Ruairí Ó Murchú
Louth · Sinn Féin · Ireland
“It was hardly a shock to me and many others that he decided that the simplicity that was asked for by Sinn Féin last week, such that we would consider preparations for Irish unity, was not acceptable. Most people would see this as a possibility, even those who do not necessarily like the idea.”
“I welcome that. I have spoken previously to the Minister about the necessity of providing Mr. Delaney's report on the incident to Natasha and the wider family.”
“We will all be very interested to see what the new circular is. The Minister of State said it will be announced in September. A needs-based system is what we need. I would like to think the young boy I talked about would be able to avail of this. I will use him as an example. The correct assessments were carried out.”
“We just need to make sure that the circular is fit for purpose and that the young primary school child to whom I refer will be given the supports he requires. I will just finish reading from the communication to which I referred earlier.”
“We need to ensure that the engagement with Lebanon is ongoing. Are we happy with the interaction with the UN? There had been some issues relating to the coroner's court. Everyone needs to do everything that can be done to ensure truth and justice for the family of Private Seán Rooney.”
“I thank the Ceann Comhairle for all the flexibility she allows in this Chamber, and hopefully that will continue as we speak. I welcome an awful lot of what Deputy Devlin said.”
The complete record
Every one of 1,582 lines we hold for Ruairí Ó Murchú, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 31 of 32.
“Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú - To discuss the difficulties in mental health services in the Louth-Meath area. Deputy Brian Brennan - To discuss the speed of progress of current capital projects in schools. Deputy Malcolm Byrne - To discuss the introduction of a youth culture card. Deputy Mattie McGrath - To discuss the establishment of a task force for Clonmel. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh - Chun soiléiriú a fháil ar chás Ghaelcholáiste 2, 4, 6, 8. Deputy Darren O'Rourke - To discuss the need for extra mainstream primary school places in Dunshaughlin, County Meath. Deputy Alan Kelly - To discuss the need to open the new community nursing home in Nenagh, County Tipperary. Deputy Pearse Doherty - To discuss the failure to administer the children's disability services grant fund to successful applicants. Deputies David Cullinane and Conor D.”
“I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Erin McGreehan - To discuss the need for more robust dog control legislation. Deputy Pat Buckley - To discuss the need for increased core funding for family resource centres. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman - To discuss delivery of a new bus service linking the Blanchardstown Centre and surrounding areas with Dublin Airport. Deputy Joanna Byrne - To discuss unsafe working conditions in the ambulance station in Drogheda. Deputy Aidan Farrelly - To discuss the lack of school places and school building projects in Kildare. Deputy Mark Wall - To discuss the need to reopen the Allenwood Day Care Centre in County Kildare.”
“Deputy Byrne has brought up the issue of the Dublin to Belfast rail line and we want to see the four-track solution. I brought up previously, including last week, the issue of capacity on the Enterprise service from Dublin to Belfast. Anybody getting on, particularly at peak times, talks about it being incredibly uncomfortable and there not being enough space. We need greater capacity in the sense of a greater number of carriages or whatever. Even when people have booked tickets, they cannot necessarily get their seat. It has become a real issue for many in my constituency, particularly in Dundalk. Could something be looked at?”
“The CDNT workforce report that was carried out in October. I imagine that, within it, there is an audit of what the need is and whether filling all of those positions will be enough. If we cannot do it, even with the best will and planning in the world, through the CDNTs and primary care, school will be the only place for this issue to be sorted out. We need to deal with this as soon as possible.”
“I return to the issue of school-based therapies. I welcome that this will be rolled out in special schools in September. I would like to think these will be holistic therapies. Some families are worried they will just be school-based and it is vital that teachers, SNAs and parents are all made aware of what best practice is. At times, even technological back-up is absolutely vital and should not be left out. When do we move to school-based therapies being rolled out properly in the context of mainstream? I spoke about the October CDNT workforce report which stated there were nearly 530 whole-time equivalent CDNT positions unfilled last October. When will this report be published? Even allowing for having a plan and those spaces being filled, I would like to think this report could lay out what the actual need is.”
“There are huge issues in disability. This has already been spoken about in relation to the parents having to involve themselves in that kind of outdoor protest and the section 39 workers are balloting for strike action. I want to talk about the interim October 2024 CDNT workforce report and the 529.77 whole-time equivalent positions which are unfilled. When that report is finished, obviously there will be a plan for filling that gap, but if an audit is carried out and we fill all those positions, it is likely we will be able to deliver on the need that is out there. The Taoiseach has often said he believes in the school inclusion model. We require an holistic school inclusion model. When is that going to happen?”
“While I accept what the Minister of State said about the service level agreement, it is about interim funding and keeping the doors open. I literally just took a call in relation to someone in real distress and dealt with the Minister of State on it. We all want to get a solution for people in these circumstances.”
“I would like to deal with mental health well-being. I spoke previously to the Minister of State, Mary Butler, about the fact that we have to look at the Mental Health Bill. We have all come across issues with getting the required supports for people in absolute distress, including those who have been arrested under the Mental Health Act. When the Garda calls a doctor, the doctor will assess the situation on the basis of how he or she finds it and how the law produces the framework, but it is not always imperfect. I accept that clinicians have to make these decisions but there is definitely a lot that needs to be done. I support those who have spoken previously about the need for interim funding for SOSAD.”
“We also need to look at the point on universal design. I could talk about estate management and all those other issues, but we must ensure we have delivery and protection for those renting at the minute. They are very worried about the conversations around rent pressures zones.”
“I accept there are houses that are not fit to be bought, but that is not what I am talking about. I have seen instances where the local authority is afraid to buy anything that is not brand new. We need the tenant in situ scheme, but we need to look at how it is delivered. We talk about new modes of construction. We had 3D printing in Muirhevnamor in Dundalk. We need to ensure this is done properly. We know about the opportunities presented by modular, timber frame and 3D concrete printing, but none of this will happen without capacity. Members have mentioned wastewater. There are the issues with disability and housing adaptation grants. We all accept there has been an increase, but there are a huge number of families who are not necessarily going to be covered by those moneys and there is a holistic way of dealing with this.”
“There was a three-bedroom property for €2,100, a two-bedroom for €1,450, a two-bedroom for €1,350 and a two-bedroom for €1,900, but these listings are not a big shock to anybody. We must ensure we see delivery. When the protection from eviction was removed, we had the promise of the tenant in situ scheme. I will accept that, with tinkering, it was a system that operated and that worked for a number of families so we need to see funding for it. I am sure everyone has been contacted by those who were on the verge of a tenant in situ arrangement being delivered and it is an absolutely necessary element of enabling councils to restock. We just need to put it into operation. There have also been issues with ensuring there is a sufficient amount of maintenance money provided to the local authorities to allow them to fix up these properties.”
“I also wish the Minister and Minister of State well. There has been abject failure. There was an abject failure to reach 40,000 houses, which we all saw coming, unfortunately. The Government would say it did not, but either way we need to see success here or every Member is going to be inundated – as I and many others already are – by representations from those who are suffering due to the housing crisis. There are those who cannot afford the rents. I did my usual and looked at daft.ie . There were 15 places in Dundalk and 22 in the surrounds. There are not actually that many because obviously if you were to send one of the multiple emails the advertiser will receive, you will find most of these houses are gone.”
“On disability services, in the section 39 organisations, there is the issue in of the non-follow through on payment and the fear of what the pay and number strategy will mean in loss of jobs in disability services.”
“I add my voice to that of Deputy Smith in respect of the case he made. Commuters from Dundalk are constantly talking about the issues that exist in regard to Irish Rail. It is a case of insufficient capacity and it needs to be dealt with. There is no shortage of issues relating to disability in the public domain this week. That is obviously what the Children's Rights Alliance said in relation to the issues that children are facing being unacceptable and unconstitutional. We have heard about the protest planned regarding the lack of school places for children with additional needs. We have seen the HIQA report on Sunbeam House, obviously, not providing the service required.”
“It goes without saying that the means test must be removed for carers. We all know the financial impact on a home of dealing with a child with additional needs. The issue must be addressed. I also agree that the discrepancy in the figures must be addressed. There must be some element of flexibility for carers who work as carers, who sometimes go over the 18.5 hours, in particular in cases where they are making up for somebody not coming in. Could we deal with the time over a longer period to allow for that and also deal with these anomalies? We need to make it possible to provide information on working hours on a more regular basis. This must be done with the Department. I have come across people who suddenly get a huge bill and they owe tens of thousands of euro. We need to deal with this issue.”
“I also agree with Teachta Ó Cearúil on the housing adaptation grant. While that is beyond the remit of the Minister, it needs to be looked at in the context of those with disabilities. What is happening at present does not really cut the mustard.”
“I agree with the Minister that there are increased costs for those with disabilities and their families. There has been a failure to address this. That is a matter we need to look at. Has the Minister had an update on the reasonable accommodation fund and the disability awareness support scheme? The idea is to look at this from the point of view of facilitating employers as much as possible - I dealt with the previous Minister on this - and ensuring that there are reasonable accommodations, whether they are technological or operational in nature, in the workplace. On many occasions, there has been a reliance on an employer applying for schemes when some of what was involved could have been done beforehand. It is about ensuring that we streamline the system and ensure delivery.”
“The Government has it in its power to deal with the committee issue. That just involves making it clear that a Member is either in government or he or she is not. I want to bring up an issue that falls into the Minister of State's own bailiwick - the Mental Health Act and the proposals to amend it. I have come across a number of unfortunate cases relating to an issue that lies with the Garda. Gardaí are constantly arresting individuals they come across, but under the Mental Health Act they cannot get a person signed in for treatment. They can get them signed in on a voluntary basis and they cannot commit a person.”
“The school inclusion model has shown real successes so it is hard to see how that is not the model we need to roll out, not just for special schools but for mainstream as well so that we can provide a holistic service.”
“Obviously everything that can be done from a recruitment and retention point of view should be done. On workforce planning, we must ensure that have not only the best possible work conditions and pay but that we have enough students training. That all needs to be done. I am going back to two particular issues. I would be grateful for an update on how many whole-time equivalent positions are still missing from the CDNTs. The Minister of State may not have the figures with her now. The other issue is whether we are going to have an engagement with these organisations, which represent those necessary therapists, from a point of view of how we can get the best bang for our buck. I am talking about everything from assessments through to therapies.”
“What they said is that nobody had a discussion with them regarding how best we could provide services. I think we will all say we need to look at how we deal with assessments and how we deliver therapies. I welcome the increases. I have spoken to the Minister of State before, even earlier today. We now really have to look at ramping up the school inclusion model and having holistic therapies in school where the need is. There is a fear. I understood from Adam Harris and AsIAm that families were worried it would be only school-specific. It needs to be more than that. We could still then provide the bespoke solutions required for those who need more acute therapies and assessments.”
“Go raibh maith agat. I would appreciate if we could get that full report as soon as possible when the Minister of State has an actual deadline. My last parliamentary question contains the same detail in relation to this issue. My understanding is that almost 530 whole-time equivalent positions were still missing or not filled at October last year in the children’s disability network teams. I would like some information in that regard because we are still talking about a very big hole. I remember a particular meeting of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Autism when we met with representatives from the Association of Occupational Therapists of Ireland, the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists and the Psychological Society of Ireland.”
“I would like to ask the Minister of State if she will provide updated figures from the CDNT workforce report carried out in October 2024. Will she outline the strategy - some of this has been dealt with - regarding the current vacancy rate in the CDNTs and what can be done to rectify that, assuming we can provide the best result across the board to the children and families who are in need?”
“I congratulate the Minister and Minister of State on their new positions. There are major issues in the disability sector, whether we are speaking about recruitment or retention. All has to be brought to bear. We hope there will be success at the talks. The workers want to see delivery of the WRC pay agreement of October 2023. A large number of section 39 workers in the disability sector have contacted me. They are very worried about the pay and numbers strategy being implemented. They have seen it in organisations such as St. John of God in terms of mental health services. They see it as job cuts and an inability to deliver a service. What interaction has the Minister of State had on this and delivering on this particular issue?”
“We need to ensure it happens. This is a cradle to the grave issue. I am hoping I will table a question regarding CDNTs. I will say it again about the school inclusion model: we need to put the service where the need is.”
“We are talking here about people who will put up with a hell of a lot on the basis that they are utterly committed to those citizens to whom they want to give care and whom they facilitate. An issue I have spoken to the Minister, Deputy Lawless, about and have dealt with the two previous Ministers about is higher education, personal assistants and personal assistant hours in further education. In my own constituency, I refer to the Drogheda Institute of Further Education, DIFE, and the Ó Fiach Institute of Further Education. While some room for manoeuvre provided regarding an increased pay rate, a 52-week contract is still not provided. We are failing those workers but we are also failing those whom they are helping and facilitating to stay in further education. We are talking about accessibility across the board.”
“We have had the issue regarding the HIQA report into Sunbeam House Services. We need to ensure that whatever service we provide is above par and that we are providing the service that is required for some of our citizens out there who need the most help altogether. I have also had calls in the past while and heard about the huge worries in the disabilities sector regarding the pay-in-hours strategy and the fear that what has happened - whether we are talking about hospitals, section 39 workers and others who are dealing with issues like mental health services, with the cuts that have happened with staff. The fear in the disability sector is around all the issues of underfunding and the issues as regards section 39s. The fact is that we have to deal with those workers' issues so we can at least help in the retention of the workforce.”
“I almost feel that we are on a hamster wheel having these discussions on disability. I get that everyone across the board is aware from the issues that are raised in their constituency offices, from canvassing doors and even from familial connections, of the huge want and need that is out there and the huge amount of frustration we are addressing with families, even if we only deal with the issue regarding autism services. I have heard a number of the speeches that have been made and they are very similar to speeches made last week, the week before and even for the entire period of the previous Government. We often implore here but I really do implore the Minister. We really have to get down to brass tacks. Even today, when we are talking about disabilities across the board.”
“We can ensure we can do all these things better, but we also know that farmers are only too delighted if we can offer them the schemes that work for them, and if it is a real matter of working together.”
“The OPW is looking at CFRAM and whatever else, but we have to look at natural flood barriers. All these things have to be done in conjunction with farmers because that has been a failure to date. Many Members will know that if they go to IFA meetings that could be dealing with issues relating to renewables, there will be farmers looking for schemes that work, whether these involve solar panels, microgeneration, anaerobic digestion or whatever. What you will deal with are a huge number of people who are open to this. Farmers will complain and say they have to do more to get less. They will talk about the issues. I have spoken to the Minister previously about efficiencies that could be put in. People will make complaints about the Department, inspections and Bord Bia.”
“We need to ensure there is real opposition to this. We need to make sure we see continuity in the derogation from the nitrates directive. There are huge issues facing the dairy sector and many others. We are only through Storm Éowyn. Alongside the work that needs to be done on resilience, we can all accept we will have a greater level of emergency or extreme weather events. We need to make sure we have the schemes in place. It took a considerable amount of time to get a scheme in place following the flooding that happened at the Cooley Peninsula. Farmers had to wait a considerable amount of time for payments. Some of that is being progressed at the minute, but we need to see that all happening a lot more quickly. We all know the issues we will be facing. I accept that is why huge work will have to be done in respect of mitigations.”
“I also wish the best to the Minister, Deputy Heydon, and the Ministers of State, Deputies Grealish and Michael Healy-Rae. As Deputy Fitzmaurice said, they have a stay of execution but it will be a short one. We spoke previously on some of the issues. Everyone gets the idea of the importance of the agrifood sector and the agricultural sector to Irish society, especially rural Ireland. We know that we need to ensure the sustainability of the family farm. I have no doubt many Deputies have received even more representations on this. People spoke about the issues there are with the CAP. We know the issues that exist in relation to Mercosur, which is coming down the line for Irish farming, and does not serve anyone from a farming, monetary or environmental point of view. It particularly does not serve Europe or Ireland well.”
“I think everyone would welcome engagement, and some would wish this engagement had happened previously, particularly on issues relating to forestry, corridors and the very infrastructure. We know the other failures regarding the grid. I would like to think those engagements were also happening with Uisce Éireann and other bodies. We have seen the issues caused for a huge number of people. Some constituencies were hit a hell of a lot worse than mine but even at that we had particular issues. One example in the Hackballscross area was an ongoing issue regarding Uisce Éireann and a pump station. It was impacted longer than it should have been. It is about making sure we get to the bottom of all of this, that we make a proper assessment, that we ensure the action is taken and that the customer does not have to bear the cost.”
“Unfortunately, it sounds like we have the correct weather for the sort of question I am going to ask. A huge number of people were impacted by the recent Storm Éowyn. Huge damage was done. I get that the Minister could not mitigate against all of that but we were all talking about resilience. What engagement has there been between by the Minister, the Department and the Government - I know it is beyond ESB in that regard - about building in resilience? As regards the threats to the consumer in dealing with this cost, Paddy Hayes rowed back from that but we need to ensure that will not be the case.”
“We had an extensive conversation concerning the obvious dangers of AI but more so the positives, the innovation and productivity of the technology and its absolute necessity from an enterprise point of view. We also spoke about the fact that digital literacy is an issue. I agree with the last two speakers. It is very important that the advisory council is fit for purpose and the Government has in-house AI capacity. Beyond that, would the Minister of State also support having a special Oireachtas committee to deal with this issue? We must get to grips with AI and I am not sure we have all the capacity in this House necessary now. More needs to be done.”
“Some of the fear is not quite what I spoke about earlier, rather that we have seen the relationship between the tech bros and Donald Trump and we know these people want to ensure there is no regulation whatsoever on their ability to make money and wield power. We need to make sure the Digital Services Act deals with some of the issues that exist regarding the absolute freedom they want for people to put up content so they can maintain profits. When we are talking about artificial intelligence, it is a facility that can really benefit but it needs to be universal benefit. There is a huge amount of work that needs to be done.”
“We all know the benefits that can exist, that exist in improving medical outcomes and that can happen in education. That is also to accept we may have to change the way by which students currently are graded or assessed. We have to teach people how to use tools, particularly when we are talking about generative AI, rather than make up and ensure they do not have to do anything. Members know what I mean, because that is not of any great benefit. While we need a regulatory framework, it would not make sense for us to miss out from an enterprise point of view on the productivity, innovation and necessary economic drivers they can be. We need to make sure we are absolutely on top of this in any way, shape or form. I know we all have a fear.”
“While 2027 might not exactly be the date on which Skynet becomes aware, and we have the disaster scenarios from "Terminator" that people fear, we have seen significant moves from simply neural networks right through to where quantum computing is at present, and it is probably only at an intermediate stage. The advantages are that you will have capacity. As this intelligence and technology improves, the idea would be that you would get a lot more bang for buck which could also deal with some of the issues we have with data centres. I also accept data centres are not going anywhere. Some of the issues we have in this State have been our failure to deal with the grid and with renewables. We really need to get everything together.”
“I might have been better had I used ChatGPT or something else to write a speech for me. I did not and I will go for a more traditional method of dealing with this. In fairness, and I might never say this again over the next four years, I agree with the previous speaker from the opposite bench, especially on the need to look at holding special hearings. We definitely need to look at having a special committee to deal with the issue of AI. When talking about the idea of digital literacy, there would be an issue in this House in dealing with the concepts. We will be talking about something that absolutely is changing.”
“The issue is many more are absolutely failed over a significant period. The common application system makes sense. It needs to be operated. I introduced legislation in the previous Dáil term, which I will reintroduce. It is the Education (Amendment) Bill. The idea is that parents with kids with disabilities will be able to apply two years ahead. This is so the school and everyone else can get all their ducks in a row and we could ensure that the supports are there. We have to stop talking about the fact that we are expanding the school inclusion model. We need to make sure it is rolled out across the board. The failure in respect of assessments and therapies can only be sorted by putting the resource where the need is, which is for therapies and assessments to happen in schools.”
“As regards school places, I welcome the fact the Minister spoke about departmental and NCSE engagement with schools and making sure there are spaces. I have spoken to many principals who talked about their engagement with the Department's school building unit. They talk about huge issues and providing the information, but the information does not come back in time. There are issues relating to planning, which rarely occur at a local authority point. However, the management of this used to be in the gift of schools but is not always, so at times this pushes it back and back. We all celebrate tiny victories at times when two or three kids, or possibly four or five, and it is sometimes only one, get into a particular school. You at least know that a family, parent and child will be sorted.”
“Appropriate school places, particularly for those children with special needs, has to be a priority. I agree with the Minister on that, but the fact is we are now dealing with what has been an abject failure for children and families. It has been stated by many already that we have all been contacted over many years by frustrated parents who cannot get their kids into school places. I have dealt with many who have spoken about their kids and the criteria. Whether it is for mainstream, autism units or special schools, they are told their child's intellectual disability, ID, may be too high or too low, and it is not even sure that the child will fit criteria anywhere. We are dealing with multiple failures and issues.”
“The taxation of remote workers is a huge issue. There are those who work in taxi tours and that is a particular issue. Another issue I have raised is the derogation of the second generation version 2 tachograph retrofit. That is an issues for hauliers who work cross-Border. Student accommodation tax relief is not available to students who live in the North and attend Magee College.”
“If we are to move anything regarding the constitutional question and unity, there is obviously a huge body of preparatory work that needs to be done. I accept that some work on modelling and comparison has been done by the shared island unit. More needs to be done on that. The Taoiseach gave his answer about the citizens' assembly. I do not care what it is called once it is a forum that allows for a conversation on what a new Ireland could look like. If the Government is against a citizens' assembly, there is an onus on it to set out what it is actually in favour of. There is no shortage of cross-Border issues. I raised this previously with the Taoiseach, as well as the former Taoiseach, who spoke about a hub or something to deal with these issues. The Executive is up and running and some of these are bilateral issues.”
“There are particular issues in the Border area around addressing that including facilitating each other around work but also on the actual infrastructure. I am thinking especially of water, electricity and other facilities.”
“I would like to agree with all that has been said on the legacy Act. I imagine there is agreement across this House and beyond that it is utterly unacceptable and some of this relates to the fact that Britain does not want to deal with its particular role in the dirty war that it conducted in Ireland. In my own constituency, in my own town of Dundalk, we are looking at the 50th anniversary in December of the Dundalk bombing which was the same night as Donnelly’s Bar. In Dundalk we lost Hugh Watters and Jack Rooney so it is very real for these families. Was there any conversation about dealing with the electronic travel authorisation and the issues it might create for cross-Border tourism which we need to deal with? I concur with what Deputy Daly and others have said on how we need to look at our infrastructure and resilience.”
“We all know about issues like violent crime, organised crime or chaotic crime. We know about the estate management failures that exist. We all deal at times with the Garda, Tusla, the council and intervention services, which have insufficient tools to deal with the cases in front of them. The Drogheda implementation board did good work but could not deal with the issues in front of it. We will wait to see what comes from the community safety forums. I want to deal specifically with one issue that is constantly in front of the Garda, that is, mental health. I will not give specifics, but I know of people who have been arrested multiple times under the Mental Health Act and have not been committed. The Garda is the only body dealing with such people, and that is insufficient and a failure to everyone.”
“I know a parent whose child is doing a healthcare course in that college but cannot get access to the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grant because they are just above the threshold. They tried to get tax relief on accommodation but because the kid in question is going to college in the North, this is an issue. It is an anomaly. We are talking about a shared island and the issue needs to be looked at.”
“Not for the first time, I raise the issue of Irish unity and the necessity for preparatory work. We need a forum to deal with the question of what a new Ireland would look like. I have spoken previously to the Tánaiste about cross-Border issues and he has spoken about the need for a hub to deal with these sorts of issues. Is there any movement in that regard? I have spoken about the taxation issues for remote workers. I recently spoke to the Minister for transport about taxi tour services working cross-Border and hauliers, around whom there is an issue in respect of the derogation for the generation 2, version 2 tachograph retrofit. A considerable amount of shared island funding has gone into Magee College.”
“That is okay. I appreciate that. The question was just to get an update. We all know the importance of the issue and I have no doubt that the Minister of State does. It is a matter of ensuring we are not facing and dealing with floods. We will move on.”