Noel O'Donovan
Nominated by the Taoiseach · Fine Gael · Ireland
“We are not doing enough at a societal level for a health-led approach to prevent drug use. Senator Scahill outlined that An Garda Síochána was not being resourced. We have talked time after time about putting more gardaí into rural Ireland. We need more there.”
“I pay particular credit to the French family for enduring what they had to do during the criminal process and continuing their campaign to bring today about. I commend An Garda Síochána on its work in the area of domestic and sexual violence and the progression it has made in recent years.”
“I want to share in what my colleagues have said and welcome the report of the drugs committee. Our colleagues in the Seanad have put such vital work into it. I agree with the call that it should be a permanent committee. We should have a debate in this House on drugs use, drugs policy and what we are doing as a State.”
“I too welcome David and Veronica to the Gallery on what is an important and emotional day for the French family. As someone who comes from west Cork, I am not too far from Leap. The French family has had widespread support from the people of west Cork in their campaign since the brutal murder of their sister.”
“These are community centres, not just places where they sell alcohol and other substances, which I suppose can cause desperate effects. We need to support rural pubs, which provide a vital service in our countryside. Over 2,000 pubs have closed in recent years.”
“I genuinely thank the Minister for his personal work on this and for the help and support he gave to the French family. We will continue our work, as legislators, to ensure that victims of crime and their families are supported and that those who commit crimes are dealt with properly by the organs and institutions of our State.”
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“Farmers are afraid to do works because there are fears about Inland Fisheries Ireland and Cork County Council. I know of one farmer who was summonsed to appear in court because of works he did on the river. That is the fear they live with day in, day out. We need to get real on the issue. I have great confidence that the Minister of State will take on the issue. We need to examine best practice in other jurisdictions. He mentioned engagement with local authorities. We need a board of works and an OPW to get back into our rivers and maintain them. If we cannot have that, we need to grant-aid farmers to allow them to bring in private contractors to clear rivers. We need to think outside the box with the issue.”
“Once an issue is continually raised, it means it is not being solved. We simply do not maintain our rivers like we used to, and that is not only affecting our property but also risking lives in Kilbrittain, Ballinascarty, the Halfway and Caheragh. Several properties and people's lives are being put at risk. I take on board my colleague Senator Noonan's comments on nature having a role to play in this as well; it does. We can work with and protect nature. For instance, there is a bridge in Caheragh. Both eyes of the bridge are completely backed up with silt, debris and gravel. On the other side of the bridge is a farmer who built back the bank through natural stone and planted trees alongside the river, but the bridge is blocked up. That is having an effect upstream where houses are being flooded.”
“It can happen at any stage. We need to progress this project in Bantry. It is said that it will take about €20 million to upgrade the culvert. I am putting the Minister of State on notice that I will be coming looking for that gift of €20 million for the people of Bantry because the town cannot be left flood again. We need to do all we can. There is an overall flood relief scheme being progressed in the town at the moment, but the culvert is something that can be done simultaneously. The second issue is the maintenance and clearance of riverbeds. It has been mentioned here a number of times. In my years on Cork County Council it was an issue that was raised continually. I spoke on the issue of disability services last night. Disability services are raised on many doors we go to. It is similar to river maintenance.”
“There was criticism of the Minister of State coming to town in that it was only a Minister of State coming to have pictures taken and to be seen and the publicity around it but I pay tribute to the man because since then there has been movement in terms of working with Cork County Council, and a Part 8 application been progressed and finalised for upgrading of the culvert. I thank Cork County Council and the project lead engineer Liam Ahearn for his work on that. We are now at the point of submissions to the OPW for confirmation on the next stage of design on this. That is due to come to the OPW this week. I ask that there be no delay in the progression of this next stage of the scheme because these works are needed. As has been mentioned, flooding can happen during the summer months as well as the winter months.”
“The people who live in those towns can sleep easy at night because of the investment, and I thank the OPW and the Minister of State's Department for that investment. The town of Bantry, however, in many respects has been left behind in terms of flood prevention works. The most recent flooding there in October brought devastation again to the town. A culvert runs through the town but it is not sealed. It simply cannot take the volume of water that now falls and needs to pass through. Thankfully, the Minister of State's predecessor, Deputy Kieran O'Donnell, came to town in October.”
“I might not go that far. Seriously, the issue of flooding affects all of us right across the constituencies we live in and indeed this country. I want to discuss not only Bantry and the flooding issues we have encountered there but also the issue of road maintenance and river clearance and drainage. As has been mentioned, Councillor John Michael Foley is here from Timoleague. I welcome him. He has been raising the issue predominantly in the Kilbrittain area during recent flood events, so it has been raised at Cork County Council meetings and it is a really important issue we want to see movement on. As regards the overall flood schemes in west Cork and the towns of Bandon, Clonakilty and Skibbereen, a lot of investment has been put into the area in recent years by successive Governments.”
“Like other speakers, I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and, like my colleague beside me, I wish him a very happy birthday. I know that on birthdays it is customary to receive presents but we are looking for presents today so I hope he will give us many.”
“We do this work honestly and diligently because we have to. One of the mothers in the respite group I deal with said to me lately that I am brave to talk about the area of disability. It is our job. That is why we are all here speaking about disability today. We want to see success. I wish the Minister of State well in her work ahead.”
“The connections in a baby's brain are most adaptable in the first three years of life. These connections, also called neural circuits, are the foundation for learning behaviour and health. If early childhood care providers are willing to help with providing support for children with additional needs, is that not an opportunity we should grab with both hands? That is thinking outside the box. Early childhood care providers who are ordinarily out of work in the summer and have to sign on are potentially willing to get involved in caring for those with disabilities. I hope the Minister of State takes what I am saying in good faith. I look forward to what she is planning to do with the respite sector. It needs an element of work. I look forward to working with her during my years in the Chamber.”
“However, like everything with disabilities, some children cannot access them and there are long waiting lists. Senator Nelson Murray spoke directly to the Federation of Early Childhood Providers, which suggested that perhaps the childcare sector can help with July provisions by enabling more children to take part in the July provisions. Their places of work are closed during the summer months but the providers can usually sign on for social welfare, so they are quite willing to provide supports to children with needs. Second, when it comes to the AIM, why not extend the programme to include children up to three years old? The AIM is a super programme that goes through the ECCE scheme. We know from the research that intervention is likely to be more effective when it is provided earlier in life rather than later.”
“France, Belgium and other jurisdictions do respite differently. Maybe work has been done on that previously, but we need to look at it as a Government and as a Department because the people we represent want to see change. It is not just about funding and putting more funding into the areas; we might need to change the service. There are criticisms locally of some of the service providers and we have to be aware of that as well. At times, Governments are blamed, but there are service providers that need to up their game. My colleague Senator Nelson Murray has asked me to raise another issue, so if the Minister of State does not mind, I will raise it directly with her. It relates to the July provision and the access and inclusion model, AIM. July provisions, when assessed, are a great support for families and the clients.”
“As politicians, when we knock on doors, once an issue starts to be continually raised, we know it is a serious issue. We formed a respite action group in west Cork after those elections, which has met on a number of occasions. I have said to the Minister of State previously that we would like to meet her on a visit to west Cork. As she said, her work at the moment is travelling the country to see what works well in some areas and what units work well. Where there are challenges, we also want her to hear the challenges and the stories of the people in west Cork. The respite system needs radical change. While there are commitments in the programme for Government to increasing funding, we also need to look at our model of respite. We need to look at best practice in other countries in the EU.”
“I also want to mention some of the work that both the Minister of State and other Members have done with regard to programme for Government works and putting in place a strong programme for Government in the area of disabilities. Mention has been made of some of the new supports that are going to be put in place and the increase in funding. The creation of the Minister of State's own role and the fact that she will be sitting at Cabinet is a key benefit for the area. On respite, and I have spoken to the Minister of State about this previously, having gone through the local elections last year in west Cork and knocked on a lot of doors, the severe lack of respite became apparent after a very short period. Between 15 and 20 people across a number of weeks raised the issue with me.”
“I spoke to students in the Gaelscoil Dhoctúir Uí Shúilleabháin in Skibbereen yesterday afternoon about the importance of politics and the job we do in putting policies in place. There is no more important work that we can do than ensuring we have good policies for people with disabilities. In my tenure, during my few years here, I want to continue to raise the issue of respite. I have spoken to the Minister of State previously about the issue. Respite is one of the most important services that can be provided by both the State and service providers in providing support for those who care for people with disabilities.”
“Like other speakers, I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber. Her success in her position is a success for all of us and will be a success for people with disabilities, who are people we represent. I genuinely wish her well in her work in the years ahead. A figure that has been reported in recent times is that 22% of the population, or 1.2 million, have a disability or a disabling condition. That is quite a large figure. Other Senators have spoken about the population growth in this country. With the population growth, we have seen an increase in those with need. Having a disability system that is fit for purpose and that represents and provides a level of service is important now but also into the future. It is important that we get our systems and services correct.”
“This is going to take a major amount of money and expenditure by the local authority but it needs assurances from the Department that if the project can be got to the shovel-ready stage, the Department will work with the council to progress the overall scheme. There is deep frustration within the community. I attended a public meeting last night. I have spoken directly to the Minister on the matter and would welcome if the Leader could communicate to him that it was raised here in the House today.”
“I would have used it myself with my late uncle, in his boat. I have a fear of the water yet I like to go out on it, which is unusual. Early last year the Department of the marine met with Cork County Council and local users and public representatives. A commitment was given to fund 75% of the works to the pier if Cork County Council could get it to the shovel-ready stage. In the months following, no written confirmation of this was received. I have been checking up on it in recent months. We are at the stage now where Cork County Council still has not received that confirmation. The Department of the marine has said it never gave a commitment to expend it in writing. The local community is left in deep frustration with no pier works beginning.”
“I, too, welcome the British delegation to the Chamber, although as a new Senator I have not worked with Jeremy much. I put on record the appreciation of the people of this country for how relations now are. It was a testing and challenging few years. The people in my community in west Cork express positivity about the relationship. I thank our guests for their work and wish George the best in the role he is now going to take on. I raise the issue of Union Hall pier in west Cork. Union Hall fishing port is very important to the fishing community I represent. I want to talk specifically about Keelbeg and the old pier alongside it. The old pier is in a complete state of disrepair. It is unsafe. Cork County Council has deemed it unsafe for users. The local community wants it to be developed for use.”
“He said news of that would be delivered in the second quarter of this year. That is at odds with what representatives of Uisce Éireann have said locally in recent months. I ask the Minister of State to follow up on that. In recent years, we have considered short-term and interim solutions. The solid and straight news is that interim solutions for the plant cannot be put in place. We are relying on this five- to seven-year process. That is an issue which the Minister of State may take up with the Department and Uisce Éireann. We need clear and straight news for the people of Dunmanway. I thank the Minister of State.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his response. The thrust of my point referred to the national level in terms of how we can improve the efficiency of the delivery of these capital projects and, more locally and parochially, in respect of Dunmanway. At a high level, I welcome the Minister of State's words and engagement with Uisce Éireann. We need to speed up the process because we cannot allow situations such as that in Dunmanway. I could speak about Rosscarbery, Shannonvale and Ballydehob, where there are issues. In Castletownbere, there are drinking water issues and development is also prohibited. We need to see change in the delivery process. In respect of Dunmanway, the Minister of State shared the information that a short-term interim solution is being considered.”
“I look forward to hearing what the Minister of State has to say on this issue and I thank him for being in the Chamber today to discuss the issue with me.”
“We are at a figure of approximately 30,000 houses constructed annually and we need to grow that significantly. I am fully sure, from listening to the action group here and meeting recently with the construction industry and developers in Cork, that infrastructure is our key issue we need to solve in this country. I know that is an issue the Minister of State will be taking seriously in his new Department. We need to increase funding to Uisce Éireann but we also need to ensure its delivery process is made more efficient. If it is a case of giving more funding, and we are all talking about the funding arising from the Apple tax case, we must ensure the process of delivery is made more efficient. We all know what the solution is for Dunmanway but we do not want it to take five to seven years to see that solution. The town needs this.”
“We are at stage 1 of the delivery of this, but it will take five to seven years, and that is simply too long for the people of Dunmanway. No houses were built in the town last year and, in 2023, we saw one house built. The census figures for Dunmanway show the town has been growing in recent years but it is at a stalemate. In quite another serious issue for the town, and it is an issue right across west Cork, we need respite for children and adults with disabilities. There has been a site earmarked in the town of Dunmanway, something which was publicised recently in local newspapers, but again, this centre cannot be developed because of issues with the wastewater treatment plant. It is well known we have a housing crisis in this country.”
“It is made up of people in the community, in business and even developers within the town. The group has engaged with Cork County Council, with us as public representatives and with Uisce Éireann on the matter, and I have supported the action group in recent years in meeting with Uisce Éireann. To give some background, the plant was constructed in 2013. It is not a plant that is 20 or 30 years old but is just over ten years old. It no longer conforms to EU guidelines and directions with regard to water quality, however, and we need an upgrade. It was not on the radar of Uisce Éireann for many years but, thankfully, it is now through the engagement of the local action group and us as public representatives. What we are being told is that it will take five to seven years for the delivery of this upgrade to the plant.”
“You currently cannot build a house in Dunmanway due to issues with the wastewater treatment plant. This is significant for me and the people of Dunmanway because the town cannot grow or prosper. It is a well-known figure locally that 50,000 people live within 30 minutes of Dunmanway. That is a really big figure. Dunmanway is known as the heart of west Cork but it never had a town council and it has been widely known for many years that, while other towns in west Cork have prospered, Dunmanway has stood still. The people of Dunmanway now feel forgotten once again because they cannot build and businesses cannot expand, which is a real issue. The people are impressing upon us as local representatives to raise this in the Houses of our national Parliament. I commend a local action group that has been working on this issue in recent years.”
“I welcome the Minister of State and the students in the Visitors Gallery to the House. I hope they enjoy their moment watching us debate issues that are really important for our areas and for this country. I welcome the Minister of State and his appointment to the role. He is a model for many in this Chamber in how he does politics and his success is an ambition for all of us. In one of my first contributions in this House, I spoke on an issue close to my heart, which is the issue of the wastewater treatment plant in Dunmanway. Dunmanway is my hometown, it is where I went to school and it is where many of my friends and family live close by. The town is at a real crossroads regarding development, however. To be truthful, it has gone backwards.”
“I welcome the €82 million that came to Cork County Council this year. It was remarked recently that it was the highest level of funding that this Government had ever given to local roads. That is to be welcomed. To conclude, we can do much more across the party political divide in terms of road safety. I wish the Minister of State well in his term. I am sure he will do great work.”
“The congestion is causing motorists to go onto our rural roads and avoid our towns, driving at excessive speeds. That is a point that is never really made. Bypasses can improve road safety where we put them in place. Newmills in Bohonagh near Rosscarbery where I live has seen a number of fatalities at that junction. We saw funding pulled last year. Consultants have been brought in and landowners have been met with, however, funding was pulled last year on a section of road that needs to be developed. I want to see that awarded funding this year. One of the calls we get from local media as politicians and representatives is whether we know the deceased or their family members. Those are calls I have gotten about that section of road in Rosscarbery. We need to see funding there.”
“Studies in the UK have shown that the introduction of fixed speed cameras reduced fatalities. Speed cameras are not there to make money; speed cameras are there to save lives. We all know when we travel along the roads that when cars start flashing, it is a sign that there are speed vans. We slow down. It changes driver behaviour. We need to get serious about fixed speed cameras outside all our towns and villages. I could speak a lot more on many other issues but I am conscious of time. It would be remiss of me not to mention the N71. To be a little parochial, in west Cork, we have the N71 national secondary route that is not fit for purpose. We talk about bypasses for many of our towns, for example, Innishannon and Bandon and the bypass we need in Clonakilty, because of traffic congestion. We need investment in our towns.”
“Let principals and communities see what is planned, whether it is the narrowing of roads or the provision of pedestrian crossings or safe ramps. Let us see the plans. Let us have engagement between local authorities and the Department of Education to create visible road safety plans outside our schools. We need to fund that but, first, we need to plan and prepare for it. Reference was made to speed cameras and enforcement. I mentioned my short career in An Garda Síochána. We can increase Garda numbers to 15,000 or 20,000, but we will never have enough gardaí to put on every road junction or at every stretch of straight road where we need to reduce speed. Fixed speed cameras are required outside every town and village - I am serious about that - the same as they have in the UK.”
“The authorities various schools in my area of west Cork, for example, those in Kilmeen, Derrinacahara and Ardfield, are constantly looking for improvements outside their schools. We are meeting with parents' groups and principals who are looking for funding. Cork County Council recently announced funding but we need more funding for safer routes to schools. We could spend multiples of that in Cork and in other counties. It would be a clear win if we could increase funding for safe routes to schools. I call for visible road safety plans outside schools. We have local development plans in our towns and villages and we know where we are going to build houses, enterprises and so on. Let each school in our country have a visible road safety plan.”
“Road safety would have been the biggest issue in the local elections and the general election last year. This is a topical issue that crosses the party divide. It is not about politics; it is not about blame. We all want to pick up a newspaper or watch television and not hear about another fatality on our roads. That is what motivates me when it comes to this issue. While it might not be popular to say it, at times I fear it is down to personal responsibility. We can improve road infrastructure and make many changes, but much of it is down to personal responsibility in terms of how people act on the roads. The figure of 35 road fatalities this year has been mentioned, and that is already too many. What do we need to do? Mention was made of several projects, for example, safe routes to school.”
“It was one of the first calls I had when I was stationed in New Ross, County Wexford, as a relatively young garda of 28 years of age. At 6.15 p.m. on a December evening, we were called out to the scene of an accident on the main New Ross to Wexford road. When we arrived, there was a deathly silence over the road. For a garda arriving at the scene of an accident, what you do not want is silence. You want to hear screams or calls for help, but there was silence. Unfortunately, four US tourists lost their lives that evening. A U-turn had been made and there were many other issues things involved, but four people lost their lives. The emotions relating to that incident, what you see and what you smell, are what motivate me in the context of road safety. Many Members have spoken about local issues.”
“Like previous speakers, I welcome the Minister of State. There is an extra element of pride for me in welcoming him here because he is a fellow Corkman. I have known the Minister of State for many years through politics. It is a great credit to him personally and to his family that he has been elevated to the position he holds. I genuinely thank him for his public service to Cork and congratulate him on achieving the platform that he now has at national level. The topic of road safety is close to my heart in light of the years I spent in An Garda Síochána. What motivates me when it comes to road safety is the experience I had in that job. In the context of this debate, the details of one accident that springs to mind.”
“Collaborating with farmers and including them at every step will allow us to carry out our traditional farming heritage as we move to a more sustainable, productive and blossoming agricultural sector for the next generation of Irish farmers. Fine Gael has always sought a CAP that balances the traditions of Irish farming with the innovation it needs to continue in this new landscape. Across agricultural sectors, farmers, farming organisations, local authorities and our environmental bodies must work together to form practical solutions. The farmers I meet are progressive, understanding and, like the Minister, care deeply for the future success and viability of the industry. It is our job as legislators to ensure that policies and, indeed, this new CAP are fair, equitable and supportive.”
“If there is one thing I hate in the discussion on farming and the environment, it is, at times, the rural-urban divide narrative that can come into the discussion and the blame game that can enter it as well. This is helpful to no one. Farms and farmers are a crucial part of our response to climate change and not providing them with adequate supports will only prolong our journey to a greener future. West Cork farmers and, indeed, farmers nationally are willing to transition to a more environmentally friendly Ireland. They just need the correct supports to achieve this goal. It is a massive task we are asking this sector to undertake. Therefore, we need to help it in every way to respond successfully to the changing environment.”
“We need to hear about their experiences, their perspectives and their aims so we can work together to improve farming overall but especially how the industry interacts with our waters. As we look to improve on this aspect, we need to further encourage the engagement of local authorities with farmers in a co-operative approach to continue to address water quality issues. This is something I am really concerned about in some areas. Local authorities need to engage more pragmatically with farmers. I ask the Minister to make special mention of this when he is discussing the issue with the local authorities. A major priority for us is to ensure that farmers are part of our transition towards a climate-friendly future.”
“As has been mentioned, the Cabinet subcommittee on water quality will provide the agricultural sector with the confidence and knowledge that the nitrates derogation will be part of a national effort seeking to protect it. In positive and significant news yesterday from the EPA, the early insights nitrogen indicators suggest that nitrogen concentrations have fallen to their lowest levels in eight years. This is extremely welcome news. It is an important finding because it shows we are on the right track in terms of water quality, which is thanks to the immense work and participation of farmers in our communities. Undoubtedly, there is still more work to be done in terms of water quality, but this cannot happen without the participation of farmers.”
“If we cannot provide prospective farmers with income stability, we cannot expect our young men and women to enter the industry. This chain of events will eventually have a disastrous impact on our productivity, competitiveness, traditional heritage and our rural way of life. One of the most pressing issues facing the farming industry, and specifically the dairy sector, is the feared loss of the nitrates derogation, which Fine Gael is committed to working to retain. I know the Minister and his officials are making a strong case for this at EU level, specifically highlighting the uniqueness of our grass-based production model. We need to develop evidence-based solutions that will sufficiently support farmers in improving water quality.”
“I welcome the increase in funding for eco-schemes, but we must ensure these schemes are accessible for all farmers, especially those with smaller farms. Others have spoken here about the ACRES scheme. I welcome the Minister's words that he is acutely aware of the difficulties in this regard and I look forward to working with him to ensure these schemes are more resilient and will work better in the future for farmers, many of whom I represent. I speak to farmers most days who talk about the immense challenges they are facing. These range across many fields, including the TB crisis, the nitrates derogation or the significant increase of input costs, which is making it increasingly difficult for farmers to maintain their profitability. All these difficulties play into the issue of an ageing farmer population.”
“Obviously, I might be slightly biased in this regard. In terms of beef, dairy, pig, sheep and tillage farmers, many of these farm types would be found right across west Cork. Comment was also made about the importance in economic terms of agriculture to the local economy. The figure estimated for what agriculture brings to the local economy in Cork is €6.3 billion, and this is the highest in the State. This clear financial importance of agriculture to our economy is only one of the reasons we need to do everything we can to support the industry and work on transitioning to a greener future in a sustainable manner. Fine Gael has always stood for a CAP that protects farmers while also meeting our climate targets.”
“Like all the other speakers, I welcome the Minister to the Chamber. A comment was made earlier about politics being about listening. It is something all of us as politicians need to always remember. From my engagement with the Minister so far in his role, I know he is someone who cares deeply about our farming industry and farmers right across the country. As a public representative, I am very pleased to see him as the Minister, as are the farming bodies. I look forward to working with him in respect of the farmers of west Cork. On west Cork, it is well known that farming and our rural way of life are extremely important. As mentioned already, farming is our key indigenous industry. I would argue that west Cork is where you will find some of the most resilient and resolute farmers in the country.”
“We could get them back working in the community. There could be tax incentives in line with the SUSI grants. We can do more on this if we think outside the box. I thank the Minister of State for his time.”
“I commend the previous work done in this area by our now Tánaiste and a predecessor of mine, former Deputy, Jim Daly, when he was in the Department. In 2019, a €3 million fund was announced to support community initiatives that alleviated loneliness. The pandemic arrived after that and we all know what that did to the prevalence of loneliness, so we must get back on track and start the conversation again. To do that we must fully understand and realise what the issues affecting loneliness are and why it is there within our society. I ask the Minister of State to work with ALONE in this area. It has called for research to be carried out in a number of areas. We can resolve this if we think outside the box a little bit. Let us consider the number of students in our communities who are off on summer holidays in weekends.”
“Digital exclusion is another matter and something we urgently need to tackle to ensure people do not feel they are left behind in a rapidly changing digital society. Supporting initiatives that seek to help older people learn and access these digital spaces independently is something we can do as a society to tackle this threat. Society cannot just support these initiatives without ensuring there is a way to access them. Being from west Cork I can recognise the importance of accessible transport services as a way for people to form connections in their community. They physical isolation of people, especially in rural Ireland, is something I am all too familiar with and the way we progress our society should foster connection, not isolation.”
“Loneliness is smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Loneliness can be a premature death. ALONE’s loneliness task force found the mortality effects of loneliness can be even greater than many of the lifestyle and traditional clinical risk factors we treat as serious attacks on our State’s health. It is a silent pandemic. We cannot look at this and not recognise it as a national public health crisis. Loneliness is not an inevitable aspect of life and it is time we start believing that. We must recognise loneliness is not just a personal issue requiring one’s own rejection of it but is also a societal issue we need to work more effectively on. We must look at supporting community initiatives, sports clubs, cultural centres and volunteer organisations that play a pivotal role in diminishing the risk of loneliness.”
“I often meet elderly people and they talk about listening in to the work of the Oireachtas and following what we do online so I am sure there are many people looking in on our proceedings today. I hope they know we are working on their behalf. The European Commission found in 2022 that Ireland had the highest rates of loneliness in the EU, with 20% of Irish people feeling lonely most or all of the time. That is a staggering statistic. Having the highest rates of anything so detrimental would have alarm bells ringing all over the country, so why is that not the case with loneliness? We have to do more. People often do not realise loneliness is not just about sitting around or waiting for the doorbell to ring and the kettle to boil. It is also an increase in the risk of depression, heart disease, anxiety, stroke and Parkinson’s disease.”
“The effects it has on a society are profound. Loneliness is not just about being alone. It is often about feeling disconnected, unheard and unseen. It is also about feeling you are a person of very little value to society and can creep up on anyone from a child trying to make friends in school to the woman navigating motherhood on her own. Such a pressing area of loneliness is just how steadily it can pry itself into the lives of the elderly people in our society, especially those who are struggling to keep up with the societal commitments of the modern age. In such a busy and growing society it is often overlooked just how small the world of an elderly person can become.”
“I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and congratulate him on his appointment. I had engagement with him in his previous role and he showed energy, drive and determination when he visited Bantry after the recent flooding so I am sure he will bring a similar type of work to this Department. It is timely to have this debate on improving supports for elderly people as our first Private Members’ motion. I finished college in 2011 and will never forget the words of one of my lecturers who said in the next ten years there would be more people over 65 than under 25. That is a statistic that has always stayed in my mind, so it is timely we are having this discussion. In my first contribution in this Chamber I spoke about the issue of loneliness briefly and I raise it again. It is an issue we are not tackling as a society and a country.”
“I want to put the House on notice that I would like to raise a Commencement matter on this subject next week. For the people of Dunmanway in the area I represent, it is destroying our rural towns and villages. Some 50,000 people live within 30 minutes of Dunmanway, and that population could be much greater if we got the infrastructure projects right.”