Deputy Michael McNamara has requested the Government to enable employers to provide a €1,000 Covid bonus to qualifying employees without them or their employees incurring a tax liability.
I asked the Tánaiste if the Government will enable employers to provide a €1,000 Covid bonus to qualifying employees without them or their employees incurring a tax liability.
Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara today called on the Government to continue the derogation that was in place up to now that enables farmers to burn green waste such as hedge cuttings and trimming and dead scrub that was previously cut and left to dry out.
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Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara has urged Clare County Council to play a leading role in expanding and modernising the Electric Vehicle (EV) charging network in County Clare.
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Independent Clare TD Michael McNamara today called for an independent investigation into ongoing overcrowding at University Hospital Limerick (UHL), where a record 111 patients were on trolleys this morning.
Addressing Taoiseach Micheal Martin during Promised legislation in Dáil Éireann today, Deputy McNamara said the exponential growth in trolley numbers at UHL was unlikely to be halted by the introduction of additional beds alone and that consideration should be given to upgrading other hospitals within the UHL Group.
Responding to Deputy McNamara, the Taoiseach said he would request the Minister for Health and the HSE to review the Clare TD’s proposal around the causes of ongoing overcrowding.
Deputy McNamara commented, “There is no clear indication as to why UHL is consistently the most overcrowded hospital in the country. I don’t know whether it is how admissions and discharges are managed in the hospital or if Ennis, Nenagh or St. Johns need to be upgraded to Model 3 Hospitals. An investigation needs to be commissioned without delay.”
The National Broadband Plan is behind schedule. Working from home is one of the pandemic responses most likely to remain with us but that is not possible without a proper broadband connection.
The unparalleled scale of PCR testing in Ireland – to the exclusion of antigen testing – has led to astronomical costs being incurred. Government must explain why we had so much, and such expensive, PCR testing and stalled antigen testing despite an expert report calling for it.
Article – THE SUN
Best of luck to the students of 9 Clare schools competing in the 58th BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition today.
Read MoreClare Independent TD Michael McNamara has received confirmation that a new reservoir serving Miltown Malbay and surrounding areas will be delivered in the second half of 2022.
Read MoreAt today’s Joint Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage, I questioned whether the underuse of the Derelict Sites Act by local authorities was due to legislative deficiencies in the Act or other reasons.
The Department of Education has spent almost half a million euro on COVID-19 advertising. The same spend would have delivered HEPA filter devices to over 1500 classrooms across Ireland.
I opposed another extension of the COVID-19 emergency powers and the Government’s refusal to accept an amendment providing for democratic scrutiny of regulations made pursuant to those powers.
People in Clare are being warned about scam calls appearing to be from local or court service numbers.
Read MoreI am not opposed to public health doctors giving public health advice. I am opposed to extending the abdication of government to an unelected and unaccountable body. It is undemocratic and unsafe.
€24.7m was spent on Mandatory Hotel Quarantine, which detected 0.39% of all cases detected in the State during its period of operation. MHQ is a costly but largely futile measure to be seen to be doing something.
It’s time for the Government to stop blaming the public, and instead start implementing measures to enable people to live more safely alongside Covid.
Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara has congratulated Clare County Council on the news that two of its six applications to become part of a new Tentative List of potential World Heritage Properties for Ireland have been adjudged to have potential as a World Heritage Property.
Read MoreI asked the Taoiseach why the HSE has been keeping at least 1.5 million antigen tests in storage and has only dispatched 35,000 (2%) to date. The Government decision not to distribute them for free is inexplicable.
Figures c/o @RachelLavin https://www.businesspost.ie/coronavirus/hse-sitting-on-stock-of-15-million-antigen-tests-8f55c87e
Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara has told the Dáil that farmers are being prevented from harvesting forestry they plant and there is no incentive to replace monoculture Sitka spruce plantations with something more sustainable.
Deputy McNamara was speaking during a Motion presented to the Dáil by Deputy Jackie Cahill, Cathaoirleach of the Joint committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine.
The Clare TD told Minister of State for Forestry, Senator Pippa Hackett, that the type of forestry being carried out in Ireland is not environmentally sustainable.
He said, “There is no sense of urgency, and farmers are seeing no urgency, with regard to their applications to plant trees or to cut the forestry they have planted, perhaps to replace it with something more environmentally sustainable.”
Deputy McNamara continued, “I hope we are about to see a change because all the talk in the world about afforestation in Glasgow – one can fly anywhere in the world and produce grandiloquent statements – is completely worthless unless it is backed up by what farmers are experiencing on the ground. We need action now as we are nearly half-way through the lifetime of this Government and we need it soon.”
“I ask the Minister of State to move outside her comfort zone. Stop talking to the converted and talk to farmers, ordinary people and landowners. They are the ones who are the future of afforestation in Ireland if there is going to be one. Above all, the Minister of State needs to back up the talk with actions, which have been singularly missing up to now,” he stated.
I asked for evidence that Covid passes have reduced transmission. I also pointed out the failure to address overcrowding in healthcare settings where the greatest number of clusters have taken place in the last 8 weeks.
Only 2,700 premises have been connected under the National Broadband Plan to date, far below the initial target of 115,000 by January 2022 which was subsequently revised down to 60,000. As I learned today, €133m has been spent on the Plan in the last two years.
The Government has confirmed to Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara that the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Amendment) Bill will be published imminently.
Responding to Deputy McNamara in the Dáil last night, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said the Bill will begin its passage in the Seanad next week.
Deputy McNamara has previously expressed his support for the short amending Bill that will remove an upcoming deadline to register rights of way.
November 30th had originally been set as a deadline for receipt of applications for a court order to confirm a right by prescription with new rules due to take effect from December 1st.
Deputy McNamara has welcomed the abolition of the deadline proposed under the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform (Amendment) Bill 2021, which he described as “necessary to prevent stress between neighbours and to avoid a large volume of unnecessary court cases to register rights that have existed for generations.”
“In effect, every right of way dispute in the country, and many cases where there is as yet no dispute, would be brought to a head at the end of November, ending up in divisive Court cases with inevitable resultant legal costs,” the Clare farmer and barrister added.
He continued, “Minister for Justice Heather Humphreys has previously acknowledged there is legal uncertainty about how the new rules may be interpreted in practice, and that it has not yet been possible to register many important prescriptive rights. These difficulties are also causing significant delays in conveyancing, and in mortgage and farm loan applications.”
“The approaching deadline has been a cause of concern for many people, particularly farmers, and it also has been raised with the Minister by the Bar Council and the Law Society of Ireland,” added Deputy McNamara.
Should the short amending Bill successfully pass through the Dáil, as expected, the law applicable to prescriptive easements and profits will largely revert to the judge-made law that applied before the Land and Conveyancing Law Reform Act 2009. It will still be possible to confirm a prescriptive right, either by applying to court or by registering it directly with the Property Registration Authority. However, this will be optional, as it was before the 2009 Act, rather than a mandatory requirement to avoid losing any rights of way acquired through long use.
In Dáil Éireann tonight, I sought answers from the Department of Transport on how the standing down of the Doolin Coast Guard unit will be remedied and how the underlying problems within the service will be addressed.
The Government has confirmed to me that the upcoming deadline for registering rights of way will be amended.
Despite the rise in energy bills, food costs, building materials’ prices and the soaring cost of living, the Minister for Finance has suggested no counter inflationary measures.
Following my correspondence with Sport Ireland, Basketball Ireland and the Government, I welcome the decision to address the issue of Under 18 games/competitions particularly for Basketball amongst other indoor sports. This has been amended so indoor games/competitions can take place for under 18s. Sport Ireland will shortly provide detail to sporting organisations.
I called for credit unions to be able to invest their funds in, and for the benefit of, the communities in which they are based.
In outlining my opposition to yet another renewal of “emergency” powers on Covid 19, I explained how the Government has been reckless with people’s health.
Before concluding we must reduce our national herd, we should consider that Ireland can produce beef and milk more efficiently than other countries whose produce will end up displacing ours in shopping baskets.
Replacing imported horticultural produce with Irish produce is a “necessity”.
Green Party Leader Eamon Ryan confirmed that Moneypoint Power Station will close as scheduled in 2025 despite Ireland’s energy shortage and the concerns I raised that we would end up importing coal-generated electricity thereafter.
I spoke on Morning Ireland about the delay in publishing both the guidelines and regulations around indoor hospitality, and the difficulties this is creating for businesses and members of the public.
In order to avoid the perception of political policing, I asked the Garda Commissioner whether he felt additional detail or guidance was needed in the upcoming Policing, Security and Community Safety Bill.
With just one day to go before new rules around indoor hospitality come into effect, nobody yet knows what laws they are going to have to adhere to and businesses are not able to put appropriate plans in place.
The number of local authority inspections of private rented properties in 2020 was particularly inadequate. While Covid is cited as the reason, the figures for 2019 are not much better.
“A little bit of everything and very little of anything.” I spoke on Budget 2022 in the Dáil today.
Today I questioned Tanaiste Leo Varadkar about what is being done to increase capacity and response times in the National Ambulance Service. I raised the matter after an ambulance was sent 175km from a station in Connemara to a road traffic collision in Kilkee at the weekend.
Clarification is needed on the future of all existing full-time jobs at Lufthansa Technik Shannon Ltd. as well as the retention of the two aviation hangars used by the Clare-based operation.
Following today’s announcement by Atlantic Aviation Group (AAG) that it has acquired Lufthansa Technik Shannon Ltd securing 300 highly skilled full-time workers in Shannon, there is concern for up to 180 jobs at the Clare-based operation.
The announcement is undoubtedly very positive news for AAG but the full impact of the acquisition on all 480 full-time employees and future operations at Lufthansa Technik Shannon Ltd. has yet to be outlined. I will be seeking more clarity on the issue from representatives of AAG and Lufthansa Technik Shannon Ltd. when I attend a briefing hosted by the companies tomorrow morning.
The employees of Lufthansa Technik Shannon Ltd. have played a key role in ensuring the future of the operation through their engagement with management and SIPTU over the past year. This included staff staggering work shifts with staff taking paid leave by availing of days built up over the years. While the majority of contract staff were released in the last year, particularly at the beginning of the pandemic, management at the company has continued to engage with worker’s representatives from SIPTU. Following on from today’s announcement, it is important now that clarity is provided on all full-time positions at the company.
Photo c/o Pat Flynn of The Clare Herald
Bringing derelict buildings back into use, whether for business or residential purposes, injects life into our towns and villages and delivers homes. Budget 2022 needs to reflect this.
Opinion piece that I wrote for The Sunday Independent.
The Central Bank has questions to answer following the closure today of three Clare Bank of Ireland branches and more than 80 others across the country.
Minister Catherine Martin spoke about sustainable tourism in the Dáil today, but the reality is far from sustainable.
The Government’s use of Dáil time today to tell us about reopening the tourism and aviation sectors never addressed the significant deterrents that exist for international tourists.
I asked the new Shannon Group Chair Pádraig Ó Céidigh about his plans for the future development of Shannon Airport, including ‘fifth freedom flights’, the Aer Lingus Heathrow slots, the use of antigen testing and his part-time position. My questions can be heard here.
Given the spin that the Budget would facilitate people working from home, I pointed out in the Dáil that a poor service from telecoms providers was a major obstacle and asked when the Government would tackle this.
Speaking to Pat Kenny I again raised the issue of how little capacity has been increased in our healthcare system despite the billions spent on our pandemic response. Full interview here.
Simply moving data centres abroad to countries where they have a bigger carbon footprint isn’t a solution. I asked if the Government would engage with environmental NGOs & the tech giants based here to see how the growing demand for data storage can be slowed & sustainability met.
I will be voting against the Government’s proposal to extend the emergency powers in respect of indoor hospitality.
A further expansion of the Medical Assessment Unit (MAU) in Ennis Hospital is currently underway with a staff recruitment process ongoing, according to Deputy Michael McNamara.
Read More“This week must have been a bewildering week for the workers in Moneypoint power station,” Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara told the Dáil this week.
Read MoreIn seeking to meet our energy needs from sustainable sources in the long-term, we must ensure we don’t end up importing energy from unsustainable sources in the meantime.
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Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara has received confirmation from the HSE that the proposed new build ward extension at Raheen Community Hospital in East Clare will be fully operational during the second quarter of next year.
The Scariff-based TD said, “The first phase of the works commenced in March and involved the relocation of the existing plant and boiler house which was sited on the footprint of the new build. The HSE has informed me that these works have been completed and that work on the 420m2 extension to the new build is underway.”
“The project includes the provision of 7 long stay replacement beds as part of an extension which will reduce the density of beds in the long stay wards and address deficiencies identified by HIQA at the hospital,” added Deputy McNamara. “The equipping of the unit is currently being planned and the HSE estimates that the new unit will be equipped and operational by Quarter 2, 2022.
Deputy McNamara said the new unit “will be very much welcomed by the people of East Clare area.”
“When I was first elected as a TD in 2011, there was a proposal to close smaller community hospitals, such as Raheen. Upgrade works were undertaken during this period at Kilrush and Ennistymon community hospitals, but little progress was being made in Raheen. After a focus was brought to this vital community resource by the visit of the then junior ministers for health, Alex White and Kathleen Lynch, which I initiated, the HSE implemented substantial capital investment plans in the intervening years. I now look forward to the completion of the works currently underway,” explained Deputy McNamara.
Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara has expressed his support for a short amending Bill which he has received confirmation will be brought before the Dáil in the coming weeks that will remove an upcoming deadline to register rights of way.
Read MoreGiven the urgent need for construction workers to join the workforce, I asked the Taoiseach to ensure that all apprentices would complete their training on schedule despite the considerable delays to date.
The Minister for Justice informed me today that an inquiry into the investigation of the death of Patrick Nugent in Bunratty in 1984 will be discussed with members of Mr. Nugent’s family in a private meeting next week.
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Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara says the appointment of a new Chair of Shannon Group plc has reached its final stages.
In response to Deputy McNamara’s Parliamentary Question on the role, which has remained unfilled since August 2020, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan confirmed that he and Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton met with the candidates shortlisted via the Public Appointments Service (PAS) process last week.
“In line with normal arrangements for the appointment of Chairs to State Boards, the Chair designate will be required to appear before the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications before being formally appointed as Chair of Shannon Group,” added Minister Ryan.
Deputy McNamara has urged the Department to “proceed without delay” due to the significance of the role.
“It is critically important that the successful candidate be someone with the experience to provide strategic direction to Shannon Group plc’s aviation and property businesses, as well as the proposed transfer of Clare-based Shannon Heritage tourism assets to Clare County Council,” added Deputy McNamara.
With more than 900,000 people on hospital waiting lists, I asked the Taoiseach to take responsibility for the implementation of Sláintecare and to examine the increased use of operating theatres in the UHL group.
Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara has described the proposed Scariff Regeneration Project as the “biggest infrastructure investment in the town in a generation”.
Clare County Council has lodged a Category 2 application with the Department of Rural and Community Development for funding under the Rural Regeneration Development Fund. If successful, the funding would enable the local authority to proceed with the design and planning stages of the project before submitting a Category 1 funding application to deliver the works.
Deputy McNamara this week wrote to Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, TD, to pledge his support for the project which he said, “would have long lasting positive implications for the community and economy of the town and surrounding area.”
He stated, “I fully support Clare County Council in its efforts to secure funding for a series of significant infrastructure developments in the town, including a multi-service innovation and commercial space, improvements to the public realm in market square and the town centre, and the delivery of enhanced parking and ancillary facilities.
Deputy McNamara added, “As a lifelong resident of Scariff, I acknowledge the significance of this project for the town and the wider East Clare region. There was a very positive response from the local community to a public consultation process led by Clare County Council, which further underlines the desire locally for such an investment in the town.”
Deputy McNamara said the proposed project represents the first significant central government allocation for the town of Scariff since he was previously a TD from 2011 to 2016.
He continued, “The last significant funding allocation accommodated the delivery of new footpaths from the bridge in Scarriff to Market House. The proposed new regeneration project will deliver additional and significant streetscape improvements more widely through the town centre and square area of the town, which will greatly improve accessibility for all residents of and visitors to the town. The proposal to deliver extra parking capacity and ancillary facilities, including those for coaches, will help bring new tourism business to Scariff.”
Deputy McNamara said the proposed delivery of an enterprise hub in the town would facilitate local community and visitors to the East Clare area with short and long-term working space.
“Clare County Council, through the Information Systems Broadband and Digital section of the Rural Development Directorate, has developed a comprehensive network of Digital Hubs across the county in recent years,” explained Deputy McNamara. “The addition of a significant innovation and commercial space in Scariff would reap huge dividends for the town and wider area in terms of facilitating local enterprise, community organisations and remote working.”
“I look forward to the outcome of the Department’s review of Clare County Council’s Category 2 funding application, which represents the first of two stages in delivering this vitally important infrastructure project. A decision on the application is expected during November,” concluded Deputy McNamara.
County Clare does not feature amongst the 16 counties, including Galway, Kerry and Limerick, which are set to receive funding under the €1.2 million scheme.
Deputy McNamara says Minister Heather Humphreys, who announced the funding on Friday, should publish the awarding criteria given that County Clare is the 7th most afforested county in Ireland.
“Given that Clare is one of the most afforested counties in Ireland, both in terms of the size of area under forestry and the proportion of the County that is afforested, it is deeply disappointing that it is not receiving funding under this scheme,” explained Deputy McNamara.
“Community groups and voluntary organisations, along with Clare County Council and others, have developed and maintained many woodland walks and trails throughout the county in recent years. I would have thought that sites such as Cratloe Woods, Moylussa, Ard Aoibhinn, Knocknageeha in Killanena, Dromore, Ballybeg, Lees Road and Mount Callan, amongst others, between them offered scope for development.”
“The exclusion of any County Clare site from this funding announcement, therefore, requires explanation,” concluded Deputy McNamara.
With waiting lists increasing and positions remaining unfilled across our healthcare system, we need to be told what are the impediments to reform that led the Chairperson and Executive Director of the Sláintecare Implementation Advisory Council to resign having concluded “that the requirements for implementing this unprecedented programme for change are seriously lacking”.
Only 19 additional critical care beds have been developed during the past 12 months (278 in Sep 2020, 297 in Aug 2021). Given the expected demand on our health system this winter, the failure to substantially increase capacity is worrying.
Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara has requested Darragh O’Brien TD. Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to consider the inclusion of Carrigaholt, Cooraclare and Doolin in a pilot scheme providing funding for infrastructure in rural villages that currently are outside Irish Water’s investment programmes.
Read MoreI wish to extend my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Sister Ethel Normoyle of Lissycasey, County Clare, who has passed away.
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Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara says the concession by senior Department of Agriculture officials that the Suckler Carbon Efficiency Programme, announced by Government last week, is to be reviewed will come as a relief to many suckler farmers.
Read MoreWhen talking about reducing Carbon emissions from agriculture, we need to consider that the Irish national herd has scarcely increased since 1975, the specific impact of methane on global warming and the risk of displacing Irish produce with South American produce with far greater emissions.
We don’t even yet know the metric the Govt will use to measure greenhouse gas emissions in its Carbon budget, and the metric used will have a large impact on the targets to by met by various sectors, especially agriculture.
My interview on RTE Radio today.
Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara has called on the Department of Transport and Road Safety Authority (RSA) to further increase the number of driving testers in Clare due to the significant number of people in the county awaiting a test.
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Shannon Airport is open for business. Ryanair has announced new routes to Birmingham, Budapest, Edinburgh, Fuerteventura, London Luton & Turin, regions from which we could seek to attract tourists.
Read MoreThe sole and exclusive power of making laws for the State is vested in the Oireachtas: that’s the point of independence. The Oireachtas needs to take its role seriously and do its job properly. It shouldn’t take a letter from the President to the Dáil and Seanad…
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/higgins-raises-concerns-over-volume-of-legislation-received-1.4634165
Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara has called on Government to extend the Local Property Tax exemption and the Defective Concrete Block Grant Scheme for affected properties in Donegal and Mayo to properties impacted by pyrite in County Clare.
Deputy McNamara’s comments follow this week’s confirmation by Clare County Council’s to Clare’s Oireachtas Members that the local authority has issued a detailed submission to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to justify the extension of the Defective Concrete Block Grant Scheme to Clare.
Clare County Council says the submission contains test results from 5 private properties confirming the presence of pyrite, a map indicating the location of both confirmed and potential cases and a request to review elements of the current scheme, including the limit of remediation costs at 90% plus other unfunded costs such as alternative accommodation, demolition and planning. The local authority has requested the extension of the Local Property Tax exemption for affected properties, recently introduced in Mayo and Donegal, to be extended to Clare.
Speaking to Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe on the issue of extending the Local Property Tax to Clare homes impacted by pyrite, Deputy McNamara said, “It will provide a little help to the families in Clare that unexpectedly have homes that are not worth anything like what they spent on them. They face years of heartache trying to resolve this matter without having to spend money on engineers to show them what they already know in order to avail of the local property tax exemption. I urge the Minister to give serious consideration to the amendment.”
Deputy McNamara has expressed his hope that the Clare County Council submission to Government will result in a fully-funded Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme being extended to Clare.
“If the Government saw fit to fund a scheme like this in respect of Mayo and Donegal, I see no reason whatsoever why Clare constituents and any other householders in the country who suffer from the same problem should not be treated in exactly the same way by the Government. It is a matter of basic equality. It is critical however, that any future scheme be 100% fully funded,” he said.
Ireland urgently needs to replace our over-reliance on a low corporate tax rate to attract employment creation with bringing our infrastructure up to speed to facilitate job creation and expansion of existing SMEs.
I wrote this opinion piece for today’s Sunday Independent.
I have requested Minister with responsibility for Sport, Deputy Jack Chambers to explain why capacity has been set at 500 for the Clare versus Cork game when the same venue hosted 3,000 spectators for the Munster Championship semi-final between Clare and Tipperary three weeks ago.
We’re aware of Delta but also that there will be further variants. Supporters are rightly annoyed especially given the match is only on Sky Sports.
40% of the target of 4,500 forestry licences to issue in 2021 has been reached up to 9th July, according to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine
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Bus Éireann Payment Portal is now open. Payment Deadline Date for 2021/22 School Year is 30 July 2021
Deadline date for payment / submitting medical card details for the 2021/22 school year is Friday, 30 July 2021.
To allow for planning of school transport services for the new school year, that are aligned to public health advice, the Family Portal will close after the payment deadline and will not re-open until 20 August 2021. It will not be possible to submit an application or payment for Primary/Post Primary transport for the new school year during this period.
You may still may make a payment following this date, but you cannot be guaranteed a seat, according to Bus Éireann.
Important Message to Medical Card Holders
Department of Education states: Unfortunately, the medical card verification system used as payment for school transport tickets is currently unavailable due to the cyberattack on the HSE systems. While this issue is outside of our control, we are working with the HSE to find a resolution as soon as possible. Bus Éireann is communicating directly with existing medical card holders in relation to processing their applications, and we have rolled forward their child’s medical card details used successfully for payment last year as payment for their 21/22 school transport ticket, where their child continues to be eligible for transport. For a large number of parents, they will have nothing further to do.
Information note relating to refunds for the unused portion of tickets following closure of schools arising from public health measures relating to Covid-19 restrictions.
Bus Éireann has commenced issuing refunds to families who are due to receive a refund for the unused portion of their ticket for the period of school closures arising from public health measures/Covid-19 restrictions in the 2020/2021 school year. Bus Éireann is managing this refund process on behalf of the Department of Education.
More than 42,000 families who paid fees for school transport relating to the 2020/21 school year are set to receive refunds. Queries should be emailed to Covid19Refunds@buseireann.ie.
Full information is available at https://www.buseireann.ie/SchoolRefunds
School Transport On-Line Application / Tickets
To use School Transport Scheme Services, pupils must be in possession of a valid ticket for travel.
School Transport Applications 2021/2022
Bus Éireann’s on-line application system for school transport is now open for the 2021/22 school year.
The closing date for School Transport Applications is Friday, 30 April, 2021.
How to Apply
Apply on-line now @ www.buseireann.ie\schooltransport
Submitting Statement of Attendance Form during the current Covid-19 Period of Restrictions
Important Information regarding school administration issues during the current public health emergency
Schools administration during the current public health emergency
Related Links:
People should be able to “exercise their own judgement”. The more restrictions that are introduced, the more arbitrary they appear.
The Taoiseach says the Government is considering the introduction of antigen testing to primary and secondary school settings in the autumn.
Leo Varadkar was responding today to a Dáil question by Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara who asked if ventilation would be improved in school buildings over the summer holidays to reduce the spread of Covid in classrooms and to negate the need for classroom windows to be kept open during the autumn and winter months.
Questioning the Tánaiste, Deputy McNamara asked, “Over the course of the summer are we going to introduce ventilation works to schools or are we going to have children returning to schools wearing coats and wearing masks in poorly ventilated buildings and freezing in the middle of an Irish winter with the windows open?”
Deputy McNamara also raised the potential for using stand-alone HEPA (high-efficiency particulate absorbing) filter devices in classroom.
He added that an Expert Group on the Role of Ventilation in Reducing Transmission of COVID-19, set up by the Department of Health, said such devices “maybe useful in reducing airborne transmission in spaces with insufficient ventilation.”
In response, Leo Varadkar said the matter is under consideration by Government.
“We accept that schools will need better ventilation in September and October and the issue of CO2 monitors is part of that,” stated the Tánaiste.
He continued, “We have asked the Expert Group on Antigen Testing to advise us on applying antigen testing both to indoor hospitality and to schools when they reopen in September.”
I asked the Tánaiste if ventilation will be improved in school buildings over the summer holidays.
Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara has received confirmation that the watermain between Mullagh to Miltown has been replaced and works will commence very shortly on repairing affected road surfaces in the area.
Read MoreI spoke on The Tonight Show immediately following tonight’s Dáil vote on the legislation around reopening indoor hospitality.
Later tonight, I will be voting against the measures proposed by Government under the Health (Amendment) (No.2) Bill.
I asked the Taoiseach when he thought civil disobedience became legitimate if democracy is reduced to a tyranny of a narrow majority.
Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara has received confirmation from Irish Water that funding has been approved for the design of a leakage reduction programme at Tullabrack/Gower, Cooraclare.
Read MoreThe proposed legislation on indoor hospitality is being rammed through the Dáil without proper debate. It sets our country on a slippery slope towards similar discrimination being extended to other aspects of society.
Deputy Michael McNamara has called on the GAA to ensure free to air broadcasting of all games from next year.
Read MoreIt becomes clearer that this is a coercive rather than protective measure. It also becomes more arbitrary in its discrimination.
We need to ensure that Irish farmers are adequately protected for producing an environmentally sustainable product and that they are not expected to sell that product below the cost of producing it. I questioned the Beef Taskforce Chair and Dept of Agriculture on the issue today.
I spoke to Jim Collins, John S Kelly and David Fleming.
Listen here – https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-8i56b-107f964
I asked the Minister for the Environment and Climate whether Government would fully co-fund Pillar 2 environmental measures and whether farmers who were already farming in a sustainable way would be required to reduce herd numbers by the same percentage who were not.
I pointed out that there would continue to be transmission of Covid-19 regardless of vaccinations and asked what was done and would be done by the Government to improve air filtration in light of Expert Group reports to the Department of Health in February and March.
Speaking on Clare FM I said important details still need to be ironed out in relation to the proposed transfer of Shannon Heritage sites to Clare County Council.
Calls are being made for a government commitment to short-term funding for the sites and for the council to stipulate that future coach contracts to tourist attraction would require an overnight stay in the county.
Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara has received confirmation from the Department of Education that school transport refunds will be issued on a staged basis over the next six weeks.
Responding to a Parliamentary Question by Deputy McNamara on the matter, Minister Norma Foley confirmed that Bus Éireann will from today (30 June) commence issuing refunds to families who are due to receive a refund for the unused portion of their ticket for the period of school closures arising from public health measures/Covid-19 restrictions in the 2020/2021 school year.
Deputy McNamara, who first raised the issue of refunds with Minister Foley in Dáil Éireann on 3rd March has welcomed the news.
“This is the correct decision by the Department of Education as thousands of parents will have paid in advance for transport to schools which were shut through no fault of their own or the Minister,” he stated.
Deputy McNamara added, “The refund due for each primary school student is €31, with the figure rising to €108.50 per post primary school student. From today, families will receive an email from Bus Éireann if they are eligible for a refund. The refund will be automatically made to the bank card used to make the payment, or by cheque if a card wasn’t used. Bus Éireann says refunds will be issued to all entitled family account holders starting from 30th June until mid-August.”
In response to Deputy McNamara’s Parliamentary Question, Minister Foley confirmed, “School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.”
Further information is available from the Bus Éireann website at https://www.buseireann.ie/inner.php?id=710.
€1.8 million in taxpayers money has already been wasted sitting in the Convention Centre. I today called for the Dáil to be returned to Leinster House.
The need for international peer review of NPHET’s modelling, recommended in the Covid-19 Response Committee Report of 8 October 2020, has never been starker.
The latest proposals from NPHET to restrict indoor hospitality to the vaccinated only are practically unworkable, legally dubious, and contrary to a decision already made by a democratically elected government.
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Clare Independent TD Michael McNamara has welcomed the news that the proposed transfer of Shannon Heritage’s portfolio of visitor attractions in County Clare from Shannon Group plc to Clare County Council is to be brought to Cabinet for approval this afternoon.
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As we watch thousands fill stadiums at the Euros it is ridiculous that only 200 supporters will be allowed to attend the Clare GAA V Kerry GAA Munster Football Championship Quarter Final at Fitzgerald Stadium this evening.
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Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara says the announcement by Irish Water that construction of a new wastewater treatment plant in Liscannor is to begin shortly will bring significant social, economic and environmental benefits for the village and the wider Liscannor Bay area.
Read MoreIn Dáil Éireann today, Clare Independent T.D. Michael McNamara called on Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien to change the income limits for eligibility for social housing to enable working families to apply in circumstances where obtaining a mortgage is beyond their reach.
During Priority Questions to the Minister, Deputy McNamara also highlighted the growing cost of construction materials and its subsequent impact on house building across County Clare.
Speaking on the issue of social housing, Deputy McNamara said the current assessment of housing applicants was overly restrictive.
“As the threshold is currently set in Clare, if two people in a household are working or even if just one person is working and is just a little over the minimum wage, those people are not entitled to go on the social housing list,” he explained. “Effectively, only people in receipt of social welfare can get social housing in Clare because of where the limits are set I have no problem with people in receipt of social welfare getting social housing but it should not be limited to that because it will cause ghettoisation of social housing, which nobody thinks is a good thing, and there is a disincentive to work, especially when it is low-paid work.”
“We need to look at those income thresholds for the sake of society and housing in Clare, to even get back to where we were in the 1980s,” Deputy McNamara informed the Dáil.
Meanwhile, Deputy McNamara also asked if the Department has consulted the construction sector regarding the growing impact on housing construction on the shortage and inflating cost of timber.
“House building is becoming increasingly expensive. There is huge material inflation, especially, but not just, in timber. This affects one-off builds, but it also affects the capacity of local authorities to deliver houses,” stated Deputy McNamara.
He added, “Small one-off builders and self-builders are important to the supply of housing in Ireland, particularly in rural areas. Accessing materials is increasingly difficult as the supply is drying up. A simple length of 4″ X 2″ was €8 last year and is now €13. One of the main builder’s suppliers in Clare is no longer stocking timber. Builders will not give quotes of more than a month’s duration because of inflation in the cost of supplies. I refer not just to timber, but to materials generally?”
“There is a lot of timber growing in Ireland and much of that is past the point of maturity. Many landowners across Clare are looking for felling licences. There is chaos in the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, particularly in its forestry section. I would ask the Minister of State to speak with Senator Hackett, who is the Minister of State with responsibility for this, and tell her to get things moving,” stated Deputy McNamara.
Responding to Deputy McNamara about the rising cost of building materials, Minister O’Brien said, “There have been material increases in timber, plastics and metals, some of it Covid-related and some of it Suez-related and supply chain-related. This is being monitored by the Department’s market surveillance unit. The increases we are seeing could be temporary, but we are monitoring the situation. The Deputy asked if this has an effect on delivery. There is no question that it does.”
The income limits for eligibility for social housing need to be changed to enable working families to apply in circumstances where obtaining a mortgage is beyond their reach.
The meaning of the word “logjam” is now clear to builders and those building their own home. Forestry owners can’t get a felling licence so timber mills can’t get logs so builders can’t get timber so homes can’t be built. I asked Government to tackle this.