and the HSE are aware of the communication difficulties affecting the patient transport service for CHO 5? Will she outline the measures being taken to improve accessibility and responsiveness? Will she ensure that a clear monitored system is put in place in order that these complaints do not reoccur? Patients across the south east, including those in my constituency of South Tipperary, deserve a transport service that they can rely on and trust.”
“This is not an isolated complaint; it is now a consistent and widespread issue. People who are ill, elderly or vulnerable should not have to spend days trying to get through on the phone or wait endlessly for an email reply just to confirm transport to a hospital appointment. The patient transport service plays a crucial role in ensuring that patients, particularly those who require dialysis, oncology or other regular treatments, can attend their appointments safely and on time. It also provides reassurance to families who depend on that reliability. The reality at present is one of frustration, stress and uncertainty. In some cases, patients have had to rely on neighbours or voluntary groups at short notice because they simply could not make contact with the service. I am sure the Minister of State will agree that this is not acceptable.”
“I thank the Minister of State for taking this matter, which relates to the ongoing and serious difficulties people are encountering when trying to make contact with the patient transport service for the south east, which is based in Wexford. This is a service which, as the Minister of State will know, is a vital lifeline for patients and families across community health organisation, CHO, 5, including those in counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford and in my constituency of South Tipperary. In recent months, my office and members of the public have encountered the same persistent problem, namely repeated phone calls going unanswered, emails not being acknowledged and a general lack of responsiveness when patients are trying to arrange or confirm essential transport.”
“I refer to the commitment in the programme for Government to launch a new town and city infrastructure investment fund to replace the urban regeneration and development fund, URDF. Regional towns such as Clonmel cannot access the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, or the town and village renewal scheme, so this new fund is crucial. Clonmel has a shovel-ready project. Matched funding has been set aside. Can the Minister give any indication of when the Government might launch this fund? Crucially, will a specific allocation be set aside for regional towns so that the big cities will not dominate the allocations?”
“I thank the Minister for his reply but the reality is that despite these existing schemes vacancy and dereliction remains stubbornly high. Failure to act now will mean that these empty buildings continue to blight our main streets year after year while a housing crisis deepens. I am calling for a specific ring-fenced approach, reform of the existing regulatory and grant system, and a targeted relief that applies where a building is actually brought back into use. In the midst of a housing shortage, returning them to productive use is a public good. This is also about restoring our towns, creating houses, creating jobs and giving our communities the confidence they deserve.”
“In the midst of a housing shortage returning them to productive use, whether for commercial or residential purposes, is a clear public good. If nothing is done then vacancy will remain stubbornly high, eroding the economic and social vitality of our towns and villages. By contrast, a focused and time-bound intervention confined to prime retail areas could trigger significant private investment, deliver new housing, and revitalise the very heart of our towns without creating a long-term financial risk. Will the Minister commit to reforming the regulatory and grant framework and consider new targeted measures so we can finally turn vacancy and dereliction into an opportunity?”
“I believe there is a real opportunity for reform of the current regulatory and grant framework to address this challenge more effectively. While I am aware of the understandable caution regarding tax incentives as a policy tool, I would ask the Government to consider a tightly targeted measure in this very specific context. Tax relief would be linked exclusively to the redevelopment of the derelict or vacant property in question and not to any other property holdings of the developer. Should relief, for example, be applied to future rental income from the redeveloped property ensuring any benefit is directly tied to the productive use of the asset? These properties currently generate no economic return for their owners, for the local economy or for the Exchequer.”
“I raise the national challenge of vacancy and dereliction in our towns and villages. In my own constituency of Tipperary South we see it clearly. Towns like Clonmel, Tipperary town and Carrick-on-Suir are three of our key towns and all have prime retail streets with empty or derelict properties. Unfortunately, this is replicated right across the country. These are proud places with strong employment bases, great community spirit, and real potential but vacancy and dereliction are holding them back. The Taoiseach has said on many occasions that everything is on the table when it comes to addressing our housing and investment challenges, and particularly the role private investment can play in delivering apartments and mixed-use developments. This must include and be linked to tackling vacancy and dereliction.”
“I ask that our borough council, one of only five in the country, be restored, not for the sake of nostalgia but as an act of justice and to bring about meaningful local government, renewal and the beginning of something better. The people of Clonmel are crying out for their independence from Tipperary County Council and the power base that is Nenagh.”
“I speak today as a proud voice for Clonmel, a town with a borough charter dating back to 1608 and a place of deep history and extraordinary community spirit. Clonmel has felt the loss of its borough council profoundly since its abolition in 2014. Decision-making drifted from the people. Civic pride diminished. The unique identity of our town, forged over centuries, was quietly eroded. Does the Tánaiste agree that the abolition of borough and town councils was a mistake? The programme for Government pledges a pathway back to town-level democracy. I ask the Tánaiste to honour that pledge. Clonmel is not just a town. It is a living borough. It is home to the great outdoors, rich in culture and strong in employment.”
“While I welcome the increases in recent years, let us be honest. They are not nearly sufficient to address the scale and demand for the schemes. We need to double existing funding for the LIS and CIS schemes so that counties like Tipperary, in particular south Tipperary, gets its fair and equitable share.”
“Across south Tipperary, the condition of local and minor roads has reached breaking point. We are not talking about potholes or surface cracks; we are talking about roads that are effectively impassible and where families struggle to reach schools, farmers cannot move machinery safely and emergency services think twice before making a journey. As the Minister knows, both schemes provide essential upgrade to non-council roads. I again appeal to the Minister that if he has money up his sleeve there is no better value for money than the two schemes to which I have referred.”
“As I am sure the Minister will agree, the local improvement scheme, LIS, and the community involvement scheme are two critical supports at local level that are vital to the fabric and function of rural Ireland. Are there plans to provide any additional funding before the end of this year?”
“While I recognise the financial pressure the ETB is currently under, I am deeply concerned about the impact of these cuts on the most vulnerable in our society. I appeal to the ETB to urgently review this decision and I appeal to the Taoiseach personally to intervene in this matter.”
“I also welcome our wonderful visitors from Tipperary. The decision by the ETB to cut vital local training initiative programmes across Tipperary should be urgently reversed given the critical role played by these programmes in our communities. I refer in particular to those delivered at the Spafield Family Resource Centre in Cashel, the Knockanrawley Resource Centre in Tipperary Town, the Littleton community programme and the Cahir Development Association. These programmes are not just training schemes, they represent essential educational pathways for early school leavers and those that have been long-term unemployed. They offer a second chance and provide support, structure and opportunity where it is most needed.”
“I again urge the Minister of State to intervene, to engage with the facilities manager in Tusla and reconsider this disheartening decision. I am calling for the exploration of all possible options, whether through investment, refurbishment or other interim measures that will allow this critical facility to be brought back into use as it has been for the last 25 years, with 500 children a week, some of them with disabilities, getting lessons.”
“I have to ask where the report is. There has been no engagement with local stakeholders. This is the reality of the situation. I fully accept Tusla's core competencies in respect of looking after children, but is there a greater gift to give to a child than the opportunity to learn how to swim? The wonderful thing about most activities in the water is that in many cases mobility issues as a result of a disability are greatly reduced. Exercise is often a challenging topic for an individual with a mental or physical disability. Swimming, though, is not only fun and rewarding but also a great way to keep fit and healthy, and without the challenges that would normally be found with outdoor exercise or in a gym environment. The nearby Clonmel swimming pool is at full capacity. There is a five-year waiting list for swimming lessons.”
“In parallel, I ask Tusla to immediately engage with local stakeholders. Transparent and collaborative dialogue is essential if we are to identify a path forward. Moreover, within Tusla's own operations at the Ferryhouse complex, a functioning swimming pool offers considerable value, not just to the community at large but also as a facility that supports the physical and mental well-being of its service users and staff. As a matter of urgency, I urge the Minister of State to intervene and to reconsider this disheartening decision. I am calling for the exploration of all possible options, whether through investment, refurbishment or interim measures that will allow this critical facility that is Ferryhouse swimming pool on the Ferryhouse campus to be brought back into use.”
“Until its closure in February this year, the pool served more than 500 children each week, many of whom were learning essential life-saving swimming skills. Among them were children and adults with disabilities, members of the great Dolphin Swimming Club, who depended on this facility for inclusive and therapeutic physical activity in a safe and supportive environment. It was the highlight of their week, and it was taken away from them by the leadership team at Tusla that made that decision. The swimming pool was far more than a recreational amenity. It was a vital community resource that promoted well-being, inclusion and social cohesion. For decades, it has brought children, families and local swimming clubs together in a healthy and positive space. Its loss will be profoundly felt across generations.”
“I will be sharing time with Deputy Mattie McGrath. I want to speak about a reply I received from Tusla to a parliamentary question I asked of the Minister regarding the future of the swimming pool on the Ferryhouse campus, just outside Clonmel. The reply stated that unfortunately, due to significant mechanical and electrical issues identified, Tusla deemed the pool at the end of its life and unsafe to use. The decision was made in the absence of the full consultant's report, including the magnitude of the costs involved. I fully understand and recognise the importance of safety. I understand the technical issues raised. However, I must express in the strongest possible terms the devastating impact this closure will have on the people of Clonmel and the wider region.”
“We need to be very honest here. One of the reasons we find ourselves in this position is that while the most recent national wage agreement included a 3.5% increase, only 2% of the funding was provided by the Government. The other 1.5% must be absorbed from the existing budget. I ask the Minister of State to urgently rethink this decision and to engage with the ETB in Tipperary. I spoke to some of those students who have enrolled for September. These are vulnerable students who are devastated by this decision. I appeal to the Minister of State to intervene.”
“I agree with Deputy McGrath. This decision by the ETB to cut vital local training initiative programmes across Tipperary should be urgently reversed. I acknowledge the critical role played by these programmes in our communities, particularly those delivered at the Spafield Family Resource Centre in Cashel, the Knockanrawley Resource Centre in Tipperary town, the Littleton community programme and the Cahir Development Association. These are not just training schemes; they represent essential pathways for the most vulnerable in society. I am deeply concerned about the impact of these cuts on the most vulnerable in society. I am, therefore, appealing to the Minister of State and to the ETB to reverse the decision.”
“Forty per cent of the post office network will potentially close unless Government funding is increased. Increasing this funding to €15 million annually over five years will ensure the viability of many of the 845 post offices nationwide, more than 500 of which are in areas without any financial institution. I acknowledge the extraordinary work of our postmasters and postmistresses around the country, in particular those in my constituency of Tipperary South, and the extent to which they remain such a positive force within our communities. Notwithstanding the crucial role the rural post office plays in our communities, there is a much bigger issue here, with social cohesion at its heart. Will the Tánaiste commit to this funding and to standing up for rural post offices?”
“I urge the Taoiseach to immediately suspend the contract pending the outcome of the High Court proceedings, launch an independent audit of the due diligence and procurement process, and halt further expansion of the site until full planning and environmental compliance is verified.”
“The decision by Tipperary County Council, announced yesterday, to not contest the judicial review of the Dundrum House section 5 declaration substantiates my genuine concerns around the IPAS contract for this site that was given to a proxy company that was only incorporated in January. The ownership of this site is still being contested in the High Court. I fully accept and recognise the Government's obligations to international protection applicants, but they must be met in a way that is legal, transparent and sustainable. The Department's current position is untenable. It has executed a flawed contract on a legally uncertain site through a proxy company and has ignored valid environmental and planning concerns.”
“On my behalf and that of Councillor Marie Murphy, I appeal to the Tánaiste to intervene to engage with the Minister and Minister of State to find a solution and give these six special children the opportunity they deserve to reach the maximum of their ability and restore this sanction.”
“Ballyporeen national school in County Tipperary was sanctioned by the National Council for Special Education for a special class on 3 March. On 15 May, the NCSE withdrew this sanction because of rent implications linked to the building being provided for the class. This building is ready for use. It is on the school grounds and is owned by the local community council, a not-for-profit organisation. Everyone associated with the school is devastated. The community of Ballyporeen is devastated and, most importantly, the six children already enrolled in the special class and their parents and families are devastated.”
“We need to engage with CORU because the process by which international therapists must, in the first instance, have their professional qualifications recognised by the regulator to be considered for registration needs to be reviewed. There is no doubt that addressing the problems with the assessment of need process is a real challenge. As Cara wants, let us all work together. We owe it to the children of Ireland. As a new TD, this is a key priority for me.”
“It is so important we better resource this initiative in order to continue to support and deliver for those families and children who have been waiting the longest. We need a real focus on recruitment and retention. While the workforce across the 93 CDNT teams increased by 17% between 2023 and 2024, there are still too many vacancies. I appeal to the Cabinet subcommittee on disability to establish a task force around recruitment. For example, notwithstanding the existing pathways in education to qualify as a therapist, how can we better recruit more therapists from abroad? While the HSE maintains a panel of external suppliers to support recruitment of therapists internationally, this procurement model is not working and I can point to many examples to support that view.”
“It is time all of us across the political divide started listening to Cara and that we all work together in a solution-focused manner. This is an emergency. Our primary focus must be on the assessment of need process and this may require legislative change. However, such change must not in any way dilute the crucial need to identify the exact therapies a child would benefit from in order to reach the maximum of his or her ability. I fully support allocating more resources to significantly increase Cara's fund in the short term and indeed in the medium term so that those who are longest on the waiting list can be referred to private providers. To date, this fund has helped more than 3,600 children on the waiting list.”
“I acknowledge the extraordinary Cara Darmody. She is such an amazing campaigner and advocate for her brothers, Neil and John, but also in particular for all young children awaiting an assessment of need across the country. I also mention Cara's dad Mark and her mum Noelle. They are both amazing parents and carers to Neil and John. Living so close to Cara and the Darmody family, I have engaged with her, especially over the past four years. I have been so impressed with her passion, commitment, intelligence and steadfast determination to effect meaningful change. Cara is such a positive force. She is very clear. The political system needs to urgently apply itself to finding solutions to the assessment of need emergency.”
“I am deeply proud of my home town of Clonmel. It has a great history, a great location, strong levels of employment and extraordinary community spirit. However, our town centre - the historic core of Clonmel - continues to suffer from high vacancy rates and, more worryingly, increased dereliction. We have a shovel-ready plan to transform the prime retail area and reimagine the public realm. We have set aside the matching funding that is required. It is crucial that, as a town, we can access the URDF or the newly proposed town and cities infrastructure and investment fund as promised in the programme for Government at the earliest opportunity. Can the Taoiseach give any indication of when the Government proposes to launch these funds?”
“Since I first entered this Chamber, the extension of Scoil Aonghusa Special School, Cashel, has been a key priority for me. The current situation has enormous implications for the 150 students with complex special needs who attend this centre of educational excellence. Approval by the Minister of a 14-classroom modular extension and ancillary facilities, announced in this Chamber on 27 February in response to a parliamentary question from me, came as a huge boost to everybody involved in the school. It is news they had been waiting for since, I believe, 2015. Will the Minister give an update on the delivery of this project?”
“When an individual has completed the 12 compulsory lessons, he or she should be able to sit a test within four weeks. I call for a review of the service level agreement with the RSA. I look forward to engaging with the Minister of State, my colleagues on the Oireachtas committee on transport and, crucially, the RSA constructively and productively in a bid to get to the bottom of why waiting times have grown so considerably in recent months and what can be done to address this as a matter of priority. We need action from the RSA so our young people can realise the ambition at 17 or 18 years of age to achieve a full driving licence.”
“As Chair of the Oireachtas committee on transport, I can confirm that, in consultation with my fellow members, consideration is being given to inviting the RSA as our first witness. I will be consulting all committee members on this. Our first meeting is scheduled for next week to agree a work programme. These waiting times are bad for those frustrated by delays and detrimental to the overarching goal of this Government, this Chamber and this society to reduce road deaths and create safer roads for everybody. We have to be steadfast in our determination to build capacity in the RSA to cope with the current testing demand. I also hope in the near future we will legislate as a Chamber for the issue of learner permits. I suspect demand will subsequently grow as well. We need to be more ambitious. Ten weeks' waiting time is too long.”
“Recently published data reflecting a consistent increase in waiting times for driving tests is deeply concerning. I welcome the Minister of State's opening statement and thank him. This has been a focus for him since his appointment and, as Chair of the Oireachtas committee on transport, I look forward to working with him. The RSA's target of a ten-week average waiting time is not being met. One year ago, it was 15 weeks. In January, it had risen to 21 weeks, and by last month, it was more than 24 weeks. In my home town of Clonmel, the waiting time is 28 weeks. In Tipperary town, it is also 28 weeks. I have heard colleagues in the Chamber say it is as high as 48 weeks in some test centres. It is simply not good enough.”
“I want to speak on behalf of the people of Dundrum and of the taxpayer. I know the Minister for Justice is taking responsibility tomorrow. Will the Taoiseach ask him to review this contract urgently, please?”
“Serious questions surround an IPAS contract recently signed with Dundrum House Hotel, putting 277 IPAS applicants into a village with a population of only 200. There are four real concerns. First, there are ownership disputes currently before the High Court. Second, the contract was signed with a company that was only incorporated in January this year and has no Irish shareholders or directors. Third, the section 5 is currently the subject of judicial review. Fourth, the site is under investigation by Tipperary County Council for significant unauthorised development. In my view, the process is completely flawed. There is a lack of transparency and, apparently, due diligence. The programme for Government is clear that we need to reduce the number of hotels providing IPAS accommodation.”
“Can the Taoiseach provide any assurance to farmers in my constituency of Tipperary South and across Ireland that a key priority for our Presidency will be an increase in the Common Agricultural Policy budget, which works for farmers across Ireland and, more importantly, which encourages more young farmers and new entrants into the area of food production?”
“It is important that we maximise the impact of our Presidency of the European Union next year. It is such an important event for Ireland. Perhaps the Taoiseach will provide an update on the preplanning of our Presidency. Have there been any discussions of key priorities for our Presidency, having regard to the timing of the Presidency? It will include the next round of discussions on the multi-annual financial framework, with pressures on increased spending in the areas of defence, climate and digitalisation.”
“The lack of HSE ophthalmology services across south Tipperary is deeply concerning and is a growing source of frustration. This follows the planned retirement of a consultant ophthalmologist in August of last year. In correspondence that I received from the HSE on 14 January, it was confirmed that the post has been approved and is currently in the recruitment process. I appeal to the Government to intervene directly. The Minister will agree it is unacceptable that children across my constituency have been left without essential eye care.”
“I thank the Minister. As I said, I am conscious we are talking about a physical building but of course Scoil Aonghusa and many other special schools around the country are so much more than that. They are the positive environment in which our children, especially children with special needs, can reach the maximum of their ability. I wish to acknowledge in the Chamber the principal and her amazing team of teachers, nurses, ancillary staff, the board, volunteers and everybody associated with Scoil Aonghusa. Will the Minister consider visiting the school at the earliest opportunity? We have another centre of excellence in the area of special needs in Scoil Chormaic in Cashel. I ask the Minister to visit both schools at the earliest opportunity. I welcome this approval.”
“I welcome that confirmation. It is a huge boost to everybody involved in the centre of excellence that is Scoil Aonghusa. I acknowledge all the team in the school who do such fantastic work that creates such a positive environment for these young students to reach their maximum ability in. The board met on Tuesday night last and obviously welcomed this approval. As I said, they have been waiting for this since 2015. I think some further clarity is being sought. There are 24 teaching posts in the school. Only six existing classrooms adhere to the departmental specification so there is some back and forth between the board and the Minister's officials. It is approximately 18 classes versus 14. I ask the Minister to follow up with her officials so we can get that additional clarity around the number of classrooms.”
“I ask the Minister for an update on the delivery of a completely new modular build of 18 classrooms with facilities to meet the accommodation crisis at Scoil Aonghusa national school in Cashel, County Tipperary. This centre of excellence has been waiting since 2015 to proceed to design and planning stage. The current situation is having enormous implications for the 150 students with complex special needs who attend this school. As the Minister knows, this has been my number one priority since entering this Chamber. It is also a key priority for my colleague at local level, Councillor Declan Burgess.”