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…”
The complete record
Every one of 500 lines we hold for Shane Moynihan, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 10.
“While this rezoning is welcome and makes sense from an urban development point of view, I have also raised in the House a number of times the need for space for indigenous SMEs to scale up. They are coming to me and other representatives around the country saying there is a shortage of industrial land and enterprise and employment zoned land. While I respect the right of planning authorities to set the development plans, we also know they are done within the context of national strategies and guidance issued from the Department. Will it specifically call out the need to ensure there is sufficient industrial land as well as the more than necessary zoning of housing land?”
“I thank the Minister of State for that reply. The context for this question is in the fact the Dublin local authorities are advancing development frameworks that involve the rezoning of existing industrial land to residential or mixed use to meet housing supply targets. As the Minister of State said in his reply, that is a function of the local authority but done under the auspices of the national and regional strategies. The most recent example is the Ballyboggan masterplan, where Dublin City Council will rezone approximately 77 ha of industrial land between Cabra and Glasnevin to deliver an extra 6,000. Similarly, in south Dublin county, Cookstown and Ballymount are part of the city edge project.”
“Will the Department issue guidance on the need for enterprise and employment zoned land to be identified in tandem with the industrial land rezonings that are being rezoned to enable further provision of housing and if that will then be used to enable relocation?”
“I appreciate the efforts of the Minister in this regard and I have conveyed that to the families involved. I am very grateful for the Minister's proactive approach. The beauty of getting an early access scheme right is that it does not necessarily rely on the proactivity of the State to be involved in that process but, rather, the partnership is hardwired into every piece of the system and the State is empowered to get value for money but also to ensure timely access to these drugs. In many cases of patients with rare diseases, time is the issue when it comes to stopping the deterioration of their conditions. I ask the Minister to keep us updated on the Department's progress in looking at these international models and to ensure that the best practice we learn from those is applied in any such Irish case.”
“Article 83 of the regulation provides access to medications that are in late stage clinical development, expected to receive EU marketing authorisation and targeting patients with serious conditions. If we had those sorts of parameters for a scheme focused on early access to rare disease drugs, it would be a game-changer for many families that are afflicted with these conditions.”
“It is great to hear about the progress that has been made in implementing the recommendations of the Mazars report on this subject that was published some years ago. That goes to the heart of the extra resourcing that the Minister spoke about. She is right; there needs to be a partnership between industry and the State to make sure that these applications are put through immediately and that the HSE can adjudicate on them accordingly. I am very encouraged to hear that the Department is considering other systems internationally, like the Belgian model. This model is particularly interesting because it shows a way in which timely access to these drugs that is not necessarily contingent on EMA approval can be provided. That is based on EU Regulation No. 726/2004.”
“The Minister is no doubt aware of the cases of those who suffer with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a matter which has been raised in the Dáil a number of times, as well as with the Minister directly, not least because of the Thompson boys in my own constituency. This has brought into focus the need for an early access scheme for rare disease drugs. I know there is a commitment to this in the programme for Government that has been discussed before. What considerations is the Department is taking into account? Is it looking at other models internationally of how such a scheme might be applied?”
“I congratulate my colleague, Deputy McAuliffe, on his advocacy for Finglas Luas. The Minister will know Luas Lucan is very important to me. I am keen to know about the overall set of plans identified by the NTA for extension of Luas lines around Dublin. Will he consider putting a standing Luas project office in place to think of continued expansion of light rail? It is fair to say we have developed an expertise in the construction of light rail. We do it well, on time and in budget. We have a real opportunity to build a comparative advantage so it might be worth considering for the future.”
“Will the Taoiseach share his thoughts on how the Government intends to deal with the potential and real divergence in employment standards between the UK and the European Union that will manifest on the Border, in particular for smaller employers trying to employ people who may live on the other side of the Border? There are differing expectations regarding flexible and remote working. How can those expectations be aligned? Has work been done at North-South Ministerial Council level and in direct relationship with the Northern Ireland Executive?”
“We have often discussed the importance of policymakers recognising the effort and energy that goes into running a business and sustaining high levels of employment. The plight of SMEs in particular has been raised on the floor of the Dáil, as has the need for policies to make sure we encourage and incentivise SMEs to scale up to be able to pursue research and innovation for their own benefit and for upskilling their wider workforce. I also raise the importance of the all-island labour market. It was discussed at the recent meeting of the LEEF and the ESRI also conducted a study recently on it.”
“How do we ensure this story is not replicated for all the other people who suffer from rare diseases? In the programme for Government, there is a very clear commitment to implement an early access programme. Can a compassionate access scheme be included as part of that, and the very sensible recommendations of the Mazars report on how to streamline this process, adequately staff it and increase the capacity for communications with patients for access to these drugs be taken on board and prioritised by the Government as a matter of urgency to stop these stories coming to us all the time? Can we put in place real structures that families can have confidence in, especially when afflicted by rare diseases?”
“Like other colleagues, I want to raise not only the awful deteriorating disease that is Duchenne muscular dystrophy, but also the need for an approach to an early access programme along the lines of what is in Belgium, the UK and the US. In my constituency, there are two very unique and special boys, Conor and Dean Thompson, who have been spearheading the Build for the Boys campaign. Speaking to families like theirs last week when they were here about the impact it has on parents watching their boys deteriorate and lose that ability to walk over time, when there is that access to medication, brings into focus our role as legislators to ensure we keep the pressure on to enable an early access programme. The tragedy is knowing about - to which Deputy Seán Crowe alluded earlier - and having access to givinostat on the island.”
“It will allow for the reset of rents between tenancies to make sure that the incentive remains for people to provide more accommodation and it will lead to the converse of what was seen immediately after 2021, where there was an increase in the number of houses being put up for sale, as opposed houses being made available for rent. When we talk about pulling the ladder up after ourselves, we should be very conscious of the fact that there are many people who cannot get on to the ladder at all, because the supply is not there. It falls to us that we create the incentive for that supply to be put in place.”
“It is important that this is done now at the start of the lifetime of the Government because we need to get these reforms put in place to create the incentives to increase supply. We need to reflect on Housing for All. The disappointing figures for the past year are not the only reflection of it. If we take the sum total of the houses that were delivered on target under Housing for All, we exceeded those targets over the lifetime of the plan. It is important to remember that as well. This rental reform will work. It will protect tenants.”
“I should also mention the protections my colleague, Deputy Ardagh, referred to such as no-fault evictions and so on. There are also people who do not have access to rental yet, because the supply is not there. The only way to encourage supply, from small landlords and institutional investors, is to create a situation where they can at least break even on the properties they are making available. Where the 2% rate falls below the inflation rate, it is not one where the incentive is created or necessary. This was also found in the Housing Agency's review of this matter published a number of weeks ago. The paper by Dr. Tom Gillespie of Trinity College found that the rental supply has contracted since the expansion of the RPZs in 2021 and that this needs to be addressed in light of any modified rental assistance that is put in place.”
“Despite the fact that we have now rolled cost-rental schemes and more social homes are being built, there is still a role for the private sector, both institutional investors and smaller landlords, across the market to ensure they have incentives in the market to maintain their properties. This is not just me saying it; it is the ESRI saying it, that while there has been a moderation in rent increases over time, the incentives for people to maintain properties in the market is not there, especially since 2021, and should be required in the future. On what the Government needs to do to address this issue, there are two sides to the story. There is obviously the case to protect existing tenants. That is why the extension of the RPZs to the entire country is a welcome move to ensure that those pieces are put in place.”
“Caithfear réitigh a dhearadh a rachaidh i ngleic leis na himpleachtaí agus gnéithe na faidhbe seo faoi mar atá siad faoi láthair. I thank the Leas-Cheann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak on this legislation and I welcome the fact that across the House there is general consensus on the need to expand the RPZs to the entire country, which is the purpose of this Bill in the first instance. It is also helpful to look at this Bill in the context of the wider reforms that it forms part of. I am sure that in our clinics all of us hear on a daily and weekly basis of people who are struggling with the rental market here, whether that is on the basis of the cost of rent or, more so, in the past few months, of supply. People are telling us they cannot get access to rental accommodation because the supply does not exist in the market.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Leas-Cheann Comhairle. Is mór agam an deis seo labhairt ar an mBille seo agus ar na himpleachtaí a bheidh ag baint leis do thionóntaí ar fud na tíre agus an éifeacht a bheidh aige ar mhargadh na gcíosanna. Gan amhras, tá an géarchéim thithíochta ar cheann de na géarchéimeanna is mór atá os comhair na tíre faoi láthair. Tá sé in am dúinn féachaint ar gach uile réiteach is féidir linn a chur i gcrích le cinntiú go rachaidh muid i ngleic léi. Is é an rud is tábhachtaí le cuimhneamh faoi seo ná nach bhfuil aon réiteach amháin uirthi seo. Is iomaí aghaidh atá ag an ngéarchéim thithíochta faoi láthair, lena n-airítear daoine gan dídean, cíosanna arda agus daoine nach bhfuil in ann teach a cheannach agus a leithéid.”
“Core to our transition to a green economy will be ensuring that the workforce has the skills necessary to enable it. A recent SOLAS report shows that, of all the jobs in the workforce, 75% require some sort of green or sustainability-based skill and that there are more than 400,000 people in employment in green occupations. Green jobs are an area of growth for the future, especially as Ireland embraces its position as a leader in climate action and developing the renewable energy industries that underpin it. Will the Taoiseach outline to the House the proposals and progress the Government is making on embedding green skilling, not only in the green and renewable sector, but across the economy to ensure we transition to a green workforce and identify that sweet spot for Ireland between the green and digital revolutions?”
“As we know, the vast majority of governing bodies on the island operate on an all-island basis. There is potential here for us to encourage that integration and the objectives of the shared island initiative by pro-actively engaging with the likes of Basketball Ireland, Cricket Ireland, the IRFU, the GAA and so on. I would love to hear the Taoiseach's thoughts on that matter.”
“Without doubt the shared island initiative is one of the signature achievements in taking forward the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement and ensuring there is reconciliation and also that we see this shared island as our common home place. I am struck also by the Taoiseach's mention that sports governing bodies have been engaged by applying to the various funds for activation across the island. I wonder whether he could say more about how his Department and the Department of foreign affairs are pro-actively engaging with the sports governing bodies to see what initiatives are working well for them in terms of achieving the objectives set out by the shared island fund. I met representatives of Basketball Ireland recently. They told me about a number of initiatives they are seeking to explore in Northern Ireland.”
“What steps are we taking to ensure that Irish universities can be centres of excellence and that across the piece, we encourage European universities to be at the forefront of innovation, skills development and lifelong learning we need? Could the Taoiseach provide me with an update on the free trade agreement negotiations between the EU and India?”
“I thank the Taoiseach for the report. I note that in the conclusion of the European Council meeting in March competitiveness featured largely. I would like to hear more about what discussions were had about keeping the Commission honest in terms of following the simplification agenda. We know from the Draghi and Letta reports that there is a need for an impetus towards the simplification agenda that is not just the deferral of regulation but involves looking at how we ease the burden on businesses in the EU to allow them to not only compete with counterparts in the US but those in Asia and to make sure Europe is at the forefront of the technological innovations that are coming down the track. In addition and related to that is a need for a co-ordinated approach to a European research and lifelong learning agenda.”
“The Tánaiste is entirely right. Government and Members of the Dáil owe it to the victims of those attacks to continually press the British Government on its use of national security as a shield for withholding that documentation. Will the Tánaiste directly challenge the British Government in his interactions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and other members of the British Government on its use of national security to withhold documents? Will he give an assurance that victims' voices remain central to any engagement with the British Government regarding not only this set of tragedies but the wider legacy piece and if the Government has been given access to any preliminary findings from Operation Denton or any further insight into when the report of Operation Denton will be published?”
“I urge the Tánaiste to continue his engagement with the British Government and to challenge its citation of national security as a grounds upon which not to co-operate with the investigation into these killings.”
“Gabhaim buíochas leis an Tánaiste as a fhreagra. As he noted, four all-party motions were passed by the House, in 2008, 2011, 2014 and 2016, urging full co-operation from the British Government. It seems the citation of national security as grounds not to enable that co-operation is held up as a flag. He mentioned Operation Denton, which is a welcome development in terms of investigating unresolved killings during the Troubles. I note that An Garda Síochána has co-operated with Operation Denton. It is important that this co-operation be reciprocated by the British Government in terms of the access to documents and details that is needed. The victims of these tragedies have gone for decades with unanswered questions about the truth of what happened on that dreadful day, which does not help them in any way to find closure for their grief.”
“As we have discussed previously, 51 years have passed since the dreadful events of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings in which 33 people lost their lives and hundreds more, including family members of constituents of mine, were injured both physically and mentally. In a week when we spoke in the Dáil about the importance of seeking truth and answers for loved ones, it is very much a fact that the families of victims of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings do not have justice and do not have the full truth. I look forward to hearing how the Tánaiste is engaging with the UK Government on this matter.”
“Additional capacity is being provided in Holy Family Community School in Rathcoole and in Coláiste Pobal Fóla in Saggart, but both of those towns are growing faster than was forecast. That new capacity will already be taken up by local demand. Compounding that is the fact that there are no active travel links or free bus transport for the people of Newcastle to schools in Rathcoole, Celbridge or Lucan. We must get ahead of this in light of the revised national planning framework that was passed by this House and the revised assumptions about population. We need to provide a secondary school for the people of Newcastle.”
“As I have said in the House in the past, I represent Dublin Mid-West, one of the fastest growing constituencies in the country. I wish to ask the Tánaiste about secondary school places for the people of Newcastle, which is the fastest growing town in Europe. At the county development plan stage in 2022, it was forecast that by 2028, 5,000 people would be living there. However, the most recent census in 2020 showed 4,500 people living in the town, meaning there will be over 6,500 people in Newcastle by 2028. The primary school in the town is full to capacity and consideration is needed for a second primary school. That means we need to start the process of planning for and providing a secondary school for the people of Newcastle.”
“Is this something the Government could look at addressing to augment the representation of SMEs, which are vital to growth in the future? Second, will the Taoiseach look at increasing the probability of innovation in our economy and the process around the research and development tax credit? A lot of feedback from businesses in my constituency states that at times it can be onerous to account for the use of that tax credit. If anything, we should be making it easy for companies to access it in order to encourage innovation and the demand-led growth that will sustain the economy and especially our indigenous businesses.”
“The Taoiseach and I have discussed in the past the importance of recognising the efforts that go into sustaining and growing a business. As an important thing, it should be a feature of our political discourse. Core to our growth as a country in the future, as Deputy Dolan said, is the growth of indigenous enterprises, those that move from start-ups to scale-ups, and thinking about how we in government can support and assist the environment in which those businesses operate. Therefore, will the Taoiseach consider a number of discrete policy proposals that would incentivise and help that particular environment and encourage innovation? For example, small and medium enterprises are not represented in their own right on the Labour Economic and Employer Forum.”
“He attended a number of events that were attended by members of the United States House of Representatives and the Senate, not least because Congress will play a very significant role in any future trade arrangements that are put in place with other countries, including the European Union. I would like to get a sense from the Taoiseach of the sentiment there towards the importance of making sure we have a strong transatlantic trading relationship in light of the discussions that have taken place between President Trump and President von der Leyen this week alone.”
“Cuirim fáilte roimh ráiteas an Taoisigh gur ardaigh sé an t-uafás atá ag tarlú i nGaza agus an cogadh san Úcráin leis an Uachtarán Trump agus gur chuir sé teachtaireacht na hÉireann in iúl go soiléir dó. I am also encouraged by the fact that the Taoiseach raised the US Administration's interest in Northern Ireland with the president. I would like to hear more from the Taoiseach about how his administration is actively engaging not only with the Northern Ireland Executive but, indeed, wider Northern Ireland society in terms of economic and social development. I am also interested in the Taoiseach's interaction with congressional leaders in the Capitol.”
“Equally, with regard to the scramblers that terrorise many housing estates across Dublin Mid-West on a near daily basis, while we welcome the Road Traffic and Roads Act 2023 introduced by the last Government, there is an enforcement question that we need to see addressed. We need to see a more consistent approach to enforcement in terms of seizing illegally held scramblers but also encouraging their sensible and careful use. Will the Taoiseach work with the Government and An Garda Síochána to increase enforcement but also to increase educational awareness about the safe use of e-scooters and scrambler bikes?”
“In my constituency, in the last two weeks, we have seen an injury involving an e-scooter on a cycle lane because the user of the e-scooter broke a red light and severely injured a ten-year-old boy. We saw a fatality involving a scrambler bike in the Citywest-Saggart area three weeks ago. Time and time again, I am getting complaints and representations from people across my constituency about the use of e-scooters and scrambler bikes. Certainly, while e-scooters in particular are a welcome addition to the active travel agenda, they need to be accompanied by assurances that the users of those e-scooters obey the rules of the road effectively, that they are correctly lit up and that they have respect for other road users.”
“In recent weeks, the Government announced a second test centre in Tallaght, which will assist with the backlog. It is important this gets up and running as soon as possible. I acknowledge the steps that have been taken, such as the introduction of Saturday testing, additional morning and evening slots and the priority given to emergency services. The big fear I have is that people perceiving the testing system to have so many delays in it will increase the number of no-shows, further compounding the issue we have, with more delays being clogged into the system. I know the Minister of State is aware of this but I encourage him to treat this as a priority in terms of the immediate need to deal with the backlog and to address the fact the RSA needs to be put in a position where it manages the system better.”
“The issue calls into question the ability of the RSA to manage the system. Many constituents come to me to ask why it takes so many different stages to apply for a driver test in this country. They ask why we cannot have a more streamlined approach. This is important because driver behaviour is a key determinant for road safety for all road users, not only motorists but also pedestrians and cyclists. An effective and efficient testing system is key to improving driver behaviour. For people in my constituency, the Tallaght test centre has a wait period of more than 43 weeks, 20 weeks longer than it was at this point last year. This is too long and not acceptable, especially for those who need to access a driver licence for professional and personal opportunities.”
“Notwithstanding the need to expedite the ability to exchange driver licences, some anecdotal evidence suggests people are going to other European countries, such as Georgia, to do their tests because the waiting times are much lower. This completely legal process sees the applicant acquire their licence in Georgia and then return to Ireland to exchange it for an Irish one a week or two afterwards. I am not casting aspersions on the Georgian testing system but I wonder whether it is the best way to teach learner drivers and embed a learner culture and learner behaviour. In Georgia people are allowed to overtake on roundabouts and they drive on the other side of the road. This needs to be taken into account in terms of how we encourage good driver behaviour on our roads for people who are starting out for the first time.”
“As this is my first opportunity to speak, I want to take a moment to mark the sad death of Garda Kevin Flatley and extend my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues in An Garda Síochána, including those who knew him in O'Dwyer's GAA club in Balbriggan and St. Finian's GAA club in Newcastle. As other Deputies have done, I will begin by acknowledging that waiting times for tests are far in excess of what is acceptable and it must be a priority, as has been set out by the Government and other Deputies, to reduce these waiting times to ten weeks as soon as possible. As have other Deputies, I have been inundated with contacts from constituents who are justifiably angry about the long wait for driver test appointments. This impacts on their personal and professional welfare.”
“We need to show an urgency with this in respect of the length of time we are going to spend on the public consultation. People should have their say but they should also see there is an urgency and an impetus behind this, especially in light of our discussion in this House last week on the need for the additional zoning of land, in Dublin in particular. This is the sort of project that enables that additional zoning. I will keep fighting for this during my time in this House. I hope we can push it to planning as soon as we can.”
“I think of the older person living in the area who finds current transport options very limiting in terms of accessibility and cost. A Luas stop would provide that person with greater independence and access to essential services. I welcome the fact that the Luas Lucan project has been highlighted for possible accelerated delivery under the NDP. I will be working with the Minister for Transport to advocate for that. It is a no-brainer to ensure that we accelerate the delivery of this project. I am of the view that we complete the process of designing the emerging preferred route as fast as we can. As soon as the detailed multicriteria analysis that the Minister of State referenced is done, we should move immediately to the emerging preferred route. We need to get that out into the ether as soon as we can.”
“I thank the Minister of State for that response. I note that Lucan is the largest town in Dublin without access to light rail, so when I talk about this extension, it is not just about transport but about fairness and inclusion. The Minister of State referenced the public transport connectedness that exists across parts of the infrastructure currently. There is a very large public transport deficit in Lucan as well. BusConnects has taken some steps towards the catch-up that we need to play, but there is a huge opportunity for us here to get this right with the extension of the Luas infrastructure to Lucan. I am thinking especially of the working mother in Lucan who spends over an hour commuting by bus into the city centre. Her journey time could be halved, enabling her to have a better quality of life.”
“This is not about pitting one project against another, but the case for the Lucan Luas line is as strong as any other light rail extension in the country. The demand, population and need are there. That is why I continue to argue that a Luas line for Lucan is not a luxury but a necessity.”
“There is a clear need to refocus and review how we approach transport projects, not just through the lens of aspiration but through the lens of delivery. It is not enough to plan; we must build and deliver, and I know the new Minister for Transport, Deputy O’Brien, understands this. We must prioritise the route finalisation for the Lucan Luas line as soon as possible and drive this project to the planning stages as soon as we can. The adoption of the revised national planning framework should give us the impetus to do this. We must push past inertia, especially bureaucratic and legal hurdles, ensuring that areas like Lucan, with growing populations and public transport deficits, are not permanently left behind. Let me be clear.”
“In communities like Dundrum, Inchicore and Sandyford, Luas has been highly successful in encouraging people to switch from their cars. Put simply, light rail delivers a level of service that transforms how people travel and how they plan their lives around transport. Luas has been one of the most cost-effective infrastructure projects in Irish history. It removes the need for millions of car journeys and has the lowest CO2 emissions per passenger kilometre among motorised modes of transport. It is time-effective. People vote with their feet, as evidenced by the sustained demand on Luas lines every day of the week. It is time for us in this House and agencies like the NTA to get real about transport policy.”
“Time and again, international and domestic research points to light rail as the most sustainable and scalable solution for suburbs of Lucan's profile. It combines the capacity needed for our growing population with the environmental performance and accessibility our communities deserve. A Luas to Lucan will ensure we deliver compact connected communities and not isolated housing estates. Lucan’s population, transport demand and existing congestion make it an ideal challenge for light rail. Rapidly growing areas like Adamstown and Clonburris make the case undeniable. Unlike lower capacity solutions such as bus rapid transit, light rail offers permanence, capacity and faster journey times. It can be delivered quicker than metro.”
“As a Government TD, I am determined to bring a renewed focus to this project, not just because it is politically convenient but because it is strategically necessary for people in Dublin mid-west. Communities such as Lucan are expected to shoulder significant housing expansion but we cannot keep on asking people to wait for transport infrastructure that is always promised but never prioritised or delivered. Last week, the national planning framework was discussed and adopted by the House. At its core is an objective to prioritise transport-orientated development and strengthen commitments to align transport investment with housing and population growth in metropolitan areas. It follows then that in considering transport options for a growing suburb such as Lucan, it is essential we make the correct long-term infrastructure decisions.”
“One of the most consistent issues raised with me during the general election campaign was the lack of delivery on the long-promised Lucan Luas line. At doorway after doorway, people spoke with frustration, not just about the delay but with a sense that our area, Lucan, is often overlooked when it comes to major transport infrastructure. This is a wider issue across the constituency of Dublin Mid-West. What strikes me is that I can count on one hand the number of times the Lucan Luas line was raised in this Chamber during the lifetime of the previous Dáil. Despite it being contained in transport strategies and policy documents for many years, there has not been any level of political urgency about it. I would like to think that will change now.”
“I understand there has been a huge increase in the number of personnel working in the HSE and that the HSE is aware of the shortage in this area. I ask that the Tánaiste redouble efforts to prioritise the recruitment of these roles. We want to ensure we catch conditions at an early stage in a child's life to make sure the child is set up for success and that healthcare in the community is maximised and optimised to its greatest potential.”
“The Tánaiste, as a dad of young children, like me, will appreciate the importance of public health nurses and the community health checks they perform. Could he give the House an update on the progress being made on the priority allocation of the 26.7 WTE community nursing posts that are currently being recruited by the HSE? Is there a timeframe for their being filled? We are aware of the importance of childhood development checks but we also know about the important role community nurses and public health nurses play with regard to older people who live at home and who may have a chronic condition as well and can be left waiting for treatment or intervention as a result of not having access to a nurse.”