Sandra Hurley

Dublin

Political Reporter at RTÉ

RTÉ Political Reporter. My views are my own.

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Articles

Hours cut over military air traffic controller shortage

1 month ago | rte.ie | Sandra Hurley

Contingency plans are being put in place to deal with a shortage of military air traffic controllers, Tánaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris has told the Dáil. Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty said that air traffic control at Baldonnel airport is moving to five-days per week as they are short personnel. He said that Baldonnel Air Corps manages military helicopter and fixed wing aircraft as well as garda aircraft.
Uisce Éireann needs €2bn to help meet housing targets

1 month ago | rte.ie | Sandra Hurley

Uisce Éireann will tell TDs and Senators today that it requires an additional €2bn to deliver the water services capacity needed to reach the Government's revised housing targets. The water services utility is to appear before the Oireachtas Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery. Chief executive Niall Gleeson will say that the new higher housing targets of 300,000 new homes by 2030 means it requires additional ringfenced funding.
Committee concerned over timeline on Triple Lock bill

1 month ago | rte.ie | Sandra Hurley

The Oireachtas Committee examining the proposed law to remove the Triple Lock has written to Minister for Defence Simon Harris expressing concerns over the timeline for it to complete its scrutiny of the bill. The Defence and National Security Committee met today to discuss its approach to the pre-legislative scrutiny of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2025. It is proposed that the committee spends eight weeks examining the bill.
Opposition TDs say Lowry 'calling shots in Government'

1 month ago | rte.ie | Sandra Hurley

Opposition TDs have rounded on comments made by Independent TD Michael Lowry as evidence that he is "calling the shots in Government". The Tipperary TD told the Sunday Times newspaper that senior Cabinet ministers gave his Regional Independent Group weekly briefings.
Coolock IPAS U-turn due to State property focus - Brophy

1 month ago | rte.ie | Sandra Hurley

Minister of State for Migration Colm Brophy has said the U-turn by the Department of Justice on housing asylum seekers in Coolock was due to the move towards State-acquired properties and State IPAS centres. He told RTÉ's This Week programme that this policy shift would be good for the taxpayer. On Friday, it emerged that the Department of Justice had reversed a plan to house asylum seekers at the site of a former paint factory in Coolock in Dublin. The proposal had seen prolonged local opposition.
Promise to publish audit on children's hip surgeries

1 month ago | rte.ie | Sandra Hurley

The Minister for Health will publish an audit on unnecessary hip operations for children as soon as she has "digested it" after receiving it, Minister of State Robert Troy has told RTÉ's The Week In Politics.
Govt may expand asylum seeker accomodation at Citywest

1 month ago | rte.ie | Sandra Hurley

The Government is understood to be aiming to purchase the Citywest Hotel in west Dublin in order to significantly expand accommodation for asylum seekers on the site. The State has been using a portion of the existing site for international protection applicants, but the expansion could see 1,000 applicants housed there. The purchase could cost around €100m and the Cabinet will consider the proposal shortly, possibly as soon as Tuesday.
Opposition parties unite over children's health

1 month ago | rte.ie | Sandra Hurley

At 10am next Tuesday morning, a 14-year-old girl will begin a 50-hour sleepout protest outside the Dáil. Disability rights campaigner, Cara Darmody has been advocating for her two younger brothers who have autism. To coincide with her demonstration, the opposition will come together to pile pressure on the Government over the ongoing delays for children in accessing assessments of need.
Call for urgent enactment of Occupied Territories Bill

1 month ago | rte.ie | Sandra Hurley

Senator Frances Black has urged the Government to move with urgency to enact the Occupied Territories Bill before the Summer recess. She was speaking following a meeting today with Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris where they discussed her proposed legislation. Ms Black said she reminded the Tánaiste that the Government had made a promise to the Irish people before the election and now was the time to deliver. "Genocide is happening and children are starving and being killed.
Sinn Féin calls for full review into hip surgeries at CHI

1 month ago | rte.ie | Sandra Hurley

Sinn Féin has called on the Government to order a full review of hip surgeries at Children's Health Ireland following the revelations of unnecessary surgeries being carried out on children. A report commissioned by CHI into hip operations is going through due process and will then be provided to the Health Service Executive.