Robbie Gallagher
Labour Panel · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“I want to raise an issue that I feel is having a very detrimental and suffocating effect on rural Ireland. This is the declining number of taxis available. It is so bad now that it is causing an economic bottleneck and, in my opinion, is also acting as a social barrier.”
“This is killing the night-time economy especially. People would like to go out and socialise, which we would like to see, and go out for a bite to eat or a few drinks or whatever. It is important that we encourage this type of behaviour.”
“I join others in thanking all of the staff in the campus of Leinster House for their hospitality and the manner in which they look after us all year in, year out. I say to all of my colleagues in the Chamber that I enjoy their company, perhaps not all of the time but most of the time I am glad to say.”
“I too would like to raise the urgent case of the approximately 200 people in this country who are living with Friedreich's ataxia. It is a rare and progressive condition that gradually takes away a person's mobility and independence. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this condition but there is hope.”
“Unfortunately, they had to turn around and head home without getting that news. Ten other EU countries have already made this treatment available but Ireland continues to wait while this progressive condition for those who have it continues.”
“I will raise an issue that affects thousands of people in this country but, in my opinion, does not get the attention it deserves. That is the shockingly poor return Irish people are getting on their savings in Irish banks.”
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“An integrated approach to heart failure care, which implements these measures, could significantly improve the lives of people living with heart failure and enable them to maintain a better quality of life. As can be clearly seen, this is a condition that is, unfortunately, growing and needs more attention than is currently being given to it by the Department of Health. For the sake of the people suffering from this condition, I hope we can hear some positive news as to what Government will do to address the many physical, psychological and financial challenges these people have to go through daily.”
“This includes incentives like direct access to diagnostics for GPs, integrated care programmes and multidisciplinary support teams in community settings. Allowing GPs to directly refer patients for heart failure diagnostics in community settings, rather than requiring hospital visits for routine checks, can reduce travel time and the associated costs for patients. Community-based services and investment in primary care centres with multidisciplinary teams can improve access and ease pressure on hospitals. Targeted financial aid can help people manage costs associated with medications, transportation and other related expenses. Leverage in digital solutions can improve patient outcomes and quality of life, and self-management and support can empower people to take more control of their health.”
“We know much more about this rapidly growing condition. Heart failure is a chronic disease that occurs when the heart muscle does not pump blood as well as it should. We also know of the disabilities and challenges faced by people living with heart failure in Ireland. The Irish Heart Foundation told us that it is estimated that 30% of heart failure patients are back in hospital within 90 days of discharge and that half of all admissions are due to poor self-care and are, therefore, largely preventable. It is clear that heart failure patients need more help to address the psychological impact of their condition and the financial hardship that flows from that and to gain greater access to rehabilitation services.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire Stáit. It is estimated that there are 137,000 people in this country living with heart failure. Last week, a cross-party delegation of Senators and Deputies met a group from the Irish Heart Foundation to hear about this condition. The group is calling for greater access to cardiac rehabilitation, psychological support and help to ease the financial hardship caused by this condition. I thank the two patient champions, as they are known, who spoke at the meeting, namely, Teresa O'Hanlon, who hails from Monaghan and whom I know personally, and Stephen Comerford. I salute them on their efforts, not alone in living with the condition but also in trying to champion the cause of the 137,000 people who live with the condition. I also salute the professionals who attended the meeting.”
“I am happy to proceed as the Minister outlined. I would be grateful if, when he has the opportunity, he would come back to me on the questions I have raised in my contribution.”
“I would be interested to know what the figures are for those seeking international protection here and to reflect on those. We can be very proud of our record in this country. We have been very fair. We have opened up our doors to the Ukrainian community who fled the horrible situation in their country. We have opened our arms and houses to them. The generosity of the Irish people is to be noted in that regard. We can be very proud of how we reached out and helped the Ukrainian community. It is amazing how many of them have integrated into our society and how many are working here in this country. From speaking to many of them, I know their desire is to go home whenever it is safe to do so. They are contributing to our society and I very much welcome that. We can be very proud of all we have achieved in that regard.”
“When it comes to migration, we are all looking for a system, whatever shape or form that takes, that is firm but fair. Since the Minister took office, he has had a lot on his desk. This is one issue which he has taken great control of. I would be glad if he could share up-to-date numbers of those coming to our country seeking international protection and how that compares with the previous 12 months. I would also be grateful if he could outline his ambitions for the turnaround time, if I might put it that way, for dealing with applications. What is the target? What is the current timeframe for to turn around the applications and how that compares with the previous 12 months or 24 months? That would be useful to see where we are. The issue of migration is not going to go away.”
“The EU migration pact is an important step forward in our having a proper, co-ordinated EU response to this particular issue. On the three proposals the Minister outlined, I am happy to go on his recommendation. Having further time to look at the other issue makes perfect sense. In due course, when he has had time to reflect on that, he will be back to us with his thoughts and recommendations on that. It is interesting that the list we have of safe countries and the list the EU is operating off are quite similar. There are only three countries which the Minister mentioned, Colombia, Tunisia and Türkiye, which we do not have on our list. It is notable that the lists are very similar. What the Minister outlined on the Ukrainian situation and temporary protection makes good common sense. I am happy to do that.”
“Fearaim fáilte mhór roimh an Aire ar ais go dtí an Teach seo inniu. The Minister is very welcome back to the House this afternoon. I compliment him again on his attendance in this House. He is a regular visitor here and it is very much appreciated. I know he has a lot on his desk at the moment but the respect he clearly shows towards this House is noted and appreciated by us all so gabhaim buíochas leis as sin. I am happy on behalf of the Fianna Fáil group here to take on board the recommendations that the Minister has outlined in great detail this afternoon. It is vitally important when it comes to migration that we have a European response to the problem. Not doing so, if we were left to our own devices, would very much isolate us.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 as regards the establishment of a list of safe countries of origin at Union level, a copy of which was laid before Seanad Éireann on 16th May, 2025.”
“I commend Senator Ryan again on her contribution. I would be delighted to see this legislation go through the House as quickly as possible.”
“We men need to look in the mirror and have a good, hard look at ourselves. As Senator Clonan outlined, the simple act of whistling at a female as she walks down the street should not be acceptable and is not acceptable. For a man, it is difficult to understand this is still going on in this day and age. You need to walk in a woman's shoes in order to experience this. I have a daughter living in the city and I relate to Senator Clonan's contribution because she tells me the same stories. It is clearly not good enough. As men, we need to take a good, hard look in the mirror, cop ourselves on and stop this. That is where I would like to see attention focused, going forward. Back to the business of this evening, I am delighted on behalf of our party to support this amendment. I look forward to the Minister of State's contribution shortly.”
“I am saddened that there are men out there who continue to offend in the manner in which they do. That is truly shocking. We can talk about the gaps in refuge for domestic violence sufferers. There are gaps there, although thankfully Government is moving to address those. We can talk about increased sentences and it is proper that we should have that conversation, but the conversation should really focus on why this continues to happen at the scale it does. Clearly, more needs to be done by way of education. It is okay to deal with the symptoms of the problem, that is, more domestic violence refuge centres. They are very welcome, but the fact a woman should be the first person out of the family home is something that needs to be looked at. She should be the last person out of the family home, not the first person.”
“I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. Like Senator Noonan, I pay tribute to our former colleague, Vincent P. Martin, who initiated this legislation in the last term. I commend him on that. I commend Senator Ryan on her contribution. I am sorry she had to go through what she went through. I can only imagine the pain and suffering she endured. Her sharing of that this afternoon is one of the most powerful contributions I have heard in the Seanad, and it is my third term here. I commend her on her bravery and strength. She has turned out to be a fine young lady and Sinn Féin is lucky to have somebody of her calibre in its ranks. I take my hat off and salute her contribution. As a man, I must say the statistics that come out in relation to domestic violence are truly shocking.”
“When I say “units”, I mean property that could contain people and become family homes. The idea is excellent and I would be grateful if we could arrange a debate on it with the Minister at his convenience so this issue and many others concerning increasing supply can be discussed in more detail.”
“I was taken by the remarks made on the initiative by the Hardware Association of Ireland, which recently met the Minister, Deputy James Browne, on its proposal to see the grant extended to commercial properties. We are all familiar with shops in towns and villages whose first or second floors, and third in some instances, are lying idle. The proposal is to extend eligibility for the grant to include, along with single dwellings, multistorey units above shops. It is an excellent idea to allow people to draw down a grant on these. First-, second- and third-floor units have been lying idle for years in some cases because it does not make financial sense to do them up. According to the Hardware Association of Ireland, something like 20,000 units could be brought back to life.”
“We can all agree on one thing, namely, that housing is a major issue for this country and the Government. Unfortunately, there are no silver bullets when it comes to finding a solution to the problem, but there are small steps that can help to increase the supply. One initiative introduced in this regard was the vacant property grant, which has been a great success. Up to March this year, there have been over 12,000 applications, of which over 8,500 have been approved to a value of €112.5 million. It is not just about bringing properties back to life and having people living in them, but also about breathing life into many of our towns and villages and indeed many rural areas throughout the country. The initiative tidies up our towns, villages and rural areas, and it is great to see people living in them again.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her detailed response. I fully appreciate that, as she outlined, it is a very big undertaking and a complex piece of work. We all understand and accept there will be teething problems. However, it is important that while doing so, we do not close our ears to what doctors and medics are saying to us and that, during the process, we listen to their concerns. We know that delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis, which can result in delayed or perhaps no treatment thereafter, is something that causes medical practitioners grave concern. I am heartened by the response of the Minister of State and I trust that the HSE will take on board the grave and genuine concerns expressed by medics on behalf of us all.”
“That poses the question of how efficient and accurate the system is working in these hospitals. I have no doubt that the HSE is taking these issues seriously. Can the Minister of State elaborate on what actions have been taken to alleviate the general concerns of staff and senior management at Beaumont Hospital to ensure that the system they are operating is fit for purpose? Second, can she enlighten us on the likely roll-out of the medical laboratory IT system at other hospitals on the waiting list for such a development?”
“Complaints that the HSE does not allow sufficient time for satisfactory resolution of issues is also a major concern for them. In 2015, we signed a contract in this country for €33 million with Oracle Health, and in 2022, a €17.9 million extension on the basis of a national roll-out, but so far only €24.3 million of this has been spent. More than 50 consultants and medical scientists wrote to the chief executive and the chief clinical officer with concerns. Some medical scientists have threatened strike action based on patient risk at a hospital where MedLIS has been proposed. Modern systems, we all know, are essential, but many have serious issues with doctors’ concerns not being addressed. Oracle also supplies health records to maternity hospitals and St. James’s Hospital in Dublin.”
“MedLIS, which is the medical laboratory IT system, has been in this country for the past ten years but so far has only been rolled out to one hospital, that being Beaumont Hospital. The Cavan-Monaghan hospital group, among others, are next in line for the MedLIS system, eventually going nationwide. MedLIS is used to log and track blood tests and medical samples. Doctors have serious concerns about this IT system and have written letters detailing 16 significant flaws with the system. They have great concerns about the basic functionality of the system and are calling for a review of same. There appears to be an issue with regard to its search and how that search is collated. They have serious concerns about the implications of this on diagnosis and treatment.”
“Cuirim fáilte mhór roimh an Aire Stáit chuig an Teach seo inniu. I extend a very warm welcome to all our visitors here this afternoon. As the Minister of State will be well aware, speed is crucial for accurate diagnosis. Timely and accurate diagnosis are essential for effective treatment planning, improved patient outcomes and reduced risks. Accuracy is, of course, paramount but the speed of diagnosis can significantly impact the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare delivery in our hospitals. Anyone who has visited the Beamont Hospital seeking the results of a biopsy or has accompanied a relative there knows all about it. This is why, alarmingly, doctors have expressed concerns over the delayed national medical laboratory IT system and have called for a risk assessment of same.”
“In an ideal world, I would like this to happen within six months. Unfortunately, we do not live in an ideal world, but I certainly will press the Government on this. An 18-month amendment has been mentioned and proposed and I will support that based on the contribution of the Minister, Deputy Foley, and her reasoning as to why this cannot happen within six months. I intend, however, to hold the Government to this and make sure, like others have said, that this legislation comes through as quickly as possible for us. Again, I thank Senator Tom Clonan and others for their work on this area. I am disappointed to say it cannot be done in six months but I accept the reasoning given by the Minister as to why that is so. For that reason I will support the amendment as proposed this evening.”
“That is why I was happy to support him during the previous term and put my name to this Bill, like others did. I salute him. The aim of the Bill is something that I feel very strongly about, and something that I was happy to support back then and am equally happy to support now. I listened carefully to the contribution of the Minister, Deputy Foley, somebody whom I hold in true regard as a very sincere human being. She is very sincere in all she does. I listened carefully to her argument as to why this timed amendment should be put in place. I know it is not the result people have looked for. Others have spoken about this pilot being concluded by the end of the year - that is what the Minister said - but that is not where this work ends, unfortunately. The pilot ends but the pilot then has to be reviewed.”
“I am very happy to speak briefly on this debate. I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank her and the Minister, Deputy Foley, for their work on this area and, indeed, you, a Chathaoirligh Gníomhach, for your time as Minister of State. You were very proactive in that regard. I thank my colleague Senator Tom Clonan sincerely for not just his work on and input into this Bill but indeed his work in this entire area. His commitment, his tireless work and his love for his son Eoghan are clear for anybody to see. All he wants is a better life and a better break for his son and for others, and I salute him for his work. Tom walks the walk each day; therefore, he has earned the right to talk about this and he is the expert in this area.”
“Unfortunately, he also outlined that the threat still remains, albeit in slightly reduced form, which is to be welcomed. There is, however, still reference to the fact that an attack is likely from paramilitaries in the State. This is something we all need to be aware of. I am happy to support both motions, and I pledge my party's full support in respect of them. I note the Minister of State's intention, as outlined, to accept in principle the recommendations of the majority report of the independent review group to examine the Offences Against the State (Amendment) Act and the measures included therein. That is business for another day, however. As stated, I am very happy to support the motions on behalf of my party. I look forward to both passing through the House swiftly.”
“I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. From a Fianna Fáil perspective, we are very happy to support both the motions as outlined in great detail by the Minister of State. We are happy that this debate is taking place. As the Minister of State did, I pay tribute to the brave women and men of An Garda Síochána who go out on a daily basis and put their lives at risk to ensure that we can enjoy a relatively safe and free society. I thank him for outlining in great detail the subject matter of the business before us. This is an annual occurrence. I was justice spokesperson during the previous term as well. We have been through dealing with this particular piece of business on an annual basis. As the Minister of State indicated, we have to do it before the end of this month.”
“That is the true home of Ulster finals and it is where the Ulster finals should stay. I would say the majority of GAA people around the country would agree with me on that.”
“Tiernach's Park in Clones. Currently, it has a capacity of almost 30,000 and is in much need of increased funding. The current capacity estimated for the redevelopment of Casement Park is around 32,500 so the difference is not great, but there is a shortfall of £100 million. To put it mildly, the financial climate for all governments is uncertain at the moment. I respectfully request that the Leader write to the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and to the Minister for sport to ask them to consider rescaling Casement Park downwards to a capacity of 15,000 or 20,000, which would be adequate to host any matches that would take place with regard to Antrim GAA. It would be adequate to cater for all their needs. Instead, much-needed investment could be put into St. Tiernach's Park in Clones.”
“Last week, we learned that the British Government had made a commitment of £50 million towards the redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast. This follows on from a similar commitment given by the Irish Government back in 2024 to a similar figure through the shared island fund. When we combine the contributions from both Governments, plus the GAA's contribution, I think the figure is about £120 million. The estimated cost for the redevelopment of Casement Park is £260 million. That leaves a shortfall of approximately between £90 million and £100 million as things stand. According to an uachtaráin of the GAA, Jarlath Burns, for every month the project does not proceed, the price increases by £140,000 per month. Clearly, there is a solution in mind, and we all want to see Casement Park redeveloped. I firmly believe the solution lies in St.”
“I thank the Minister of State for his contribution. I know the area is not his own and that it is that of the Minister, Paschal Donohoe, as he alluded to. I find the response rather disappointing. While I take a point about the State savings scheme, if we have a resource of €170 billion sitting on deposit that makes very little interest for those savers, surely it is a resource the State should look at utilising. Other European countries have gone down this road, and I just named France as one, and it has proven very successful. When we have €170 billion that makes little or no return for deposit holders currently, any kind of interest rate to them is better than what they currently get, and surely it is cheap money we could use to utilise and fund much-needed infrastructural investment across the board and State.”
“It helps finance projects that support public goals, including both infrastructural and social projects, but the largest single recipient is the French social housing model. Now, although in France, like in many other European countries, they are grappling with the housing shortage, funding, apparently, is not a problem. A savings fund of this nature could underpin long-term planning by providing the multi-annual funding commitments that housing projects and many other infrastructure projects require. It seems to me to make perfect sense that, where we have an untapped resource of €170 billion that makes no money whatsoever for Irish savers, that money could be channelled into much-needed funding for infrastructural projects we need to get up and running as soon as possible.”
“My colleague, Barry Andrews MEP, having produced a policy paper back in 2023 on housing which investigated systems across the EU, came up with an option that he and many others recommend called Livret A, which is a French investment saving scheme. This scheme shows that excess household funding can be channelled into something positive. In France, almost all the people have a type of state-backed savings account. It is a tax-free way of saving money up to a maximum amount which is available through any bank and offers savers a more attractive interest rate than their usual account would do. This interest rate is significantly above that offered by the current bank. These savings are managed by a special state-investment vehicle such as a public bank.”
“A State-backed housing investment vehicle to allow households to invest their savings in housing developments and infrastructural projects was first put forward by the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland some time ago. Such an initiative, similar to schemes already in operation in countries like France, would enable the Government of the day to put long-term, multi-annual plans in place which also facilitate investment in much-needed infrastructural projects and access to finance, especially for small and medium-sized developers for whom finance still remains a major barrier. The State is by far the largest investor in Ireland’s housing delivery. However, the level of public investment is not sustainable in the long-term, and alternative funding streams need to be examined.”
“Surely a way must be found in order that citizens' funds on deposit, which in many cases are earning little or no interest, can be invested in major infrastructure projects. We are grappling with the housing crisis, which is marked by increasing rents, a shortage of supply and rising homelessness. Irish deposits are an untapped resource that deserves long-term planning. Figures from the CSO this week show that, before adjusting for seasonality and inflation, Irish households saved a whopping €8.2 billion in the first three months of this year alone. It is a staggering amount of money. Compare this with the record €5 billion allocated for housing in 2024. Irish households are saving billions which could and should be channelled into a State-backed housing and infrastructural investment scheme for the long-term gain of the State.”
“The Minister of State is very welcome to the House. I, too, welcome Senator Pat Casey's guests, namely Pat and Barry, and the school pupils. I hope they have a very enjoyable day here. One of the many difficult aspects of the current housing crisis is the availability of funds for investment in housing and, indeed, many other projects. Government finance has accelerated over recent years but it is simply not enough without the support of considerable finance from other sources. That there is almost €170 billion in savings on deposit in Ireland, which under the right circumstances could be better utilised to fund much-needed infrastructure projects, including those associated with energy, water, transport, sewerage and housing, all of which are vital in supporting the development of housing, surely presents an opportunity worth exploring.”
“I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for outlining very comprehensively the motion before us. From a Fianna Fáil perspective, I welcome the debate and support the motion. It is important that we have as much co-operation as we possibly can. As the Minister of State said, we are not committing to anything at this stage. Rather, we are only opening negotiations and are not tying ourselves to anything. The issue of returns highlights once again that we need as much co-operation as we can get on this issue. It is something we cannot deal with on our own. We need co-operation with our colleagues in the EU and elsewhere in order to have a proper system in place that can be mutually beneficial to all of the countries involved. There is no need for me to go any further.”
“I move: That Seanad Éireann approves the exercise by the State of the option or discretion under Protocol No. 21 on the position of the United Kingdom and Ireland in respect of the area of freedom, security and justice annexed to the Treaty on European Union and to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, to take part in the adoption and application of the following proposed measure: Recommendation for a Council Decision authorising the opening of negotiations on an agreement between the European Union and the Republic of Kazakhstan on readmission, a copy of which was circulated to each member of Seanad Éireann on 29th May, 2025.”
“In the intervening years, many have moved on and have had children but they are trapped in this situation. I cannot stress enough the urgency of progress on both issues.”
“I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Grealish, and his guests to the House. I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, for outlining the interim remediation scheme. There is an urgency attached to this because we are speaking about fire safety. On the face of it, listening to the Minister of State's response, it has been a fairly long-winded exercise to date. We are going through the pathfinder route, which makes sense from the point of view of learning lessons before we roll out the entire scheme. I have several quick questions. Will the Minister of State tell me how long it will be approximately before the scheme is up and running for all apartment owners? I look forward to the Minister of State's response on the broader scheme. Many people bought these apartments back in 2008 and 2009 and they are their homes.”
“Many apartments in provincial towns, even at the market level today, are priced probably at half of what the owners paid when they purchased them in 2007 or 2008. I would like if the Minister of State could tell me where the statutory scheme stands, assure me and the many people who are living in these apartments that this matter is treated with a sense of urgency and indicate when we can expect the scheme to be fully up and running in the context of the various defects by which these people's homes are affected.”
“At the end of March of this year, 201 applications had been received and were validated as meeting the required eligibility criteria. These applications represent 19,305 residential units or, as they are for many people, homes located in 28 local authority areas. Circa 77% of these homes are in the Dublin region. This is a serious issue. When it comes to fire safety, we cannot afford to hang around because there is a health and safety issue at stake here for the occupants. The last thing we want is that anything untoward might happen. I would be grateful for an update in relation to the interim scheme. For many owner-occupiers, these units are their homes. Many of these apartments, particularly in areas outside of the major cities, are still in negative equity, even at today's values, which most people would say are extreme.”
“Only properties with defects that are attributed to defective design, defective or faulty workmanship, defective materials or any combination of these and that were in contravention of the relevant parts of the building regulations applicable at the time of construction will be eligible for inclusion in this scheme. The final cost of the overall scheme is estimated to be somewhere in the region of €2.5 billion, which is today's figure. This money will be paid to owner-management companies to carry out these works. On 11 December 2023, an interim remediation scheme was launched to cater for any apartments or duplexes with fire safety issues. I understand that the interim scheme, as it was referred to, has been stalled as a result of procurement issues. The Minister of State might let us know where matters stand in that regard.”
“I welcome the Minister of State back to the House. This matter relates to defective apartment blocks and where exactly matters stand in that regard. In January 2023, the Government announced its approval of draft legislation to support the remediation of apartments and duplexes constructed between 1991 and 2013 and affected by fire safety, structural safety and water ingress issues. It is estimated that between 50% and 80% of all apartments and duplexes constructed in Ireland during that period may be affected, which is staggering.”
“I hope the State will learn the lesson that no family should have to go through what the O'Farrell went through to get to where they got to yesterday.”
“As I said, yesterday was a very tough day for them, following on from the many tough days they have had since they lost their son. However, I was delighted the family got their apology yesterday on behalf of the State. They have been knocking on the State's door looking for answers since 2011. That door has been closed but, yesterday, it was opened by the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. I salute him for that. I pay exceptional credit to Lucia O'Farrell, her husband, Jim, and their four daughters. Lucia O'Farrell does not know what the word "no" means. She took on the State and beat it. If one lesson comes out of this, it is what determination and not accepting "no" for an answer can achieve. I salute Lucia and Jim and their four girls for the work they put in to get to this point.”
“Yesterday, I attended the Dáil Chamber, where an apology on behalf of the State was made by the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, to the family of the late Shane O'Farrell, who lost his life tragically on 2 August 2011. He was 21 years old and a very successful young man. He was very sporting and very academic and was doing a master's degree in law. His life was cut short as a result of a traffic accident in which a motorist who had more than 30 previous convictions cleaned Shane out of it outside Carrickmacross while he was on his bicycle. Yesterday was a tough and very emotional day in the Dáil Chamber for the O'Farrell family. Shane's parents have had many tough days since their son's life, a life that promised so much, was tragically cut short and taken away.”
“I thank the Minister of State for that very positive contribution on this unit that has been vacant for a number of years. Ultimately, the final decision rests with those who wish or do not wish to locate, as the Minister of State said. However, I am very heartened by the response this morning. The fact there are negotiations with a company is very positive and I appreciate there is only so far the Minister of State can go and so much she can say. This is the first breakthrough we have had since 2021, so I will take that as a positive. Hopefully, the negotiations the Minister of State alluded to that are all subject to contract or contract denied will get over the line and find an end user there that will be of huge benefit to the local economy of Monaghan. I am very heartened and thank the Minister of State for her response.”
“Bearing that in mind, I would be grateful if the Minister of State could give us an update as to where we are in trying to find an occupier for the brand-new building.”
“The IDA has expressed confidence in attracting new investors but, unfortunately, without success to date. The IDA has said that it is actively marketing this state-of-the-art facility in all of its 24 global offices. This is very welcome. I hope the IDA can find an investor with long-term potential to expand and grow in that location. County Monaghan and the wider Border regions have long exported their children to the capital and further afield, when there were not the types of jobs they needed to get back in their own locality. We hope we can reverse that trend. It is long overdue that there would be some FDI with the potential to attract our young graduates to return in the long term. Of course, we recognise the finer points of ongoing negotiations and commercial sensitivities.”