Mike Kennelly
Labour Panel · Fine Gael · Ireland
“I express my deep concern at the devastating wildfire that affected Killarney National Park yesterday evening. It is one of the most treasured national landscapes in the country.”
“However, as that excitement builds ahead of the biggest day in the GAA's calendar, there is again a growing concern among Kerry and Mayo supporters and others about how they will get to Croke Park.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. My ask is for the Minister for Transport to liaise with Irish Rail and Bus Éireann to ensure that adequate transport is provided for all football supporters from Kerry and Mayo for the upcoming All-Ireland final. I congratulate Kerry and Mayo on reaching this year's All-Ireland football final.”
“This is not just a Kerry issue or a Mayo issue; it is a national issue. We heard yesterday on the Order of Business that even Louth and Wicklow supporters had difficulties getting to Croke Park last Saturday. The All-Ireland final is one of the largest sporting events in the country, bringing tens of thousands of supporters together.”
“The use of barbecues, open flames or any activity that creates a fire risk in such conditions is simply unacceptable. What may seem like a harmless act can, in a matter of minutes, destroy habitats that have taken generations to develop and places lives in danger.”
“Yesterday was just a reminder of the of the serious consequences that can arise when risks are taken with fire. The land and trees are so dry at the moment that a spark could destroy every amenity we have.”
The complete record
Every one of 513 lines we hold for Mike Kennelly, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 7 of 11.
“I note and compliment the Minister and his officials on their correspondence acknowledging the 2025 funding pressures and the actions taken to avert disruption. Disruption would have happened otherwise. I wish to inform the House that, in the Minister's correspondence, he confirmed that the Department engaged with SOLAS and the ETBs and identified a funding pressure in the apprenticeship budget for 2025. The Minister directed SOLAS to work with Department officials to develop a sustainable solution to minimise disruption to existing apprentices. Craft apprenticeship demand has risen substantially, which everyone knows, welcomes and is delighted with. Registration increased by 35% since 2019, from 5,271 in 2019 to 7,113 in 2024. There has been a rise in total craft apprenticeships from 16,000 in 2019 to 25,000 at the end of 2024.”
“They need a credible, funded route map to assist with fees. I welcome the Minister's leadership to make that plan real and honour the programme for Government commitment to abolish student fees within five years. Earlier this year, I raised serious concerns with the Minister’s office with regard to rumours that were being highlighted to my office by a number of students concerning the SOLAS apprenticeship schemes. We know the success of the apprenticeship schemes run across the country. They are unbelievable. Sparkies are hard to come by. My son is on an electrical engineering apprenticeship at the moment, so I understand and have the life learning skills of having a student going through this course.”
“That commitment set a direction of travel towards further reduction and, ultimately, the abolition of student fees. While budget 2026 moves us forward in that regard, we need clarity and a credible timetable to meet the programme's promises. I am calling for a clear five-year commitment for all students and families who require certainty to plan their futures. I ask that we convert the positive steps in budget 2026 into a clear timebound commitment that aligns with the programme for Government. I specifically call on us to commit to a published plan to abolish student fees within five years, which will include interim targets for annual reductions and a transparent funding model to achieve that outcome. Budget 2026 is a meaningful step in the right direction. Students deserve more than goodwill, however.”
“Expanding the SUSI grant eligibility and increasing grant levels are a recognition of the reality of modern student life and will improve retention and completion rates. It is important to be clear about what remains unaddressed. Many student representative organisations and institutions sought a €1,000 reduction in annual student charges, but that specific reduction was not passed on in the budget. The absence of the €1,000 relief that was requested represents a meaningful shortfall for students and their families, especially for those who do not qualify for the enhanced SUSI supports. While the Government's measures are necessary and welcomed, under the programme for Government, the Government committed to making higher education more accessible and reducing the financial burden of fees.”
“I welcome the Minister to the floor of the Seanad. I welcome his statements. Indeed, the Fine Gael Party group in the Seanad welcomes the measures announced in budget 2026 that will, obviously, directly support learners across Ireland. I warmly welcome the permanent reduction in student fees and the expansion of SUSI grant limits. There are a lot of pluses in the Minister’s statement and I welcome every one of them, particularly the permanent reduction and SUSI limits. These are important steps that will reduce financial barriers and enable both young people and mature students to complete their studies. The permanent fee reduction signals a long-term commitment to affordability in higher education.”
“I thank the Minister. That is fantastic. His last few words were that it is under review and that local authorities should spend it efficiently. When we see 580 roads on the local improvement list in Kerry, it is very unfortunate and disappointing that some authorities are not even taking up their allocation. I propose that if moneys are not taken up this year as well, that funding should be extended to other counties like Kerry to catch up on the backlog. I would like the Minister to do his best to keep it under review. If we can locate more funding going forward, it would be very welcome indeed.”
“We got €2.2 million in Kerry County Council. If that were increased – allowing for a doubling of the number of roads completed in a year, which will be 38 this year – we would start to eat into the backlog. We need to put plans in place to review the whole current funding model for the LIS nationally. Can consideration be given to counties with particularly high demand, such as Kerry, the county I represent? Might additional resources be available to help councils to clear these backlogs more effectively? It is hard to digest a waiting period of 15 years. I appreciate the Department’s ongoing support for rural communities and rural development and the Minister's role in this regard, but today I urge that additional funding be put aside for the LIS, not just for Kerry, where I am proud to be from, but also for the rest of the country.”
“When the scheme opened in 2018, 804 applications came in, of which 737 were added to the priority list for completion. Kerry County Council has 580 roads remaining, with 137 done since the scheme began. At this rate, the last road on the list will not be completed for 15 years, and as a result some of the people in the affected communities will not live to see the works on their roads completed. Kerry County Council has indicated in recent application requests to the Department that an additional €5 million per annum is what is realistically needed to complete the roads projects on target in a calendar year. I urge the Minister to support me and the residents on the roads with extra funding of €5 million per annum for Kerry. This will have to be addressed across the country in addition to Kerry.”
“The Kerry County Council, in accordance with its actual capacity, which means what it can achieve, requested €5 million to address this backlog but received just €2.2 million, less than half of what was sought. To its credit, the council expects to complete up to 38 roads in the current year, which is very welcome. However, the scale of the backlog remains very significant and many communities will continue to wait, despite having met the criteria and being willing to contribute their share. In reality, the roads have gone beyond repair in many cases, and waiting for years ultimately has a telling effect. Kerry has the largest number of local roads in the country under the LIS, and that is one victory in Kerry we are not happy with. Let me put the matter into perspective.”
“I welcome the Minister to the Seanad. It is my first time speaking to him on a Commencement matter. I raise the issue of funding for local improvement schemes, LIS. The LIS, as it is commonly known in all local authorities, is essential for maintaining private roads that serve multiple homes, farms and rural businesses. These roads are often the only access routes for families and communities. Their upkeep is vital for everyone's safety, connectivity and rural development. Across the country, county councils are working hard to meet the growing demand under the LIS programme but the funding available falls short of what is needed. For example, 580 roads are currently on the waiting list for repair in County Kerry.”
“I welcome the Minister of State's use of the word "expedited". He will expedite the process of developing the guidelines and implementing them. What we do not want here is communities up in arms. When the turbine industry was really getting going and being built, communities were torn apart. There was no communication. There were barriers. There were no guidelines or policy. Now we are going much the same route for solar planning and we need matters expedited. Let us keep communities together and work with them. I request that communities be made aware of any future developments in respect of solar farms. There is an application going in now, but communities are not being made aware of it. Let us bring everyone together and bring communities together. We will do so. I appreciate the Minister of State's answer.”
“I and the people I represent totally support every form of clean energy, from wind farms to solar to anaerobic digestion and any emerging technologies. Ireland must embrace all available alternatives to coal and oil. Ensuring we have a robust, transparent and timely planning process for each technology is not optional - it is our responsibility. I am asking the Minister of State to outline a timetable for the publication of solar planning guidelines. Let us give certainty to the local authorities, clarity to our communities and confidence to the investor. In doing so we will honour our climate responsibilities, strengthen rural economies and secure a cleaner, more resilient energy future for Ireland.”
“It would ensure projects are distributed in a balanced way, support grid connection planning and give all stakeholders, including farmers, developers, councils and neighbours, a shared roadmap for successful, responsible deployment. I therefore ask the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when we can expect to see these national planning guidelines for solar farms published and implemented. Farmers are keen to diversify their incomes. Communities stand ready to support clean energy and investors need certainty before moving forward. A clear timeline would give local authorities the confidence to process applications efficiently and demonstrate our collective commitment to climate goals and rural development.”
“These voluntary standards are a welcome step but they could be strengthened by a unified statutory policy. Without a clear binding framework we risk creating uncertainty that may slow momentum. Investors may hesitate to commit until they see consistent permitting criteria and farmers could pause land agreements as they await clarity. Local authorities working without a common reference point might face longer processing times through the planning system or varying local approaches which in turn can delay projects. Over time these factors can make it harder to scale up solar capacity promptly and smoothly. A national guideline would help align expectations, streamline decision-making and maintain community confidence.”
“I welcome those developments and have constantly said wind energy must be deployed responsibility, with full protection of residential amenities and rural communities. The guidelines ensure the proper setbacks, environmental impact assessments and community dividends are secured before the turbines go up. Wind alone will not suffice. Solar energy has an equally important role to play in our transition and the programme for Government explicitly commits to introducing national planning guidelines for solar farms and to providing certainty for farmers, developers and local authorities alike. Last November, Solar Ireland published best practice guidance covering community engagement, archaeological assessments and glint and glare mitigation.”
“I welcome the Minister of State. I am raising a matter of utmost urgency and national importance, namely, the development of our clean energy infrastructure. As the Minister of State knows, our climate action plan commits us to deep cuts in carbon emissions and a rapid transition from fossil fuels to renewables. On wind energy, the wind energy development guidelines first issued in 2006 and most recently reviewed in draft form in 2019 provide a clear framework for evaluating wind farm applications. They set out criteria on noise, visual impact, shadow flicker, grid connections and community consultation obligations. Those guidelines sit within the broader national planning framework, which envisages wind energy as central to our energy mix to 2040 and beyond.”
“This was also for supporting workforce development with training incentives and accommodation supports for all seasonal staff. Tourism in Kerry is about more than numbers; it is about people. It is the students who get their first summer job in the local hotel, the local bar or the local restaurant. It is the family who own bed and breakfast accommodation with pride. It is the small businesses and business owners who depend on the visitors and the tourism market to keep their lights on. I welcome the budget for 2026. Let us keep working together to ensure that tourism in Kerry and across Ireland not only recovers but continues to grow and thrive.”
“The Vintners' Federation of Ireland has called for a cap on the excise rebate on draught beer and cider. Such a measure would directly support traditional pubs. Its absence in budget 2026 is, and is seen as, a missed opportunity to relieve the pressure on these wet bars. When I say "wet bars" these are the crossroads bar, maybe in the small town that might have two or three pubs operating. They do not do food but they also need to be targeted, supported and kept open. One of the competitive factors introduced was in targeted supports for seasonal and rural tourism operators for investing in regional tourism infrastructure, signage - which is a simple thing - public amenities, and digital marketing to support destinations. These are places like Ballybunion and Ballyheigue.”
“While the VAT reduction is welcome, I believe there is room to do more. Many non-food hospitality businesses such as guesthouses, bed and breakfast accommodation, caravan parks, leisure centres and local attractions continue to face real challenges as well. These businesses are essential to the tourism visitor experience and deserve equal support. I ask the Minister and his Department going forward to again really consider extending the 9% VAT rate to all non-food hospitality services, including the wet bars. Suggestions were made to save these rural pubs across the county of Kerry and indeed across the whole country. Life does exist outside the capital and in rural Ireland we need these to exist. There was one suggestion made about the draught excise rebate scheme.”
“When we factor in the indirect employment in retail, transport, food production and cultural services, the reach is even greater. I know the Minister has seen this at first hand. Earlier this year the Minister visited Kerry with me and we met with groups like the Killarney hotel federation, the Tralee Chamber Alliance and the Listowel Business and Community Alliance. The Minister listened to their concerns about rising costs, staffing shortages and the need for continued investment in infrastructure and connectivity. That engagement by the Minister was appreciated locally and shows his commitment to the sector. Indeed, canvassing for Heather Humphreys in the last number of days and the last week was a pleasure. People recognise her contribution, her being pro-jobs, and her identity on that budget.”
“From the lakes of Killarney to Muckross House, the Torc Waterfall, Dingle, Kenmare, the Ring of Kerry, the beaches of Inch, Ballybunion, Ballyheigue and Fenit and the Listowel races, tourism sustains thousands of jobs and supports hundreds of small businesses in Kerry and Ireland. It is the backbone of many communities, especially in rural and coastal areas. I offer my sympathies to the O'Callaghans of the Fáilte Hotel in Killarney on the passing of Paudie O'Callaghan, who was an ambassador for the tourism market in Kerry over many years. I served on Kerry County Council with his brother, Councillor Niall "Botty" O'Callaghan. Our sympathies to him and his family. On the reduction of the VAT rate to 9%, almost 15,000 people in Kerry are employed directly in tourism-related sectors. That is a significant portion of any workforce.”
“I welcome the Minister to the Seanad. I welcome budget 2026. I want to begin by welcoming the decision of the Government in 2026 to reduce the VAT rate for the hospitality services to 9%. It is it is a positive move and one that will offer some breathing room to many businesses across the tourism sector. It was not an easy decision, and I appreciate the efforts of the Minister and his Department to support this vital industry. As a proud Kerryman, Kerry is home to football but also tourism. Tourism is more than just an economic activity; it is part of our identity in Kerry.”
“I am calling on the Minister for justice to urgently resource An Garda Síochána in the run in to Hallowe'en to address this antisocial behaviour, which has, in my opinion, severely escalated since last year. Over the weekend, for example, over fireworks were being dropped through residents' letterboxes and people were being aimed at with fireworks. It is going to finish up ugly. We had an incident in north Kerry last year where 50 youths wearing balaclavas had an on-street fight with fireworks, which is why I am calling on the Minister to resource the Garda straight away. This is not just an issue for Kerry; it is a national issue. Someone is going to get badly hurt unless we resource the Garda for the next three weeks to stop this antisocial behaviour.”
“Despite the campaign's national roll-out in collaboration with An Garda Síochána, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ISPCA, and the Dublin Fire Brigade, the continued disruption and danger posed by illegal fireworks in my constituency suggests a breakdown in local communication and enforcement. Today, I am calling on the Minister to review the campaign's reach and effectiveness in all counties in Ireland, to increase targeted messaging through local radio, schools and community groups, and to ensure that the Garda is adequately resourced to respond swiftly to these incidents. I spoke on this issue twice previously in the Seanad as far back as last March and April and was delighted to see the official launch of this public awareness campaign on the severity of the misuse of fireworks.”
“I rise today to express serious concern regarding the effectiveness of the 2025 Department of justice public awareness campaign on the dangers of illegal fireworks, which was launched in September by the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. While the campaign rightly highlights the severe penalties, with fines of up to €10,000 and prison terms of up to five years, it is clear that the message is not reaching all communities with the urgency and clarity required. In particular, I must draw attention to ongoing incidents in Kerry, where the Garda is currently investigating multiple reports of fireworks misuse in the Listowel and Kenmare areas as well as other areas.”
“As the Minister of State said, I can confirm the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment has not received a collective redundancy notification. This is warming to hear this morning. Through the Departments, can we as a Government intervene before we get this dreaded letter from Kostal informing us that this is happening? With contract law and all that, is it possible to intervene beforehand? I do not know. However, rather than waiting for it, let us knock on the door of Kostal to see what the Government can do to maybe save these jobs and protect these people's futures with further employment. Will the Government look at that?”
“I applaud Councillor Liam Galvin in Abbeyfeale who is constantly fighting for the road infrastructure investment to come into west Limerick. Without infrastructure and proper investment, we will not get new employers into the region.”
“They reflect a wider issue - the need for improved infrastructure and investment in our region. I am also calling today on the Minister for Transport and the Minister for public expenditure to expedite and prioritise the delivery of the bypasses for the towns of Abbeyfeale and Newcastle West, which have remained for many years a bottleneck on the N21 corridor. Road users continue to suffer from congestion and limited connectivity. There are five capital projects being planned for at present. One is at construction - the Adare bypass - and there are four at design stage. I call on the Minister for Transport to expedite these so that we can get this rolling, but today, our main issue is the workers within Kostal.”
“While many of its workers have given the best years of their lives to it, they now face a very uncertain future. We must ensure that their dedication is met with fairness and respect. That is why I am urging the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment to engage directly with union representatives - it is not too late - and Kostal management to allow for constructive dialogue to begin, which is essential not only to exploring solutions but also acknowledging the human impact of these decisions. These workers are not just numbers on a payroll; they are the backbone of their community. This moment also invites us to look at the broader picture and ask why this is happening. The challenges facing Abbeyfeale, Newcastle West and the south west are not isolated incidents.”
“I thank the Minister of State for taking this. The Commencement matter is on the future of the Kostal plant, as Senator Collins has alluded to. I stand with a very real sense of concern but also of hope that, through meaningful engagement and strategic investment, we can safeguard a future and jobs in the communities of west Limerick and north Kerry. The situation at Kostal Ireland's Abbeyfeale plant is deeply troubling. For over four decades, this facility has provided stable employment and economic support to the region. Many of its workers have given the best years of their lives to this company. I, for one, can vouch for that. My spouse recently finished up with over 32 years' employment in this company. That is what it means to the north Kerry region.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response. I accept it in general terms of policy and decision-making. Electoral fraud is not a victimless crime and it is totally wrong. This guy was not even asked for identification. To say we are running proper registration on voting day is wrong. We do not know how many of these cases exist. I ask the Minister of State and the Minister for local government to review what we have in store. Otherwise, we are preventing the next crop of young people who want to represent their areas from doing so because if this continues, no one will seek election given that it is not a level playing pitch. We know it is going on. If we can do anything today to wake up local government and have a policy driven to stop it, that is all I wish for. If the Minister of State could do that, it would be a good day's work.”
“Every fraudulent vote cancels out the voice of a lawful voter. The fallout from these cases will massively impact people who want to get elected to represent their electoral areas without fear of any undercurrent that does not reflect a level playing ground when it comes to these irregularities being committed. I won a seat in the 2014 local elections in Listowel by two votes, so to say, as was said in the court that day, that this does not really affect the results is totally wrong. I call on the Minister of State to clean up the whole voting process, to review the cases I have mentioned and to make sure that everything possible is done to eradicate this kind of behaviour.”
“This case centres on allegations that, ahead of the May 2019 local elections, a garda officer in the Killarney electoral area stamped hundreds of supplementary voter registration forms without the applicants being physically present, which is a legal requirement. An Garda Síochána launched a formal investigation led by a superintendent from outside Kerry and a file was prepared. As of April 2024, GSOC had forwarded a file to the DPP, with a decision still pending. This happened over six years ago. When will this case be brought to a conclusion? I have stated that these cases have made a mockery of our democracy. Illegal voter fraud strikes at the very heart of our democracy. When individuals or groups manipulate electoral rules or cast votes unlawfully, they undermine public trust in the fairness and legitimacy of our elections.”
“I called for a thorough investigation into the facts of the incident last week, and we still need clarity as to how this was quietly hushed up. It has made a mockery of our democracy. There have been no answers as to how this man got the polling card before he drove 40 miles from his home to vote in another town. He did not acquire it himself, the court was told, so who exactly gave it to him? The electors of Kerry, and indeed the rest of the country, deserve to know. Another case in Kerry centres on potential criminal wrongdoing in the form of irregular supplementary registration.”
“I thank the Minister of State for coming to the House. This is an issue I raised last week. This is a worrying and serious matter that has come into the public domain following a court case in Killarney, County Kerry. Voter impersonation at a Kenmare polling station at the local and European elections in June 2024 was caught on CCTV. A Cahersiveen man pleaded guilty but avoided a conviction for electoral fraud after he used a polling card not in his name that went missing from a vehicle. It was even more extraordinary to learn, as every dog and divil in Kerry knows, that the defendant works for the Healy-Rae Plant Hire company. He was cited in court as a farmer and a contractor, but his employer, the Healy-Rae firm, was unusually not identified, even though he has worked for it for years.”
“We are heading towards September and the winter period but no one knows who is telling the truth. I ask that the Minister of State’s Department contact Kerry County Council this minute or that Kerry County Council contact the Department so both can sit down in the next 24 hours to come up with a start date for the works. There is a job finishing in Listowel at the moment through the OPW. The promise was that it would move the staff and contractors down to the banks of the River Feale that burst in order to do the works. I do not know whether that promise was real. I ask that the Minister of State contact Kerry County Council today and come to a conclusion on this. What is happening is not on.”
“I thank the Minister of State for the reply. It is very unfortunate that this is my third time to get the same response on the floor of the Seanad, and I am probably getting the same response from Kerry County Council. The Minister of State said we will all work together, but obviously some are not pulling together. If Kerry County Council is blaming the OPW and the OPW is blaming Kerry County Council, where do the people in the area stand? It is not fair to stand up again and say it is Kerry County Council’s problem when it is saying it is the OPW’s. I realise the Minister of State has been in the job for only a couple of months and that he is probably working on the problem, and I really value his word on it, but I am getting the same response today that I got four months ago.”
“It is recess next week. The severity of the November flooding has been acknowledged. The reports are done and everything is done. The waiting is over, as far as I am concerned. Therefore, I call on the Minister of State with responsibility for the OPW to confirm to the public and the people of north Kerry when exactly these works will begin. I thank the Minister of State.”
“They went crazy when they were told there was no starting date. They do not know what the OPW is playing at. They all made their feelings known on behalf of the people in those areas. It is not the representatives doing the war dance, but the people in the affected areas who had their houses flooded. I mentioned it to the Minister of State here that things went from saving homes to saving lives on that November day. That is how critical it was. I am not making it up. People are living in fear. Let us be absolutely clear that we are fast approaching the period when there is a threat of heavy rainfall, which we are seeing. The communities of Listowel and Killocrim cannot go through another season vulnerable to the same devastation they experienced just eight months ago. These short-term works are not optional, they are urgent and overdue.”
“In Listowel, several families were forced to evacuate and some are still not back in their homes. That is the worrying thing. In Killocrim, entire stretches of agricultural land were submerged. The emotional and financial impact of that flooding is still being felt. This is July and the last time I spoke to the Minister of State, the sun was shinning. At the start of this week, there was a status yellow rain alert in north Kerry again. It sent ripples of fear through people. The rain that fell was more than a status yellow warning. As I said, the sun was shinning in July but in July 2022, the sun was also shining. We experienced three storm floods in that month that caused havoc, wreckage and carnage in all the areas. We had a Listowel municipal district meeting on Monday morning with all the public representatives.”
“I welcome the Minister of State back to the floor of the Seanad. It is unfortunate that I have to raise this Commencement matter again. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, for coming to receive it. I need to raise this issue of critical and urgent importance for the people of north Kerry, specifically the need for immediate commencement of short-term flood relief works in the Listowel and Killocrim areas. In March of this year, the Office of Public Works, OPW, gave a very clear commitment that temporary flood mitigation works would be carried out in both areas. That commitment was made in response to the disastrous flooding that struck in November - eight months ago - where homes, roads, farmlands and businesses were simply destroyed and, in some cases, devastated.”
“I tried to raise a Commencement matter on this yesterday but due to the day-to-day runnings of Irish Rail, it could not be communicated here. I call on the Leader to get whoever we can get to debate this before the week is out to make sure that every supporter who gets to Dublin in the next two weeks does so safely.”
“It was uncomfortable and people stood for four hours on a train trip to Tralee. It was totally unacceptable. I am calling on Irish Rail to add more trains both to and from Dublin to match the expected demand; ensure all passengers have seats because no one should be standing for their four-hour journey; provide onboard customer service staff for assistance and safety; and very importantly, something that has broken down as well, communicate clearly and early with the public about finalised schedules. With the two biggest days in the GAA calendar fast approaching, the call is clear: supporters must be treated as a priority. I am calling on the Minister for Transport or the National Transport Authority, NTA, to do whatever it takes to sort this.”
“I am, therefore, raising a very serious matter and calling on Irish Rail to urgently provide additional train services and proper facilities for Kerry supporters travelling to Dublin for the upcoming All-Ireland football final. With thousands of fans set to make the journey, unless action is taken now, supporters could face the same unacceptable conditions that occurred last weekend when fans were left with overcrowded trains and insufficient services. Indeed, it was Kildare and Limerick in the Tailteann Cup final when Kildare and Limerick supporters found difficulty in getting to Dublin. There were three trains from Kerry but, unfortunately, one of those was leaving at 7 o'clock. The game started at 5 o'clock, so everyone came to Heuston Station for the 9 o'clock train.”
“Today, I will follow on from my colleague and congratulate each of the four senior inter-county men's teams leading into their All-Ireland finals. I wish them all the best - to Cork and Tipperary in the hurling, and Donegal, but primarily and particularly Kerry as well, in reaching the All-Ireland final. I really want to wish all four teams competing the best. We have seen a resurgence in our national games this year with unbelievable hurling games and, thankfully, Gaelic football is back, which leads me on to the issue I need to raise today regarding Irish Rail. With such a resurgence and with supporters backing their county teams now because it is a level playing field on the pitch, everyone in their own county is starting to gather at train stations and bus stations or whatever to get to Dublin to support their teams.”
“May I finish? I hate to be the last person here to speak about their county. The Kerry senior football men are coming back up to Dublin to represent a very proud county in football terms. I have heard the Donegal and the Cork anthems in the past couple weeks. I have kept quiet until now.”
“I call on the Minister to outline the Government's current position on the Shannon energy project. Has there been meaningful engagement with potential private partners? What timelines are we working toward? What supports will be provided to ensure this project can move from planning to production? We are in the summer recess now. I call on the Minister to come and give us an update on that.”
“That is an extraordinary and, frankly, unsustainable position for any modern economy, especially at a time when geopolitical tensions and energy market volatility are the new norm. I understand, very importantly, that Gas Networks Ireland has opened the door to private ownership of the proposed €900 million Shannon LNG terminal. This marks a significant shift, with the potential to begin the project's real momentum after years of delay and uncertainty. Equally noteworthy is that they are willing to consider a power-purchase agreement or lease agreement with a corporate partner, signalling a move away from the State-owned floating storage model. That could accelerate development, encourage private investment and, most important, secure our energy supply on the Shannon Estuary. What we now need is clarity for the investors and communities.”
“Respite day services offer more than just relief to families; they offer dignity, routine and quality of life to those with complex needs. These families are not asking for extras but for basic support that should be the bedrock of any compassionate society. I am asking for the Minister of State to come to the floor of this House with a comprehensive and successful report on that, now that the stakeholders are meeting, which is good. Second, I am looking for clarity and urgency on a matter that is not just critical for the north Kerry area, where I come from, but for national energy security and the status of the LNG project. As we all know, Ireland currently has no gas storage solution.”
“Today, I have two issues. The first is to seek a clear and urgent update following the Minister of State, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton's recent visit to St. John of God services in St. Francis's Special School and St. Mary's of the Angels in Beaufort, County Kerry. There is a need for new respite day services in Beaufort. That visit gave families, staff and the wider community some hope that the State and agencies, such as the HSE and St. John of God, are finally listening. We now need them to turn that hope into action. What is needed is not just the restoration of services but also the development of a new purpose-built respite day service on site in Beaufort. The demand is growing, the need is undeniable and the local commitment from staff and families is unwavering.”