Ryan O'Meara
Tipperary North · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“The postponement of a decision this week while expert opinion was requested by the committee was incredibly disappointing. I do not know, after hundreds and hundreds of days of people waiting for a medication that they desperately need, how a committee that is paid to do a job still has not made a decision.”
“The Minister mentioned labs, which is fantastic because that is my next point. St. Mary's Secondary School in Nenagh has been approved for its science labs. The tender has been done and the proposed contractor is to be appointed. The school sent its information to the Department on 10 June and followed up on 29 June.”
“I thank the Minister for that. On her final point, I will raise one school to begin with. Presentation Primary School in Thurles originally applied in 2016 for works to its car park and school yard in terms of tarring, relining, safer access and drop-off zones.”
“The ask from this budget from the INTO is very important - 1,000 additional teachers - to help us reduce class sizes for every child to give him or her more attention, to support inclusive education, to meet growing pupil needs, to ease the workload pressure and potential burnout for teachers facing those very high numbers within the clas…”
“I want to read an excerpt from an email I got today in relation to Skyclarys for people with Friedreich's ataxia: At 19 years old, I should be excited about my future. I should be looking forward to building a career, travelling, making memories with friends and planning the life I want to live.”
“I acknowledge the work that was done by the previous Government in reducing the pupil-teacher ratio. Good work was done and, to be fair, in the last budget, good work was done in respect of the capitation grants to schools and that needs to be recognised.”
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“The postponement of a decision this week while expert opinion was requested by the committee was incredibly disappointing. I do not know, after hundreds and hundreds of days of people waiting for a medication that they desperately need, how a committee that is paid to do a job still has not made a decision. If expert advice was needed before now, why was it not sought before now? In a country where we are so educated and have so much money, and in the EU, where other countries are already reimbursing for this drug, why does it take so long, and why do we have such an inhumane system for the reimbursement of these drugs in this country? That is what it is when you stand face to face with people and families experiencing this. What is the Government going to do to speed up the process and help the people who need help the most?”
“I want to read an excerpt from an email I got today in relation to Skyclarys for people with Friedreich's ataxia: At 19 years old, I should be excited about my future. I should be looking forward to building a career, travelling, making memories with friends and planning the life I want to live. Instead, I wake up every day wondering what ability I will lose next. My future is overshadowed by fear, knowing that my condition will continue to deteriorate while a treatment exists that could slow the decline. The Friedreich's ataxia community in Ireland has been fighting for reimbursement of Skyclarys for a long time. We have shared our stories, met with politicians, engaged with decision makers and done everything asked of us.”
“Mary's Secondary School in Nenagh. I have raised it with the Department, but if the Minister could follow it up as well, it would be fantastic. It is great to get the money; we just want to make sure that the project gets going as quickly as possible.”
“The Minister mentioned labs, which is fantastic because that is my next point. St. Mary's Secondary School in Nenagh has been approved for its science labs. The tender has been done and the proposed contractor is to be appointed. The school sent its information to the Department on 10 June and followed up on 29 June. Essentially, the school will be somewhat of a building site certainly up until Christmas, but the sooner we can get it started, the better because it has the funding and approval. It just needs to get the approval to appoint the contractor and get going. Although it will have to manage getting the work done on the labs at the start of the academic year, from September to Christmas, the sooner we can get going this summer, the less it will impact on the academic year at the far end of it. It is St.”
“I brought this matter to the attention of the Department previously, and I would like to bring it to the attention of the Minister now so that consideration could be given to the Presentation Primary School in Thurles come this autumn when we are looking at the summer 2027 works.”
“I thank the Minister for that. On her final point, I will raise one school to begin with. Presentation Primary School in Thurles originally applied in 2016 for works to its car park and school yard in terms of tarring, relining, safer access and drop-off zones. Cars have to yield going in and out because there is only one space for one car, but it has the land to increase the width of the entrance and reline it. There is also a bus pulling up in the yard every day for the early intervention class. Generally, six teachers have to go out into the yard every day to direct traffic in the morning and evening, which obviously is not acceptable. The school did not get approval in 2016 but has submitted an application under the current scheme. It has not been approved for this summer, though.”
“Before I ask my final question before the summer recess, I thank the Minister and Minister of State for all of their engagement throughout the year, and I wish them both a very productive summer recess. With my better half being a Galway woman, I had also better wish the Minister the best of luck for Sunday. I hope the Minister of State next to her will soon forgive Galway for what its team did to his in the semi-final. Will the Minister give me an update on the climate action summer works scheme and make a statement on the matter?”
“However, hiring those additional 1,000 teachers will certainly help with our key commitment. It has been done step by step but this year's budget will be very important step towards that key figure of 19:1.”
“The ask from this budget from the INTO is very important - 1,000 additional teachers - to help us reduce class sizes for every child to give him or her more attention, to support inclusive education, to meet growing pupil needs, to ease the workload pressure and potential burnout for teachers facing those very high numbers within the classroom and to bring stability to school and strengthen leadership. Coming from a rural constituency, I acknowledge a lot of those rural schools that are struggling at the moment to maintain their two, three or four teachers because they are always faced with the threat of losing one because they are just barely over the number at the moment. Those additional teachers will help with that. We need to fill the posts that are there, of course.”
“Peter and Paul's CBS in Clonmel - actually had 38 students in one class in the academic year just gone, which realistically is twice what the programme for Government says it wants class sizes to be, so I reiterate that very important call for the reduction to 19:1 over the course of this Government.”
“I acknowledge the work that was done by the previous Government in reducing the pupil-teacher ratio. Good work was done and, to be fair, in the last budget, good work was done in respect of the capitation grants to schools and that needs to be recognised. It was a huge issue this time last year, particularly at the Oireachtas education committee. The pupil-teacher ratio is key and we have committed very clearly to 19:1 by the end of this Government. I will highlight some data that has come out of the Department in recent days. A total of 39,000 students in the country were in classes of over 30 students for the 2025-2026 academic year. One school in particular in Tipperary - St.”
“Many communities I represent in north Tipperary and north-west Kilkenny want to know when the Government is going to introduce updated guidelines for onshore windfarms. Last December in this Chamber I received a commitment that we would see regulations this year to update the 2006 regulations we are currently dealing with. In April I received a response to a parliamentary question which stated that a review of the 2006 wind energy development guidelines had been undertaken as part of a national planning statement on wind energy under the Planning and Development Act 2024. Included in this was noise, setback distance, shadow flicker, community obligations, community dividend and grid connections. It appears that some progress might have been made but a clear commitment was made to me here last December.”
“I wish to raise the issue of difficulties of building a one-off rural house, particularly in my constituency of Tipperary North and in north-west Kilkenny. From restrictions around access onto regional roads that do not always need to be there, to sight-line issues, ribbon development and the difficulty of building on one's own land, it should not be a privilege to build a house and live in the area in which you grew up. What is the Government doing to make it easier to build that one-off rural home, particularly for younger people who are trying to get back into their own area, perhaps coming home from abroad, start a family, raise their family there to support the local club, the local school and the local community? What are we, in Government, going to do to ensure we can build those houses in rural Ireland?”
“While we are talking about rural housing and one-off houses, I would also like to acknowledge the work the Department is currently doing and the constant engagement the Minister is having with us, as members of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party to try to liberalise the rural planning process. That work is very important because we need to see more of those rural homes, particularly for those young couples and those people abroad who I represent and went to school with, who want to come home, build in a rural parish, start their family there and start a life for themselves there.”
“In relation to the potential of a waiver, it would be important that central government step in and continue to fund the local authorities to the same level they would have been funded if the individual was paying this. I am conscious, however, of those houses that are already there. Some people might be paying for sites, if they do not have one they can get from a family member. There is the cost of building at the moment and the shortage of labour increases the costs further. This is one way in which we could help those people, many of whom I am representing.”
“I fully appreciate the importance of funding local authorities and I actually believe we need greater levels of funding for local authorities through central Government but I believe the current levy on one-off rural homes is making it more expensive at a time when costs are already so high for those young couples to build their own homes.”
“If I consider a young person or couple building a home for the first time in a rural part of my constituency outside of the villages or towns - for example someone building a house outside Toomyvara village, in a rural part of the parish, or outside Cloghjordan, Ballynahinch or Ardcrony - they will not get a footpath or public water most probably. They certainly will not be connected into any form of sewage system or wastewater mains system and they will not get any public lighting. As far as I am concerned, the development levy, particularly on one-off rural homes, is essentially a tax for the privilege of building on one's own land.”
“Does the Minister, his Department or the Government have any plans to reintroduce the waiver for development levies, particularly in this case on one-off rural homes; to incentivise drive-on but also to make the building of a one-off home in rural Ireland more affordable, particularly for young people?”
“These groups are interested in rural Ireland, rural pursuits and rural ways of life, and this includes conservation as part of their work. If we have engagement and meaningful conversation, I believe this can happen.”
“I would appreciate if the Minister of State engaged with officials and the Department to ensure communication with all parties remains constructive and transparent as these processes move forward and that the original ambition behind these engagement structures can still be meaningfully progressed. Rural Ireland wants to engage constructively on these issues. I believe it is important that this continues in a spirit of partnership and good faith. I know this because I live in rural Ireland. I represent rural Ireland and I know these communities will engage if there is a positive benefit for them and if they are brought along the process. In order for this to happen I believe the two forums I mentioned earlier are absolutely essential. There are groups that want to be part of the conversation.”
“At a time when we are all asking more of rural communities in terms of biodiversity delivery, conservation and nature restoration - I know these communities will step up to the plate because they are already doing so - it is important these same communities are included in national policy discussions. Collaboration with stakeholders will be essential in ensuring consensus on major measures, such as the nature restoration law, in the years ahead. Earlier, I mentioned a very successful nature restoration project in a bog close to me. This was possible because of strong engagement and clear communication, and getting a group of people together who, it would have been assumed at one time, would not have pulled in the right direction. They proved it is possible with engagement and constructive work.”
“From my point of view, when I raised it in the House at the time I was quite surprised to hear the review was taking place to begin with, considering a memorandum of understanding had been undertaken. My understanding is that the NARGC was not informed in advance that a review was taking place and has not received clarification from the NPWS as to what the process will involve. I fully appreciate that reviews have to take place. They make sense in terms of spending public funding. However, where organisations have engaged with the Department, it is important that there is open communication and ongoing engagement throughout the entire process.”
“I raise this simply in the spirit of ensuring constructive engagement between the Department and rural stakeholders. I would appreciate if the Minister of State would speak to officials in the Department to better understand whether there is a timeline for the reinstatement of the forum. Another issue I want to raise relates to the review of the memorandum of understanding agreed with the National Association of Regional Game Councils, NARGC. I last raised this issue in the House in October. It was announced that a review of the memorandum of understanding with the Department would take place at that time. It is my understanding that to date the NARGC has not yet been contacted by officials in relation to this review process.”
“An issue I will raise is stakeholder engagement structures in the wildlife and conservation sectors. As the Minister of State knows, this is an issue I have raised previously in the House because I believe meaningful stakeholder engagement is crucial if we are serious about delivering biodiversity objectives. The most recent NPWS strategic action plan committed to establishing a stakeholder forum. Subsequently, there was a further commitment to establishing a countryside forum for nature. I understand this is now not to proceed. At the same time, a separate forum for sustainable hunting of wild birds was also recently suspended. Stakeholders involved in this process have expressed frustration at the lack of clarity around the decision and uncertainty as to when any forum may resume its work.”
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute during national biodiversity week and I thank the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, who I appreciate had to step out, for his continued commitment to biodiversity projects, nature restoration and engagement with rural communities. I say this to acknowledge a visit he made with me to Cloughjordan in my constituency last November. This visit involved a number of stops, one of which was Scohaboy Bog, which is a rewetting project in north Tipperary. It is extremely successful and it is Tipperary's leading peatland restoration project. It involves a lot of community work and engagement with the Cloughjordan Community Development Association, which engaged with keen stakeholders to make it happen. It is on the topic of engagement that I will speak.”
“However, in the current climate of rising costs for diesel and electricity, falling prices for farmers and the need to reduce carbon emissions, the installation of solar panels on farm buildings really is low-hanging fruit. Therefore, my two questions to Government are: first, will we see an increase in the percentage in TAMS funding in the next tranche for the installation of solar panels on farm buildings? Second, can farmers who have been refused recently-----”
“I have been contacted by farmers across north Tipperary and north-west Kilkenny, who are currently finding it difficult to access funding under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, for the installation of solar panels on their farm buildings. A recent parliamentary question reply stated that the solar capital investment scheme has been hugely popular with farmers wishing to invest in renewable energy, thereby reducing their dependence on fossil fuels. That same reply from the Minister, Deputy Heydon, stated that between 2023 and 2025 over €4.5 million was paid to farmers to get solar panels on their farms, which is really good news.”
“The community sports facilities fund, formally known as the sports capital grant, is very popular in north Tipperary and north-west Kilkenny. I will be hosting an information evening with the Minister of State with responsibility for sport, Deputy Charlie McConalogue, on Tuesday, 26 May at 8 p.m. in Littleton in the Moycarkey-Borris Community and Sports Centre. It is in conjunction with Senator Imelda Goldsboro from south Tipperary and local councillor and Littleton man, Councillor Sean Ryan. The previous Government delivered record funding for sports clubs across Tipperary. I have two questions on behalf of the clubs I represent in north Tipperary and north-west Kilkenny. First, when will applications open? Second, how long after applications close do we expect grants to be awarded?”
“Roscrea has huge potential to be that and so much more. Birdhill is already close to Limerick and Cloughjordan, while being a rural village, has major sustainability principles with the eco-village there. However, Irish Rail has said it is going to invest massively over the coming 25 years, with billions going into the rail infrastructure across this country. In north Tipperary, Nenagh, Cloughjordan, Roscrea and Birdhill deserve their fair share of investment in our regional line.”
“It is serious investment, but it is long-term investment with a long-term vision for north Tipperary and commuter accessibility to north Tipperary. The argument for many years for people in Birdhill, Nenagh, Roscrea and Cloughjordan was about keeping the line open because there was so much discussion about closing it. That argument is over. It is done. The line is open and it is not going anywhere, but the argument now has to be on future investment and future viability of the line. It is only viable with major investment from the Government. We have to have ambition for our future and ambition for the future of north Tipperary. There is major potential for commuter transport in north Tipperary out of Birdhill, Nenagh, Roscrea and Cloughjordan. Nenagh is already a satellite town of Limerick.”
“In his answer the Minister of State touched on a number of points I had intended to raise. There are the issues concerning the amount of time it takes to travel the line or the limitations on the speed of trains in the line. The first is level crossings and the second the signalling system, which is not out of the past century but the century before that. Some Members in the House might know but the Fianna Fáil Ard-Fheis is on this coming Saturday, and it will be 100 years old on 15 May. One hundred years ago, when Countess Markievicz, Eamon de Valera, Seán Lemass and others were planning the foundation of Fianna Fail, the signalling system on the Ballybrophy line was not new technology then, and yet we are still using that technology today. The answer to the issues facing the Ballybrophy line is investment.”
“It is key to all of this, to getting the station open when it should be open, getting the physical station open and so that those commuting are not facing that locked gate as we saw previously. On top of that, a transport hub in Nenagh railway station would allow the bus stops to move out of the centre of the town and up to the train station to create a real transport hub for Nenagh. Back in January, Councillor J.P. O'Meara and I met the NTA in its headquarters in Dublin to discuss that transport hub. One of the key points to that is funding. It is a large investment, but Tipperary County Council has the plans, and we deserve that investment in north Tipperary for a key transport hub.”
“One of those points is a commitment to develop additional track capacity, electrification, increased line speeds and new routes to enhance and develop rail services. We already have the track in place on the Ballybrophy line but we want increased speed times and faster journey travel across north Tipperary, and that is a very reasonable request. We do not need a new route. The route is already there. We need faster travel times, more frequent services, more reliability of services and better infrastructure at our stations. That infrastructure point is important because Nenagh could have a transport hub at Nenagh railway station if we could get the investment.”
“brings me from Dublin to Limerick Junction, Limerick Junction to Limerick Colbert and then Limerick Colbert back out the Ballybrophy line. If I wanted to travel from Cloughjordan or Roscrea to Limerick, the earliest I could arrive in Limerick in the morning is 10.08. Again, that is not much use if you are trying to commute for work. If I wanted to depart Limerick, the only time I could leave that is any bit convenient, but not really, is 5.10 in the evening. My other option is to leave at a quarter to six and travel from Limerick to Limerick Junction, Limerick Junction to Ballybrophy and then back out again. I say that at the risk of sounding like one of the D'Unbelievables while I give that example. The programme for Government states many things about public transport, particularly on rail lines.”
“No real-time information is provided. Services are cancelled and replaced by buses. Journey times are excessively long and travel times on this regional line are mind-bogglingly inconvenient. It is now 10.30 p.m. on a Tuesday night. Before I came down to the Chamber, I decided to look at what my travel times would be like if I were travelling on the rail line tomorrow. If I wanted to depart Nenagh for Dublin tomorrow, the earliest I could arrive in Dublin, if using local rail, is 9.53 a.m. That is not much use if you are commuting for work. If I wanted to depart Dublin tomorrow to get home to Nenagh, I would have two options. I could choose the 3 p.m. or 6 p.m. service. The 6 p.m. brings me back by the Ballybrophy line but the 3 p.m.”
“I will raise with the Minister of State the issues my constituents are facing in relation to the Limerick to Ballybrophy rail line, which travels through north Tipperary and stops in Birdhill, Nenagh, Cloughjordan and Roscrea. I will begin by acknowledging the North Tipperary Community Rail Partnership, which has highlighted the potential of this line and the issues facing it for many years. I will start with some of the issues facing the line. According to local media, commuters in Nenagh were recently locked out of the railway station because the gate to the station was locked. The gate is locked when the station is not in use. The station is actually rarely in use, which is one of my biggest issues. Those trying to travel that day missed their train and their connections. There are also other issues.”
“To give a synopsis of the community cafés and shops in my constituency, we have Lorrha, Cloughjordan, Moneygall, Loughmore, Moyne, Ballingarry, Annacarty, Freshford and Muckalee. They are not all in my constituency, but they are all very important to the people in my constituency. They are a vital social and community outlet. I know the Minister has been working hard with that national body and with me. I appreciate the time and attention the Minister has given to them to date.”
“There are options like CLÁR and LEADER, but there is no specific scheme for playgrounds, which is a challenge for many communities, particularly Cloughjordan and Silvermines in north Tipperary. The price of building a good, fit-for-purpose, modern playground is high and is increasing. While there are some grant supports, we need to look at where we get a purposeful grant for playgrounds. When there is a community and a committee that is really dedicated to getting one in, when the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle is that grant, there is space for us to do a little more. I again mention to the Minister the community cafés and shops, which he will be very familiar with, through the hard work and dedication of Leonie Maher and Mary Fogarty in Loughmore.”
“Earlier, the Minister mentioned the interdependence of rural Ireland and urban Ireland, which is a very important point, because it is not about one being against the other. It is not that, as a rural TD, you only represent rural Ireland. I represent urban towns as well and they have different challenges, but the interdependence of Our Rural Future is important and should be recognised. I would like to raise a couple of issues where I see challenges and think we can see some improvements over the next years under this Government. I previously raised the first with the Minister in the Chamber and still think it is important. That is funding for our playgrounds, particularly in our rural villages.”
“I visited it a number of weeks ago. The Minister, his team and his office were a huge help in getting that project started. The community centre investment fund has been an enormous investment of over €110 million, according to the Minister's speech earlier today. It has seen massive improvements in our community centres, particularly the likes of rural parish halls. It is not just rural funding but is important to that rural parish hall, or to the likes of Ballymackey, which the Minister previously invested in, and Terryglass hall, for which he announced €86,000 last year. There is a challenge in rural Ireland at the moment when it comes to population, services, and the changes of lifestyle, habits and how people work and live, but that is a challenge that we are facing up to as a Government, not shying from.”
“As the Minister knows, I am proud to be a rural TD and to come from a rural part of Ireland, representing some of the most vibrant, passionate, dedicated and ambitious communities in this country. There are challenges to being from and living in rural Ireland. The Minister knows that better than most in this House, with the many years of service he has given as a public representative representing a rural constituency with large urban bases. I start by addressing some of the grants and supports available for rural Ireland which the Minister covers in his Department, including CLÁR, LEADER, RRDF, the town and village renewal scheme and the community centre investment fund. The town and village renewal scheme currently has works ongoing in Carrig in the north of my constituency, where a village park is being built.”
“There are so many benefits there to enhance students' learning experience and to enhance their ability to dig down into information but it is about all those mechanisms the Minister mentioned and possibly more, including working with European counterparts, that will be so important to ensure this technology does not take away from the ability to teach students the skills of critical thinking, research and analysis and investigating primary and secondary sources in whatever subject it might be. A huge body of work is needed and I am delighted to see the Department advancing it.”
“It is important to acknowledge the many positive benefits to AI as well. It is not all negative but it is essential that this advisory task force is up and running and doing that work. AI is moving so quickly compared to what we would have had only a number of years ago, let alone what I would have had in technological assistance doing my leaving certificate 12 years ago.”
“My concern is around the way in which students are so easily able to access all that information now and how it impacts on the additional assessment component. I am glad to hear that the external advisory task force is being established. That will be needed for teachers and for external examiners as we continue to grow what I see as the very important additional assessment components.”
“I would like to focus briefly on the additional assessment components, AACs. These are being rolled out fully but they exist already in some subjects. This time 12 years ago, I finished my research study report as part of leaving certificate history. I did that report on the Modreeny ambush, where the north Tipperary flying column ambushed the Black and Tans between Cloughjordan and Borrisokane during the War of Independence. I had to look at Ernie O’Malley’s Raids and Rallies , the late Roche Williams' book, In and Out of School - In the Home of the MacDonaghs , and research done by the Cloughjordan Heritage Group. This morning, I was able to just google the Modreeny ambush and get a full overview, with the date and time, the number of casualties, their names and everything else.”
“That should be communicated in a campaign and people should be directed towards those Garda stations which, to be fair, have a lot more to do in their job than just passports but are going to get that job when they are 24-hour stations. Members of An Garda Síochána need to know those key facts to be able to advise people to avoid the issue before it even has to come to us and then we have to go and hound the three Ministers for passports.”
“To conclude, I believe communication with the public would help us in those final tricky cases we are seeing. To be fair, as public representatives there are fewer and fewer passport issues coming to us because most of them are being sorted, as the Minister said, because of the investment the Government has put into the Passport Office and the increase in staffing numbers. In relation to the witness for the photographs or the parents’ consent to a passport, people need to know they should go to a 24-hour Garda station. Someone will always be there to answer the call to verify and make sure the pictures are taken correctly. Parents should ensure they do not miss an email if they are queried on something. So they know, again I stress they should always apply online where possible.”
“I encourage people to check their passports right now if they are travelling this summer> People should apply online, where possible, to avoid paper applications. We see so many issues arising from paper applications. I also believe this message should be communicated to our Garda stations to ensure that if somebody comes in with a paper passport application, gardaí will know they can guide them towards using an online application to avoid these issues happening.”
“I acknowledge the work of the team in the Passport Office. The numbers the Minister gave are incredible. All of us as public representatives see how hard they work and how responsive they are to helping people under pressure to get a passport. There is also the rapid turnaround time if people are going for a simple adult renewal. The passport could be arriving in the letterbox a day or two after people apply. I also acknowledge the Minister and the two Ministers of State here in the Chamber, and their staff. I particularly acknowledge the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, and his staff for the assistance they regularly give to me in securing passports when there are these more difficult cases. I echo some of what the Minister said.”
“After a miserable winter here, many of our constituents are looking forward to their summer holidays and perhaps a bit of sun if they are lucky enough to get abroad. With that, comes a need for many people to renew passports or to apply for new passports. What are we looking at in terms of turnaround times for new passport applications and for renewals?”