Shane Moynihan
Dublin Mid-West · Fianna Fáil · Ireland
“Hopefully, we will not need to extend the planning. That is the intention of all. Similarly for Lucan Community College, we need to get the planning right now for phases two and three.”
“Similarly, for Lucan Community College, that is being delivered under phase one through a modular framework and there is now an intention to secure planning for the remaining phase, so that does not delay the delivery of phases two and three of Lucan. I also wish to draw attention to Devine Mercy junior and senior national schools.”
“Thomas's and Scoil Aíne junior and senior national schools in Lucan, they are immediately adjacent to Adamstown, which is one of the rapidly growing areas in the country right now. They are in the same building they were in when the school was opened. That needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. For St.”
“I thank the Minister for her very comprehensive answer. I see first hand the progress that is being made with school buildings across the constituency but there are also buildings that need to be addressed as a matter of urgency. The Minister mentioned Scoil Chrónáin.”
“The schools I intend to address are St. Thomas Junior National School and Scoil Aíne Naofa in Lucan and Divine Mercy junior and senior national schools and St. Kevin's Community College. What is the current status of the Lucan Community College project and Scoil Chrónáin? I ask the Minister to make a statement on the matter.”
“Whatever course of action the Government takes, and I have views on either a total ban or a registration and licensing system, it is clear to me that gardaí will need training in the enforcement and tactical interventions that they will need to undertake to enforce whatever ban or system being put in place, as in taking someone from a sco…”
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“Local authorities and ETBs have a really important role to play in the context of looking at their suite of strategic assets and considering how they can make them available to teams across the constituency. That is something we should plan for and incorporate in this round of sports capital funding in order to ensure that those State agencies buy in and make these facilities available. It is important to support clubs like Collinstown that are performing a very important social function as well as an integrative function when it comes to bringing boys and girls into sport.”
“I fully support Deputy Dolan's remarks regarding the importance of female participation. However, we also need to take account of socio-economic disadvantage. Sports, such as boxing and football, are great at enabling social cohesion, bringing people on a path which will make sure that they have a fulfilling future in terms of youth diversion and so on. That is why I am particularly keen to support the likes of Collinstown FC in my constituency, which needs access to an all-weather pitch. On nine weekends of this football year, pitches have not been playable because of the weather. This underlines the importance of all-weather pitches.”
“Is é sin an bealach a dhéanfaimid normalú ar an dátheangachas agus ar labhairt na Gaeilge; is é sin go bhfuil daoine in ann saol a chaitheamh ach go dtarlaíonn sé gur trí mheán na Gaeilge atá sé.”
“Agus muid ag labhairt ar chúrsaí oideachais, caithfimid deireadh a chur leis an mbréag atá ag dul timpeall nach féidir oideachas speisialta a thabhairt do pháistí trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tá an taighde acadúil ar fad ag rá go bhfuil sé seo indéanta agus go bhfuil muid in ann déileáil agus freagra a thabhairt ar pháistí agus ar dhaltaí a bhfuil riachtanais speisialta acu trí mheán na Gaeilge. Tá sé léirithe ag Gaelscoileanna agus Gaelcholáistí timpeall na tíre conas gur féidir é sin a dhéanamh. Tá go leor rudaí maithe á dhéanamh i leith na Gaeilge agus ba mhaith liom ag an bpointe seo tréaslú le Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath agus leis na húdaráis áitiúla i mBaile Átha Cliath atá ag leanúint an clár Gaeilge365 a léiríonn cur chuige nuálaíoch faoi stiúir Daithí de Buitléir.”
“Níl mé ag déanamh faillí nó neamhaird ar an mbrú atá ann ó thaobh cúrsaí tithíochta. Tá cúrsaí tithíochta agus an tábhacht a bhaineann leis na treoirlínte sin a chur amach pléite agam leis an Aire cheana féin. Is ábhar é a bhfuil eolas agam air mé féin. Ach caithfear moladh a thabhairt d’Údarás na Gaeltachta as ucht na ceannródaíochta atá léirithe aige i leith an ról eacnamaíochta atá aige. Maidir le cúrsaí oideachais, tá dul chun cinn déanta agus obair le déanamh fós ó thaobh an oideachais trí Ghaeilge ag an dara leibhéal. Tá contaetha sa tír seo fós nach bhfuil Gaelcholáistí ar fáil iontu cé go bhfuil Gaelscoileanna sna contaetha sin. Ceapaim anois go bhfuil freagracht ar an Roinn oideachais tabhairt faoin ndúshlán sin agus freagra a thabhairt ar cén chaoi gur féidir linn níos mó Gaelcholáistí a chur ar fáil.”
“Léirigh sé sin dom nach bhfuil muid ag déanamh faillí ar theanga amháin ar mhaithe le teanga eile ach gur féidir ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar an dá cheann, agus gur chóir é sin a dhéanamh. Ba chóir go mbeadh sé sin mar bunchloch ag aon chur chuige atá againn mar Rialtas agus mar thír i dtaobh na Gaeilge. Tá sé tábhachtach freisin moladh a thabhairt d’Údarás na Gaeltachta as ucht an ról eacnamaíochta atá á imirt aige. Is féidir linn breathnú ar na tionscnaimh ar fad atá meallta ag Údarás na Gaeltachta chuig na ceantair Ghaeltachta ar mhaithe le fostaíocht le hardscileanna a bhunú sna háiteanna sin agus an bunús sin a chur sna ceantair Ghaeltachta. Feictear dom go bhfuil sé chomh tábhachtach céanna le caomhnú a dhéanamh ar an dteanga go bhfuil todhchaí eacnamaíoch ann do dhaoine atá ag iarraidh poist a bhaint amach anseo.”
“Bímid ag labhairt go minic ar an maitheas a bhaineann le Gaeilge mar is teanga álainn agus ársa í, agus aontaím leis sin ar fad. Ag an am céanna, tá sé tábhachtach dúinn ar fad go léirímid sa chóras oideachais, ag leibhéal an Rialtais, mar thuismitheoirí agus mar phobal go bhfuil tábhacht faoi leith ag baint leis an dátheangachas - a bheith in ann Gaeilge agus Béarla a labhairt agus go mbeadh an dá theanga sin ar ár dtoil againn. Roimh dom dul isteach sa pholaitíocht, d’oibrigh mé i gcomhlacht idirnáisiúnta, áit a raibh daoine ón tSualainn nó an Ísiltír agus bhí Béarla ar a dtoil acu. Ach nuair a chuaigh siad abhaile nó nuair a bhí siad ag meascadh lena gcairde, labhair siad Ollainnis, i gcás na n-Ísiltíreach; nó Sualainnis, i gcás na Sualannach.”
“Ceann de na cuspóirí atá ag Rialtas na Breataine Bige ná 1 milliún cainteoirí Breatnaise a bheith ann faoin bhliain 2050. Tá sprioc den chineál céanna againn sa tír seo, is é sin go mbeidh Gaeilge ar a dtoil ag 20% den lucht oibre san earnáil phoiblí, agus tá dúshlán os ár gcomhair amach len é sin a bhaint amach. Ceapaim go léiríonn sé an t-athrú meoin atá anois ann i leith rialtais atá ag déanamh caomhnú ar theangacha dúchasacha go bhfuil siad ag cur na cuspóirí seo amach agus go bhfuil siad ag cur brú ar na háisíneachtaí agus ar na ranna rialtais freagra a thabhairt ar na cuspóirí sin agus iad a chur i gcrích. Rud amháin a sheas amach dom le linn dom a bheith sa Bhreatain Bheag, agus rud a gcaithimid smaoineamh air sa tír seo, ná an tábhacht agus na buntáistí a bhaineann leis an dátheangachas a cheiliúradh sa tír seo.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh an deis seo labhairt i dtaobh na ráitis seo ar Sheachtain na Gaeilge. Ba mhaith liom tréaslú leis an Aire as ucht na hinfheistíochta agus na ceannródaíochta atá léirithe aige ó tháinig sé i mbun oifige mar Aire sinsearach Gaeltachta, rud a léiríonn domsa agus do mo chomhghleacaithe eile ar an taobh seo den Teach go bhfuil sé tábhachtach amach anseo go mbíonn an Ghaeltacht ina Aireacht shinsearach ag bord an Rialtais agus go ndéantar é sin a dhaingniú agus a dheimhniú as seo amach. Bhí mé ar cuairt ar an mBreatain Bheag le mo chomhghleacaithe ar an gcomhchoiste Gaeltachta agus Gaeilge cúpla seachtain ó shin agus muid ag féachaint ar an gcur chuige atá aici siúd i leith múineadh agus labhairt na Breatnaise agus an meon atá cruthaithe acu i measc an aosa óig agus sa náisiún ina iomláine i leith labhairt na Breatnaise.”
“An rud atá mise ag iarraidh sa Teach seo inniu ná go mbeidh tacaíocht ar fáil d’fhoireann, do thuismitheoirí agus do phobal scoile Gaelscoil Lir chun go mbeidh siad in ann freastal ar na riachtanais atá acu agus go mbeidh siad in ann freastal ar na daltaí atá ag dul ag an scoil sin. Tá mé ag iarraidh go mbeidh gach aon deis ag gach aon dalta sa scoil sin gach rud gur féidir leo a bhaint amach sa saol sa todhchaí agus go mbeidh an Stát ag tacú leo é sin a dhéanamh.”
“That is something we have to take seriously. I welcome the fact that DEIS strategy is being reviewed at the moment and will identify unique pockets of disadvantage but I also heartily encourage the Department and the Minister to seriously consider how the socioeconomic gaps that exist in areas around the country are also reflected for schools with Irish-medium education as well. Sometimes there is an assumption that because a Gaelscoil is a Gaelscoil, it does not need access to support, the school completion programme or the home school liaison programme. We have to disabuse ourselves of that notion because that is not true. Tá an-obair ar siúl ag foireann Ghaelscoil Lir. Tá an-dúshlán á shárú aici.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as an freagra sin. I thank the Minister of State for taking this Topical Issue. I am a little disappointed the response did not refer to Gaelscoil Lir and that is something I will raise with the Department, given that was the particular schooled I raised in this instance. I draw attention to the fact that Gaelscoil Lir is quite unique in where it is located. It is located beside an IPAS centre and has a diversity of student backgrounds that have higher levels of special educational needs. It requires access to a home school liaison. It has scope to be one of the fastest growing schools in the Saggart-Citywest area and crucially, and this is something I have a particular interest in, it is also securing the language rights of families who want to send their children to an Irish-medium school.”
“A support we in Fianna Fáil are rightly proud of is the expansion of the DEIS programme and giving children the educational opportunities they need. I would seriously consider the need to review Gaelscoil Lir’s status and make allowance for the fact that given its student population, with many students residing in the IPAS centre, and given the significant areas of deprivation adjacent to it, there is an argument to consider DEIS status for Gaelscoil Lir. I wholeheartedly urge that as a consideration today.”
“One of the unique and very special things about Gaelscoil Lir is it has a number of students who speak Irish who cannot speak English. They have their native language from home or their own country and they now have proficiency in our native tongue, which is a beautiful thing to learn. The other side of that, however, is this is a school that has all of these needs but does not have access to things like the home school liaison programme or the school completion programme and is not able to employ a caretaker because of the size of its ancillary grant. Were we to have a serious debate about the need to encourage and ensure Irish-medium education; something I am very passionate about, we would also need to make sure Irish-medium education is available to all people of all backgrounds.”
“If we look at the overall picture of the school itself, it is one that has the needs add profile to justify the bestowing of DEIS status on it. There are families from low-income backgrounds whose children attend the school. Social welfare is the only source of income for a number of those families, there is a high prevalence of special educational needs in the school and there are two special classes in a student body of under 100 students. In and of itself, this is quite remarkable and shows the school staff’s commitment to providing high level special education. A number of the students attending are from backgrounds where Ireland is not their country of birth. Many of them are also living in the IPAS centre immediately adjacent to the school.”
“Is léir go bhfuil páistí sa scoil seo a bhfuil ag labhairt as Gaeilge nach bhfuil cumas acu sa Bhéarla, rud atá an-spéisiúil agus iontach ann féin, ach tá riachtanais ag an scoil a bhfuil freastal ag teastáil orthu. Níl rochtain ag an scoil ar a leithéid de chlár críochnaithe scoile, níl nasc idir an scoil agus an baile, agus níl fáil aige ach oiread ar a leithéid de dheontas le cúntóir a fhostú sa scoil. The Topical Issue I raise today relates to Gaelscoil Lir, which is a growing school in my constituency based in Saggart-Citywest. To be clear, I am a member of its board of management. The reason I raise for Gaelscoil Lir to be considered for DEIS status is the school was established in the 2021-22 school year. It missed out on the immediate adjudication and assessment of a school for inclusion in the DEIS programme.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire Stáit as a bheith anseo inniu. An rud atá mé ag plé inniu ná an gá stádas DEIS a bhronnadh ar Ghaelscoil Lir i dTeach an Sagard atá i mo dháilcheantar féin. An fáth atá mé ag cur na ceiste seo faoi bhráid na Dála ná go bhfuil leibhéal suntasach tithíochta socheacnamaíocha agus éagsúlachta ag baint leis an scoil. Tá an scoil féin ag freastal ar theaghlaigh atá ag brath ar íocaíochtaí leasadh shóisialaigh de réir mar atá le feiceáil ó innéacs pobal. Tá an-chuid de na daltaí ó chúlraí imirce agus ilteangacha agus tá cuid mhór acu ag cur fúthu san ionad IPAS in aice na scoile. Tá go leor riachtanaisí breise oideachais le sonrú sa scoil freisin. Mar Ghaelscoil, tá an Ghaelscoil féin ag déanamh freastal ar go leor teaghlaigh nach bhfuil an Ghaeilge mar theanga sa bhaile acu, agus fiú amháin nach bhfuil Béarla ann.”
“We need to try to minimise the frequency of these outages so that they do not impact initiatives, and residents and businesses as well. Could the Tánaiste turn his attention to that to see what we can do to increase the resilience of the network?”
“Today, I want to raise an issue regarding frequent power outages in my constituency, especially for communities in Palmerstown and Clondalkin. Over the past 12 months there have been 11 outages in Palmerstown village, which have impacted an older population and initiatives such as Palmerstown meals-on-wheels. There were two outages in Clondalkin on Saturday affecting 4,000 households. I have been in touch with the ESB, and it has given me reasons for this but the broader point is the resilience of the network in that general area. As the Tánaiste is aware, Dublin Mid-West is one of the fastest growing constituencies in the country. There is a scale of building happening there right now and we need a resilient energy system and power grid.”
“That is why it is important we get the circular right on this occasion, that we get the redeployment model right on this occasion and that we update the vision of education set out in these circulars, so schools in my constituency and around the country are set up to succeed. It is also important we ensure, given the demographic pressures we are facing, that our secondary schools are set up with an adequate number of SNAs. We need to ensure that the new special schools we are establishing, including Lucan Community Special School in my constituency, have access to a number of SNAs to ensure a full school day, but also that schools have sufficient provision for incoming classes of junior infants, where they may not necessarily know the level of need. I look forward to reform in this area.”
“We need to reflect the fact there is now a diversity of needs in our classrooms that was not necessarily reflected in the circular of 2014. Access to an SNA is an enabler for many children in these situations, especially those with neurodivergent needs. This week, in Clondalkin, a mother who came to one of my clinics said that the reason she was able to go back to work was that her son had access to an SNA to allow him to take two movement breaks to regulate him during the day. He did not need access to a full-time SNA, but because of that fact, she was able to go back to work. She was able to ensure that he has access to a world-class education and will be able to fully attain his potential.”
“My mother was a special needs assistant. I remember her coming home every day and telling me how much she loved her job and the value she got from what she did with the students she was working with. I know first-hand exactly the love that SNAs have for their jobs. I know first-hand exactly what value they bring to the classrooms. I know first-hand how transformative they are in the lives of the students they work with. I also know, having visited many of the schools in my constituency of Dublin Mid-West, most recently Scoil Talbot in Clondalkin, that schools are evolving places. The vision set out in the circular from 2014 is not one that is visible on the ground in the schools that my colleagues and I visit on a regular basis.”
“I encourage the Taoiseach to think about that in our approach to second level education and that it is not just the aonad model but we have full immersion Gaelcholáistí and an abundance of those, especially in the midlands part of the country as well.”
“Mar aon leis an Teachta McGreehan, díreoidh mé freisin ar cheist na teanga agus céard is féidir linn foghlaim ónár gcomhghleacaithe sa Bhreatain Bheag ach go háirithe. I attended a number of engagements in Wales earlier this week where we saw first hand the approach the Welsh Government has taken with regard to growing and nurturing the Welsh language through its education system and different cultural system. What struck me was the sheer multiplicity of approaches that are being taken by the central Welsh Government but also by the local authorities in terms of the immersion in education. They have created a full pipeline - from primary through to secondary through to tertiary - ensuring that people have access to Welsh-language education.”
“Operation Kenova demonstrates that even decades after crimes are committed, rigorous victim-focused investigations, while constituting immense effort and commitment from those involved, can deliver truth, acknowledgement and the possibility of closure. The work is painstaking and it can often be painful but it is work we must continue if we are sincere in our commitment to a lasting and just peace.”
“Ireland's commitment to peace has always rested on the principles of truth, justice, reconciliation and respect for the rule of law. Kenova adds to and mirrors those principles by shining a light where darkness was once allowed to spread, by confronting uncomfortable truths for all actors in the peace process, and by ensuring, most importantly, that victims and their families are not forgotten or silenced. Is cur chuige tábhachtach é seo a léiríonn an tábhachtach a bhaineann le héisteacht agus le cuimhniú ar gach rud atá tar éis tarlú d'íobartaigh le linn na Trioblóidí. Ní féidir le haon duine atá ainmnithe sa tuairisc seo éalú ón bhfreagra a gcaithfidh siad a thabhairt ar a bhfuil déanta acu nó ar a bhfuil déanta ag a gcuid eagraíochtaí féin.”
“An Garda Síochána has played a role in assisting the Operation Kenova investigators, including with access to records and so on and in facilitating contact with witnesses and families. This is the model of co-operation that must continue. This debate brings into focus the need for us to constantly think about how we can evolve the Good Friday Agreement. The discussions and setbacks we have seen in the area of legacy over the past few years have served as a reminder that the success of the agreement and its institutions is fragile, is ultimately predicated on the roles of the two Governments as co-guarantors and that they must both be aligned in their vision and their view of what the settlement should represent in terms of individual values. That is why work on the joint framework on the legacy is an important step towards achieving that.”
“This House has on three occasions sought access for an independent international judicial figure to all original British files relating to the 1974 Dublin-Monaghan bombings. I repeat the call in that regard today. Openness and accountability are not merely standards we demand of others; they are standards we must demonstrate ourselves. The delay in the publication of the full Denton report is disappointing, and deeply so for the families affected. Its completion and release are necessary steps in advancing truth and honouring our obligations under the joint framework on the legacy of the Troubles agreed last year by the Irish and British Governments. Importantly, the framework recognises that cross-Border co-operation is essential. It commits both Governments to mechanisms that support reconciliation, justice and truth.”
“We cannot ignore the important findings of Operation Mizzenmast and Operation Turma, including the forensic breakthroughs that have enabled justice to be done in a number of instances. Cases like these demonstrate clearly that truth can still be found and justice remains possible. While the full report relating to Operation Denton has not been published, the summary provides some official recognition that a network of loyalist paramilitaries and corrupt members of the security forces were involved in activities during the Troubles. The corrosive impact of that collusion on confidence in policing and on victims' families cannot be overstated. It is deeply regrettable that the full Denton report has not yet been published. Survivors and families have waited far too long.”
“Worryingly, the report also lays bare the deeply troubling failures of the British state, including MI5 and the Force Research Unit, whereby protecting its agent Stakeknife was repeatedly prioritised over preventing murder, intelligence was not shared with law enforcement on either side of the Border and the fact murders could and should have been prevented. Time and again, as the report states, the protection of Stakeknife outweighed the protection of innocent lives. This fact must be confronted honestly. It brings into focus one of the more horrific findings, which is that more lives were lost than saved because of the focus on protecting one agent whom, even now, the British Government declines to name.”
“I welcome the publication of the report as a critical piece of work in bringing together findings across the reports on operations Kenova, Denton, Turma and Mizzenmast. As has been outlined, the investigators followed more than 12,000 lines of inquiry, interviewed hundreds of people and overcame major obstacles to uncover the truth. It was a huge effort and recognition is due to Jon Boucher, lain Livingstone and the entire Operation Kenova team. The report is unsparing in its assessment of the Provisional IRA's crimes, which include torture, inhumane and degrading treatment, murder and the intimidation of the very communities it claimed to represent. Accountability cannot differentiate, and nor can it be selective.”
“Is rud suntasach é foilseachán na tuairisce ar Oibríocht Kenova. Is léiriú cuimsitheach é ar scéalta dorcha ár n-oileáin agus ar thréimhse a d'fhág fulaingt, pian agus cailliúint inár ndiaidh. Is meabhrú dúinn é freisin go bhfuil scéalta na n-íobartach le hinsint agus le cloisteáil fós, agus gur gá dúinn freagra cuimsitheach a thabhairt dóibh. Like colleagues on all sides of the House, I acknowledge the immense dignity and perseverance shown by the victims and families whose stories lie behind this report. They have carried unanswered questions and deep hurt for decades. Their courage is the foundation of the investigation that led to the publication of the report relating to Operation Kenova. They should and must be central to everything that is done in the work of legacy.”
“In the interim, however, people living in Clonburris need access to bus stops and specific bus routes. I have engaged with the National Transport Authority, NTA, on this matter. It is important that we ensure access to new routes for people in Clonburris in order that they will not just be obliged to use routes in Lucan and Clondalkin that are already under pressure. I ask for the Taoiseach's support in the context of engaging with the NTA in respect of this issue.”
“Clonburris strategic development zone, SDZ, in my constituency will provide 11,000 homes when it is completed. The development is well under way. Hundreds of homes have been completed. Thousands are either under construction or planning permission has been granted in respect of them. As part of the SDZ framework, infrastructure, including transport provision, was heralded as a key feature. The community in Clonburris is expanding rapidly. Dublin Mid-West one of the constituencies in the country where the population is growing rapidly. Traffic volumes on the R136, the N4 and the N7 are already characterised by high levels of congestion. We have already discussed the need for and importance of the DART+ South West project to help to alleviate that congestion.”
“This suggestion is coming from constituents and, from my point of view and that of the Minister of State, from a place of wanting people to use public transport. We regularly discuss congestion in this House. I would welcome the NTA making the results of its evaluation available to us for scrutiny. I would like to see how it has done that analysis. If that is not the case, will the NTA then engage with the public transport market to see if a provider will take on this route on a commercial basis? The population is there and the demand is there for what I think should be a commercial service. However, that certainty and guidance from the NTA will be needed to build that appetite in the market.”
“If that has taken place, I would welcome the NTA making it available in order to allow it to be scrutinised and held up for further analysis. I welcome that the Minister of State will take on board the suggestions I made about inserting new pick-up and drop-off stops on the N4 for existing routes that go to the airport from the western part of the country in particular and those that use the N4. That should be consistent with the principles the NTA has set out in its response and conveyed to the Minister of State. If we are suggesting people can use existing routes that take longer to access from Lucan, surely it is consistent with that approach that we allow existing routes coming into the city from the western part of the county to have stops incorporated in them to allow people to access this.”
“I thank the Minister of State for her comprehensive reply. I note, as I said in my on contribution and the Minister of State mentioned, the ability to interchange with the likes of route 16 from the city centre is available to people. However, I would emphasise, as has been emphasised to me by constituents Mary and Gerard Sammon in Lucan, that the route 16 is one that takes a long time. It compounds the fact that one must travel into the city centre to go out to the airport, whereas a link that goes onto the M50 allowing an orbital route would be far preferable. The Minister of State mentioned the NTA undertakes an evaluation of whether a PSO is necessary on a route. I note that the answer did not state whether the NTA has actually done that evaluation.”
“There is a real scope and opportunity to build on the success of those orbital routes, build on the very positive public disposition there is towards using public transport and providing a very direct link for people who live in Lucan and people who live in Palmerstown to allow them to access the M50 via a public transport link and to get to Dublin Airport. My ask today is that the Minister and the Department of Transport consult with the NTA with a view to creating that direct link between residents in Lucan and Palmerstown and Dublin Airport. Lucan's population at this moment in time exceeds that of Waterford city and it is quite questionable that there is not a direct link between that town and Dublin Airport given the reliance of people in Lucan on the airport for business, holidaying and educational use.”
“The NTA has advised us that these services operate under a pick-up and set-down restriction designed to protect capacity for longer-distance passengers. Disappointingly, the NTA has indicated to me through replies to parliamentary questions that there are no current plans to amend these restrictions or to facilitate a direct connection between Lucan and the airport. I know the Minister of State knows this area well and I thank her for being here and taking this Topical Issue matter. One of the successes of BusConnects over the past two-to-three years has been the introduction of the orbital routes like the W4 route that goes through our constituency, the S2 route, the N routes and so on.”
“In both of these instances - and there are others - the travel time can exceed one and a half hours for what is a 30-minute drive at off-peak times. This means that many residents are left with little choice but to use taxis or their private cars. In many cases, taxi fares can exceed €50. What is puzzling about all of this is that several regional coach services, including the Expressway route 22 from Sligo to the airport and route 23 from Ballina to the airport, pass through Lucan on the M4 and stop at the Lucan Spa Hotel. We have made a suggestion to the NTA from my office to improve the connectivity for Lucan residents by providing an additional stop, for example, at the footbridge at the N4.”
“As a result, those who want to travel from Lucan to Dublin Airport and who want to use public transport have to make an indirect and time-consuming journey. Not only does this reduce the attractiveness of public transport for airport access, it also adds to the stress involved and to time it takes for someone to get to the airport, be it for business, pleasure or education purposes. I will illustrate some of the difficulties involved. If people want to use public transport to access Dublin Airport, they travel on the C1 or C2 into the city centre and then transfer to route 16 or 19 to the airport. They can travel by bus to the Red Cow Roundabout and transfer to the private Dublin Coach service 750 to Dublin Airport.”
“Is mian liom an deis a thapú labhairt ar an gceist seo, ceist atá thar a bheith práinneach do mhuintir Leamhcáin agus Bhaile Formaid. This matter relates to the need, as has been documented by others in the House and as constituents have raised with me, for a direct public transport link between the Lucan-Palmerstown area and Dublin Airport. At present, there is no such link. This is despite the fact that Lucan is a large and rapidly growing suburban area and its population exceeds that of Waterford city. Previously, a privately operated service, the Airport Hopper, provided a direct connection that included stops in Lucan village and Liffey Valley. Since the cessation of that service last year, residents have been left without a comparable replacement to allow them to travel to Dublin Airport.”
“That is a matter of concern, especially for people whose children walk to school on congested roads like Newcastle Road, Kennelsfort Road, Palmerston Road or Aylmer Road in Newcastle. This improves the compliance of vehicles on those roads and frees up Garda hours. The Minister mentioned the use of drone technology to track vehicles. The Garda needs to consider how to use technology to free up hours for the high-value tasks that are important to protecting people and keeping them safe on our roads.”
“I agree entirely and I commend the Garda on the significant resources it has put in. The new information the Minister has given me suggests it is maintaining these checkpoints at a similar rate to that achieved in December and I commend that. However, his information also shows the extent of Garda hours being spent on checkpoints. My question focuses on whether there is a role for technology to free up that Garda time to focus elsewhere. The Minister mentioned additional speed cameras, both static and mobile. I welcome them but I encourage him to consider more consistent checks, as was done in London with regard to heavy goods vehicles on roads in urban areas.”
“Technology can be used to detect such vehicles on those roads, was done quite successfully in London through the London lorry control scheme. Is there any scope to introduce a similar scheme here to free up Garda resources to focus on safe driver behaviour?”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Aire as an bhfreagra sin. I am asking this question in the context of persistent road safety concerns raised with me by constituents and, I would say, all road users. There is a growing perception in my constituency - I am sure we see it around the country - that behaviour on the road has deteriorated, significantly in some cases, and aggressive and risky manoeuvres are more commonplace. There are issues with vehicles breaking red lights at signalised junctions and dangerous U-turns at intersections with filtered traffic signals. As the Minister alluded to, the extent of offences detected by An Garda Síochána is significant and I commend its work. There are other, more persistent issues, such as heavy good vehicles on roads in my constituency like Newcastle Road, Aylmer Road and Kennelsfort Road.”
“This question asks the Minister the number of checkpoints located and completed during a period in January, the number of arrests made, the significant detections made relating to speeding, mobile phone use and other road traffic infractions such as heavy goods vehicles travelling on roads when they should not be.”
“This crisis is happening on our doorsteps. It is estimated that the famine that will ensue in Sudan will outcount what happened in Ethiopia in the 1980s. We cannot stand by any longer. The EU, as a senior multilateral partner, is now required to lead globally and put that pressure on the African Union.”
“I thank the Taoiseach for his report on the EU-African Union summit. I raise again the issue in Sudan and the crisis that continues there. Thousands have been killed and 800,000 people face starvation. Of the 17 million school-age children in Sudan, 13 million are not attending school. That is absolutely crazy when we think about it. Hospitals and schools are being incinerated. Now is the time for the African Union to step up and play its leadership role in the region with the support of multilateral actors. This is not only to say that it lets itself be held by vested interests but to say that it has an interest in the stability and security of the continent itself, that it supports peace and that it will call on the Sudanese authorities to map out a very clear timeline with firm dates for a full transition to democracy.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Taoiseach as ucht an nuacht sin a thabhairt don Teach maidir leis an gcruinniú G20. Like Deputy Ó Cearúil I welcome that the EU-India free-trade deal has been finalised today, and the excellent opportunities that provides for SMEs and exporters in our country. What sense did the Taoiseach get from members of the G20 of the importance of continuing to form free-trade deals across the globe and showing multilateralism and free trade is the right approach to take in order to confirm prosperity and peace for everyone? South Africa is a great friend of Ireland and President Ramaphosa was one of the weapons inspectors during the Northern Ireland peace process. There is a strong voice for Africa in this year's G20 summit, which will be hosted by the United States.”