Thomas Pringle said : “I think An Post and our credit unions should be providing more services because they look out for people”

highlandradio Wednesday, July 20, 2022 4:46:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle asked : “Will you get on to the National Transport Authority and to Bus Éireann to ensure that the services meet the demand?”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, July 9, 2022 1:13:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is particularly important for people in Donegal, given its geographic isolation. Cardiac patients in Donegal, if their clinical need is to be properly met and if cardiac outcomes are to be improved, need to see services retained and expanded in Letterkenny University Hospital, rather than face a three- to five-hour journey to either Galway or Dublin”

donegaldemocrat Friday, July 8, 2022 12:42:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle asked : “Do you intend to consider any of the opposition amendments, seeing as you failed to table any yourself, or are you planning to vote them all down? Will you sit down with opposition spokespersons and homeowners on Monday for one last time to go through the amendments and decide what you will accept?”

donegaldemocrat Friday, July 1, 2022 12:27:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It’s clear from what you’re saying that none of the school secretaries are going to be included for this summer”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, June 30, 2022 7:36:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle believes : “if we’re going to do it, we may as well do the whole lot and make sure that people can vote and all elections”

thejournal Thursday, June 23, 2022 8:52:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : "We now need an independent public inquiry to find out what happened in centres for disabled people throughout Donegal"

donegaldemocrat Saturday, June 11, 2022 3:12:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The encouraging thing is that in surveys at least 65% of people want to maintain neutrality as core government policy. That will slow down their willingness a bit but, in the meantime, they will continue to undermine neutrality bit by bit,”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 26, 2022 10:03:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is the norm in other civil cases and should be the case here,”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 12, 2022 1:20:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I also find it interesting that it was in the 2020 Programme for Government to review this Act, despite it already being in the legislation that it should be reviewed. Has the Government completely neglected its responsibility to uphold the law?”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 12, 2022 1:20:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is very concerning as it basically means that only those who can financially afford to risk legal costs can actually take action under the Defamation Act”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 12, 2022 1:20:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Unfortunately, in Ireland, that means that everyone is equal under the law provided they can afford to pay for it”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 12, 2022 1:20:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The importance of PAS is that it is providing quality of life and in doing so recognises the ways in which this can be achieved, through upholding a rights-based approach,”

donegaldemocrat Tuesday, May 10, 2022 4:13:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “All these months later, and very serious shortcomings are still there. Is it going to be another nine months before the HSE comes back and says they haven’t sorted this either?”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, April 30, 2022 1:05:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “These ongoing issues are a very serious matter. We cannot continue to accept these reports without taking action to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens are protected and treated with the care and respect they deserve”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, April 30, 2022 1:05:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This would affect a lot of people in my constituency of Donegal and particularly my town of Killybegs. We rely on seasonal work and a significant amount of people in this area have seasonal jobs, such as fishing, work in the fish factories and hospitality jobs”

donegaldemocrat Friday, April 8, 2022 5:46:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This demonstrates that this is not an issue of individual employers or organisations, but a systemic issue that requires a widespread policy approach”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, March 10, 2022 4:51:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is why it is so important to introduce flexible and remote working, to revitalise our rural areas and to give equal opportunity to all”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, March 10, 2022 4:51:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : “Covid-19 has shown us that many jobs can be done remotely and employers' excuses that this cannot be done does not hold up anymore. Employers should be required to allow the option of remote working in cases where it is possible”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, March 10, 2022 4:51:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It saddens and angers me that while we have charities and NGOs providing empathetic support, the Government is not only failing to do likewise, they are actively adding to the already huge burden that cancer patients and their families face”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, February 3, 2022 1:08:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The Irish Cancer Society has also reported increasing problems for cancer patients applying for discretionary medical cards. This is completely unacceptable. The medical system is clearly not serving the people it was set up to serve and needs a complete overhaul”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, February 3, 2022 1:08:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Successive governments have been negligent to the North of Ireland for far too long and we need to seriously reconsider the approach of this, and future, governments. We can no longer allow the media and the Government to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to the North”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, February 2, 2022 3:55:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “These ongoing issues are a very serious matter. We cannot continue to accept these reports without taking action to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens are protected and treated with the care and respect they deserve”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, January 15, 2022 2:57:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This review must be undertaken without delay. This Government must remove the barriers to people with disabilities accessing what should be theirs as a right”

donegaldemocrat Tuesday, January 11, 2022 5:06:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I don’t believe it’s difficult for local authorities to identify community organisations in relation to the communities that they are well experienced in dealing with and working with, and I don’t think that would be beyond the realm of possibility that it could be done”

donegaldemocrat Friday, December 10, 2021 11:03:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Because, as it has been said by other members, these are large developments and will have a big impact on the communities that they are in, so I think that does need to be taken on board,”

donegaldemocrat Friday, December 10, 2021 11:03:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The HSE, gardaí and Hiqa all have questions to answer in relation to how they responded – or didn’t respond – to the needs of very vulnerable people. This was a catastrophic failure, and the report must be published to give families the answers they have been seeking for too long”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 9, 2021 4:25:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is absolutely disgraceful and Ireland needs to step up and stand against this inequality and this apartheid state”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, December 1, 2021 10:49:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Ultimately I believe that the whole system would be improved by the addition of the community to a formal consultation stage at the pre-planning stage”

donegaldemocrat Friday, November 26, 2021 4:10:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “All areas in the country need to be policed the same way. It is important for community safety,”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, October 21, 2021 5:31:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It is clear that the greenest part of this Government is the constant recycling of old promises”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, October 13, 2021 10:21:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The expertise and the technology is there. It has been done before. All that is required is commitment and a bit of ambition from the government. It’s time to think bigger”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, October 13, 2021 10:21:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The rent restrictions, the cessation of evictions and the nationalisation of private hospitals which occurred over the last 18 months showed that the Government does have the capacity to take steps to seriously address the housing and health crisis. How can you possibly see the immense benefit of this, to see how positively this affected so many lives, and then turn around and say ‘no, we don’t really want to do it, let’s go back to the way things were.’”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, October 13, 2021 10:21:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It begs the question of whether what was announced yesterday were new initiatives or just old, empty promises”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, October 13, 2021 10:21:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Surely that’s a good indication that being an independent is the way to go”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, October 7, 2021 3:40:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle believes : "closer defence union [is only] needed for the colonial powers to push Africa to keep providing raw materials for Europe and keep people out"

RTERadio Sunday, October 3, 2021 9:18:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I want to thank the centre for making time to meet with me. I was glad for the opportunity to learn more about the work they do and the challenges they face”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, October 2, 2021 12:30:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said ( about Crisis Centre ) : “The Government must step in and ensure the Donegal Rape Crisis Centre receives the funding it needs to run its full range of services and programmes,”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, October 2, 2021 12:30:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle told : “We will not be forgotten and the public is behind us in our claim for 100pc compensation – no less,”

independent-ie Tuesday, June 15, 2021 5:33:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “You have to have a medical card to access free counselling. Since the cyberattack, people have been unable to apply for medical cards”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, June 9, 2021 11:41:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “There is the distinct possibility that boats will now insist on landing in Norway or Scotland and that will have a negative impact on the work available in the factories here”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 27, 2021 1:32:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle concluded : “I would again like to commend the families and communities that never give up looking for truth, justice and answers for their lost loved ones. I offer my full solidarity to them all”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, May 19, 2021 12:56:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “How many other families and communities are waiting for answers and justice?”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, May 19, 2021 12:56:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I am introducing this bill today to coincide with the Scottish and Welsh elections, in which 16 and 17 year olds are voting”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 6, 2021 7:05:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “rat line – a tout line through which neighbours are asked to tout on neighbours”

thejournal Thursday, May 6, 2021 6:14:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “My bill would put the question to the people of Ireland on whether or not they agree to amend Article 16 of the Constitution, reducing the age of eligibility to vote in Dáil elections down from 18 years of age to 16 years of age,”

thejournal Thursday, May 6, 2021 1:15:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “rat line – a tout line through which neighbours are asked to tout on neighbours”

thejournal Wednesday, May 5, 2021 10:54:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “They accepted that most people are doing their bit and doing their best. The most important thing is that most people are doing their part, and that had been lost in the whole argument,”

donegaldemocrat Monday, May 3, 2021 12:26:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said ( about Simon Harris ) : "We hear more from you (Simon Harris) from Covid-19 issues than on the myriad of issues affecting our tens of thousands of third level students. "

irishmirror Wednesday, April 28, 2021 9:31:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : "Minister Harris, maybe you will be releasing songs in an Indie style as well to get Michael Fry to duet with him"

irishmirror Wednesday, April 28, 2021 9:31:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This proposal would have a serious impact on farmers in Donegal and other parts of the country,”

agriland Monday, April 12, 2021 8:00:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : “I welcome that the Government has moved quickly to try and remedy this issue. I cannot imagine the hurt of families and loved ones who feel like their children have been erased in all of this”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, April 1, 2021 11:49:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The Government should be legally held to account by the ombudsman,”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, February 4, 2021 5:14:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : "There is no transparency, no accountability, no urgency,"

irishexaminer Wednesday, January 27, 2021 4:49:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is a very serious situation for the fishing industry and it’s debatable how it can survive”

carlow-nationalist Friday, January 22, 2021 5:16:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is a very serious situation for the fishing industry and it’s debatable how it can survive”

independent-ie Friday, January 22, 2021 4:28:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The Government didn’t listen to NPHET advice in the run-up to Christmas and instead went along with what their lobbyist friends wanted”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, January 14, 2021 2:09:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It was not long ago that the Government tried to rush a bill through the Dáil in relation to Mother and Baby Home records without listening to the voices of survivors and others who have been deeply involved in uncovering what happened there”

donegaldemocrat Monday, January 11, 2021 3:04:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The report was supposed to be discussed with survivors in an online forum before it was made public. This appears to be another Government mishandling of this terribly sensitive matter.”

donegaldemocrat Monday, January 11, 2021 3:04:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Earlier this morning, I was talking about the €50m that we are spending on statistical transfers of renewable energy for missing our targets. Our climate change actions will not be cost-effective for us if we keep missing our binding targets”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 17, 2020 11:29:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle concluded : “Our legislative processes and policy processes can exclude people and make it seem like local, national and European level isn’t for us, the people. I know that parliamentary language will be used but there should also be concurrent, accessible information for people interested”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 17, 2020 11:29:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Most of our water treatment plants are run by private contractors, and that’s where things can break down – there isn’t good communication with public representatives or with the public. Privatisation was done in the name of cost-cutting, but it has brought added layers to a service that was better handled by Donegal County Council”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, December 9, 2020 6:17:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “For decades Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael majority governments have misspent public money. There is plenty of money in the country, but your priorities are all wrong”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, December 9, 2020 11:39:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “We all know the budget for disability services and the work that is being done for persons with disabilities. But it is not enough. There are people being left behind. Ignored. Neglected. I’m asking that you listen. Listen to their voices”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 3, 2020 7:46:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “My friend and well-known, outstanding disability activist, Frank Larkin, had been due to help Gary with the campaign for Donegal but sadly, Frank passed away earlier this year,” “I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge Frank Larkin and the great advocacy work he had done in his lifetime for people with disabilities”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 3, 2020 7:46:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is good news for Donegal. It’s important for the local community to rally around and help make our new neighbours feel welcome”

donegaldemocrat Friday, November 27, 2020 9:20:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : "Coolio might have been rapping about Gangsta's Paradise back in 1995,"

irishmirror Wednesday, November 25, 2020 10:50:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : “The real thing we can do is to make sure an apology never has to be given in this House again”

thejournal Wednesday, November 25, 2020 3:45:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The real thing we can do is to make sure an apology never has to be given in this House again”

independent-ie Tuesday, November 3, 2020 7:58:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said ( about Commission ) : “The question that most people and survivors are asking, Minister, is who benefits from the sealing of this Archive? Many of the documents have already surpassed the 30-year rule and should now already be deposited with the National Archives, so why would they be re-sealed and the 30-year clock re-started? Why would you and your Government deprive survivors, their families and relatives of answers? Particularly with regard to survivors, they have a right to access their personal information and relevant data. They have a right to answers about their ‘entry and exit routes’ as detailed in the Commission’s own database, as well as information about who was involved in forced family separation, illegal adoptions and all other information about their own lives”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, October 29, 2020 2:26:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : "Covid is going to be with us for a long time and surely supporting the development of infrastructure and resources in our towns and villages is the obvious way of achieving this. “There is an opportunity now to support the development of rural communities, to build infrastructure for people to work locally, even if their employer is in Dublin”. He said this included reliable communications infrastructure and required local community hubs where people could work in proper offices. “People being facilitated to work locally would see the re-opening of services such as post offices, doctors’ surgeries, shops, cafes and schools,"

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, October 14, 2020 7:34:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “No one is buying into it,” “You are losing the argument in terms of public safety and public health,”

thejournal Wednesday, September 9, 2020 8:41:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “There’s not an attempt by anybody to deny any member time in this house. The attempt is by the government to make sure that they get all the speaking time first, so they can put across their message,”

thejournal Friday, July 31, 2020 7:05:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : "being a member of the Opposition it shows that the Dáil has a bit of independence as well"

independent-ie Thursday, July 23, 2020 6:16:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It's crazy and nonsensical, the government is proving there is no point in having a Dáil reform committee”

independent-ie Thursday, July 23, 2020 4:15:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It's crazy and nonsensical, the government is proving there is no point in having a Dáil reform committee”

independent-ie Wednesday, July 22, 2020 10:05:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle concludes : “This can be done by supporting them to maintain bog land, planting native species of hardwood trees rather than massive sitka spruce plantations, and by maintaining habitats that support a wide range of biodiversity”

agriland Monday, January 27, 2020 5:43:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The vast majority of farmers in Donegal are small farmers mostly on marginal land and hill farms”

agriland Monday, January 27, 2020 5:43:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “My role in the Dáil will be to ensure that the government complies with this,”

agriland Monday, January 27, 2020 5:43:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle says : “Personal assistance is an assistant that can help them get out and about. Currently, there isn’t really any service in place,” “Without PA, people with disabilities can be stuck in the house all day. If it’s in place, then they can contribute to society”

irishtimes Saturday, December 21, 2019 3:58:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The longer this goes on the bigger the health crisis will get. The Government must put an end to the embargo, begin filling the 100 plus vacant posts in Donegal and 1,000 across the country immediately so people can get access to health as and when they need it,”

donegaldemocrat Tuesday, November 5, 2019 8:21:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle stated : “I look forward to the outcome of the awards and hope that my Act continues to inspire the global divestment campaign as well as climate activists until governments across the world urgently respond to the pressing threats of climate change,”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, September 28, 2019 12:14:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “In some cases, people think that they have no choice. The credit union is a cheaper and more reliable choice.If people go to loan sharks they will be paying a massive interest on loans,”

donegaldemocrat Sunday, August 25, 2019 12:45:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle says : “I received a reply this week indicating that as of August 2019 in Donegal, the CAMHS team have two out of three Consultants in place – One permanent and one locum. According to the HSE the third Consultant is currently on leave from July to December 2019 and the HSE is currently aiming to recruit a locum replacement for this period”

highlandradio Friday, August 16, 2019 2:28:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle concludes : “I intend to make a pre-Budget submission on the issue of significant and persistent vacancies within CAMHS in Donegal and will confront the Minister on this issue as soon as the Dáil resumes in September”

highlandradio Friday, August 16, 2019 2:28:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I’ve been inundated with emails from constituents who are rightly concerned at the removal of this allowance. Many recipients are disappointed and concerned at the decision by the HSE to abolish the Rehabilitative Training Allowance from September 1st, for people with disabilities, who are applying to do a rehabilitative training programme this year. This means they will not get €31.80 a week while they are on the programme. This may not seem like a lot but for someone with a disability and receiving slim pickings from the Government as it is, it’s a lot”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, August 15, 2019 5:06:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle concludes : “We really need to question why it is that every time there’s a cost overrun, mismanagement of capital programmes or an economic downturn that disability supports are the first to be targeted. Why did the Minister for Disabilities and the HSE sign off on something that would have positively impacted on people with disabilities. This is a callous move and one which is directly in contravention of Ireland’s ratification of the UNCPRD and I call on the Minister and the HSE to immediately reverse this decision”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, August 15, 2019 5:06:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle concludes : “I understand that LUH local management in conjunction with Saolta Management are working to get this post approved as a matter of urgency. The question remains as to the sustainability of the current situation. We already have a recruitment crisis to begin with. The current recruitment freeze will only further exacerbate the situation. I will be following up with the Minister and the HSE on exactly what measures are being taken to resolve the current on this matter”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, August 10, 2019 12:59:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle insisted : “More investment is needed so that schools and public buildings can generate renewable energy, not just reduce it,” “I’m delighted to see that five schools in Donegal will receive funding under this project in an effort to reduce energy consumption”

donegaldemocrat Friday, March 29, 2019 8:48:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : “Governments must face up to their failures and start prioritising climate action now”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, March 21, 2019 3:45:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle stated : “it is vitally important to put Yvonne into the council because that is where change starts”

leitrimobserver Thursday, March 14, 2019 7:10:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “These exonerees, who did nothing wrong in the first place and lost huge chunks of their lives in prison, are offered little or no compensation upon their release, whereas actual criminals who served their time are entitled to receive all the financial benefits the system will allow,”

expressindia Thursday, January 31, 2019 10:40:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle concludes : “I hope that the Bill will continue to inspire other countries to lead on climate action when it is signed and enacted into law shortly”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 6, 2018 4:48:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I think An Post and our credit unions should be providing more services because they look out for people”

highlandradio Wednesday, July 20, 2022 4:46:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle asked : “Will you get on to the National Transport Authority and to Bus Éireann to ensure that the services meet the demand?”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, July 9, 2022 1:13:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is particularly important for people in Donegal, given its geographic isolation. Cardiac patients in Donegal, if their clinical need is to be properly met and if cardiac outcomes are to be improved, need to see services retained and expanded in Letterkenny University Hospital, rather than face a three- to five-hour journey to either Galway or Dublin”

donegaldemocrat Friday, July 8, 2022 12:42:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle asked : “Do you intend to consider any of the opposition amendments, seeing as you failed to table any yourself, or are you planning to vote them all down? Will you sit down with opposition spokespersons and homeowners on Monday for one last time to go through the amendments and decide what you will accept?”

donegaldemocrat Friday, July 1, 2022 12:27:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It’s clear from what you’re saying that none of the school secretaries are going to be included for this summer”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, June 30, 2022 7:36:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle believes : “if we’re going to do it, we may as well do the whole lot and make sure that people can vote and all elections”

thejournal Thursday, June 23, 2022 8:52:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : "We now need an independent public inquiry to find out what happened in centres for disabled people throughout Donegal"

donegaldemocrat Saturday, June 11, 2022 3:12:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The encouraging thing is that in surveys at least 65% of people want to maintain neutrality as core government policy. That will slow down their willingness a bit but, in the meantime, they will continue to undermine neutrality bit by bit,”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 26, 2022 10:03:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is the norm in other civil cases and should be the case here,”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 12, 2022 1:20:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I also find it interesting that it was in the 2020 Programme for Government to review this Act, despite it already being in the legislation that it should be reviewed. Has the Government completely neglected its responsibility to uphold the law?”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 12, 2022 1:20:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is very concerning as it basically means that only those who can financially afford to risk legal costs can actually take action under the Defamation Act”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 12, 2022 1:20:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Unfortunately, in Ireland, that means that everyone is equal under the law provided they can afford to pay for it”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 12, 2022 1:20:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The importance of PAS is that it is providing quality of life and in doing so recognises the ways in which this can be achieved, through upholding a rights-based approach,”

donegaldemocrat Tuesday, May 10, 2022 4:13:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “All these months later, and very serious shortcomings are still there. Is it going to be another nine months before the HSE comes back and says they haven’t sorted this either?”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, April 30, 2022 1:05:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “These ongoing issues are a very serious matter. We cannot continue to accept these reports without taking action to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens are protected and treated with the care and respect they deserve”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, April 30, 2022 1:05:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This would affect a lot of people in my constituency of Donegal and particularly my town of Killybegs. We rely on seasonal work and a significant amount of people in this area have seasonal jobs, such as fishing, work in the fish factories and hospitality jobs”

donegaldemocrat Friday, April 8, 2022 5:46:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This demonstrates that this is not an issue of individual employers or organisations, but a systemic issue that requires a widespread policy approach”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, March 10, 2022 4:51:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is why it is so important to introduce flexible and remote working, to revitalise our rural areas and to give equal opportunity to all”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, March 10, 2022 4:51:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : “Covid-19 has shown us that many jobs can be done remotely and employers' excuses that this cannot be done does not hold up anymore. Employers should be required to allow the option of remote working in cases where it is possible”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, March 10, 2022 4:51:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It saddens and angers me that while we have charities and NGOs providing empathetic support, the Government is not only failing to do likewise, they are actively adding to the already huge burden that cancer patients and their families face”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, February 3, 2022 1:08:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The Irish Cancer Society has also reported increasing problems for cancer patients applying for discretionary medical cards. This is completely unacceptable. The medical system is clearly not serving the people it was set up to serve and needs a complete overhaul”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, February 3, 2022 1:08:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Successive governments have been negligent to the North of Ireland for far too long and we need to seriously reconsider the approach of this, and future, governments. We can no longer allow the media and the Government to bury their heads in the sand when it comes to the North”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, February 2, 2022 3:55:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “These ongoing issues are a very serious matter. We cannot continue to accept these reports without taking action to ensure that our most vulnerable citizens are protected and treated with the care and respect they deserve”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, January 15, 2022 2:57:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This review must be undertaken without delay. This Government must remove the barriers to people with disabilities accessing what should be theirs as a right”

donegaldemocrat Tuesday, January 11, 2022 5:06:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I don’t believe it’s difficult for local authorities to identify community organisations in relation to the communities that they are well experienced in dealing with and working with, and I don’t think that would be beyond the realm of possibility that it could be done”

donegaldemocrat Friday, December 10, 2021 11:03:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Because, as it has been said by other members, these are large developments and will have a big impact on the communities that they are in, so I think that does need to be taken on board,”

donegaldemocrat Friday, December 10, 2021 11:03:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The HSE, gardaí and Hiqa all have questions to answer in relation to how they responded – or didn’t respond – to the needs of very vulnerable people. This was a catastrophic failure, and the report must be published to give families the answers they have been seeking for too long”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 9, 2021 4:25:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is absolutely disgraceful and Ireland needs to step up and stand against this inequality and this apartheid state”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, December 1, 2021 10:49:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Ultimately I believe that the whole system would be improved by the addition of the community to a formal consultation stage at the pre-planning stage”

donegaldemocrat Friday, November 26, 2021 4:10:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “All areas in the country need to be policed the same way. It is important for community safety,”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, October 21, 2021 5:31:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It is clear that the greenest part of this Government is the constant recycling of old promises”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, October 13, 2021 10:21:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The expertise and the technology is there. It has been done before. All that is required is commitment and a bit of ambition from the government. It’s time to think bigger”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, October 13, 2021 10:21:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The rent restrictions, the cessation of evictions and the nationalisation of private hospitals which occurred over the last 18 months showed that the Government does have the capacity to take steps to seriously address the housing and health crisis. How can you possibly see the immense benefit of this, to see how positively this affected so many lives, and then turn around and say ‘no, we don’t really want to do it, let’s go back to the way things were.’”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, October 13, 2021 10:21:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It begs the question of whether what was announced yesterday were new initiatives or just old, empty promises”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, October 13, 2021 10:21:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Surely that’s a good indication that being an independent is the way to go”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, October 7, 2021 3:40:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle believes : "closer defence union [is only] needed for the colonial powers to push Africa to keep providing raw materials for Europe and keep people out"

RTERadio Sunday, October 3, 2021 9:18:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I want to thank the centre for making time to meet with me. I was glad for the opportunity to learn more about the work they do and the challenges they face”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, October 2, 2021 12:30:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said ( about Crisis Centre ) : “The Government must step in and ensure the Donegal Rape Crisis Centre receives the funding it needs to run its full range of services and programmes,”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, October 2, 2021 12:30:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle told : “We will not be forgotten and the public is behind us in our claim for 100pc compensation – no less,”

independent-ie Tuesday, June 15, 2021 5:33:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “You have to have a medical card to access free counselling. Since the cyberattack, people have been unable to apply for medical cards”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, June 9, 2021 11:41:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “There is the distinct possibility that boats will now insist on landing in Norway or Scotland and that will have a negative impact on the work available in the factories here”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 27, 2021 1:32:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle concluded : “I would again like to commend the families and communities that never give up looking for truth, justice and answers for their lost loved ones. I offer my full solidarity to them all”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, May 19, 2021 12:56:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “How many other families and communities are waiting for answers and justice?”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, May 19, 2021 12:56:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I am introducing this bill today to coincide with the Scottish and Welsh elections, in which 16 and 17 year olds are voting”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, May 6, 2021 7:05:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “rat line – a tout line through which neighbours are asked to tout on neighbours”

thejournal Thursday, May 6, 2021 6:14:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “My bill would put the question to the people of Ireland on whether or not they agree to amend Article 16 of the Constitution, reducing the age of eligibility to vote in Dáil elections down from 18 years of age to 16 years of age,”

thejournal Thursday, May 6, 2021 1:15:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “rat line – a tout line through which neighbours are asked to tout on neighbours”

thejournal Wednesday, May 5, 2021 10:54:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “They accepted that most people are doing their bit and doing their best. The most important thing is that most people are doing their part, and that had been lost in the whole argument,”

donegaldemocrat Monday, May 3, 2021 12:26:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said ( about Simon Harris ) : "We hear more from you (Simon Harris) from Covid-19 issues than on the myriad of issues affecting our tens of thousands of third level students. "

irishmirror Wednesday, April 28, 2021 9:31:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : "Minister Harris, maybe you will be releasing songs in an Indie style as well to get Michael Fry to duet with him"

irishmirror Wednesday, April 28, 2021 9:31:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This proposal would have a serious impact on farmers in Donegal and other parts of the country,”

agriland Monday, April 12, 2021 8:00:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : “I welcome that the Government has moved quickly to try and remedy this issue. I cannot imagine the hurt of families and loved ones who feel like their children have been erased in all of this”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, April 1, 2021 11:49:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The Government should be legally held to account by the ombudsman,”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, February 4, 2021 5:14:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : "There is no transparency, no accountability, no urgency,"

irishexaminer Wednesday, January 27, 2021 4:49:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is a very serious situation for the fishing industry and it’s debatable how it can survive”

carlow-nationalist Friday, January 22, 2021 5:16:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is a very serious situation for the fishing industry and it’s debatable how it can survive”

independent-ie Friday, January 22, 2021 4:28:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The Government didn’t listen to NPHET advice in the run-up to Christmas and instead went along with what their lobbyist friends wanted”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, January 14, 2021 2:09:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It was not long ago that the Government tried to rush a bill through the Dáil in relation to Mother and Baby Home records without listening to the voices of survivors and others who have been deeply involved in uncovering what happened there”

donegaldemocrat Monday, January 11, 2021 3:04:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The report was supposed to be discussed with survivors in an online forum before it was made public. This appears to be another Government mishandling of this terribly sensitive matter.”

donegaldemocrat Monday, January 11, 2021 3:04:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Earlier this morning, I was talking about the €50m that we are spending on statistical transfers of renewable energy for missing our targets. Our climate change actions will not be cost-effective for us if we keep missing our binding targets”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 17, 2020 11:29:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle concluded : “Our legislative processes and policy processes can exclude people and make it seem like local, national and European level isn’t for us, the people. I know that parliamentary language will be used but there should also be concurrent, accessible information for people interested”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 17, 2020 11:29:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “Most of our water treatment plants are run by private contractors, and that’s where things can break down – there isn’t good communication with public representatives or with the public. Privatisation was done in the name of cost-cutting, but it has brought added layers to a service that was better handled by Donegal County Council”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, December 9, 2020 6:17:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “For decades Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael majority governments have misspent public money. There is plenty of money in the country, but your priorities are all wrong”

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, December 9, 2020 11:39:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “We all know the budget for disability services and the work that is being done for persons with disabilities. But it is not enough. There are people being left behind. Ignored. Neglected. I’m asking that you listen. Listen to their voices”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 3, 2020 7:46:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “My friend and well-known, outstanding disability activist, Frank Larkin, had been due to help Gary with the campaign for Donegal but sadly, Frank passed away earlier this year,” “I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge Frank Larkin and the great advocacy work he had done in his lifetime for people with disabilities”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 3, 2020 7:46:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “This is good news for Donegal. It’s important for the local community to rally around and help make our new neighbours feel welcome”

donegaldemocrat Friday, November 27, 2020 9:20:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : "Coolio might have been rapping about Gangsta's Paradise back in 1995,"

irishmirror Wednesday, November 25, 2020 10:50:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : “The real thing we can do is to make sure an apology never has to be given in this House again”

thejournal Wednesday, November 25, 2020 3:45:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The real thing we can do is to make sure an apology never has to be given in this House again”

independent-ie Tuesday, November 3, 2020 7:58:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said ( about Commission ) : “The question that most people and survivors are asking, Minister, is who benefits from the sealing of this Archive? Many of the documents have already surpassed the 30-year rule and should now already be deposited with the National Archives, so why would they be re-sealed and the 30-year clock re-started? Why would you and your Government deprive survivors, their families and relatives of answers? Particularly with regard to survivors, they have a right to access their personal information and relevant data. They have a right to answers about their ‘entry and exit routes’ as detailed in the Commission’s own database, as well as information about who was involved in forced family separation, illegal adoptions and all other information about their own lives”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, October 29, 2020 2:26:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : "Covid is going to be with us for a long time and surely supporting the development of infrastructure and resources in our towns and villages is the obvious way of achieving this. “There is an opportunity now to support the development of rural communities, to build infrastructure for people to work locally, even if their employer is in Dublin”. He said this included reliable communications infrastructure and required local community hubs where people could work in proper offices. “People being facilitated to work locally would see the re-opening of services such as post offices, doctors’ surgeries, shops, cafes and schools,"

donegaldemocrat Wednesday, October 14, 2020 7:34:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “No one is buying into it,” “You are losing the argument in terms of public safety and public health,”

thejournal Wednesday, September 9, 2020 8:41:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “There’s not an attempt by anybody to deny any member time in this house. The attempt is by the government to make sure that they get all the speaking time first, so they can put across their message,”

thejournal Friday, July 31, 2020 7:05:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : "being a member of the Opposition it shows that the Dáil has a bit of independence as well"

independent-ie Thursday, July 23, 2020 6:16:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It's crazy and nonsensical, the government is proving there is no point in having a Dáil reform committee”

independent-ie Thursday, July 23, 2020 4:15:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “It's crazy and nonsensical, the government is proving there is no point in having a Dáil reform committee”

independent-ie Wednesday, July 22, 2020 10:05:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle concludes : “This can be done by supporting them to maintain bog land, planting native species of hardwood trees rather than massive sitka spruce plantations, and by maintaining habitats that support a wide range of biodiversity”

agriland Monday, January 27, 2020 5:43:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The vast majority of farmers in Donegal are small farmers mostly on marginal land and hill farms”

agriland Monday, January 27, 2020 5:43:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “My role in the Dáil will be to ensure that the government complies with this,”

agriland Monday, January 27, 2020 5:43:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle says : “Personal assistance is an assistant that can help them get out and about. Currently, there isn’t really any service in place,” “Without PA, people with disabilities can be stuck in the house all day. If it’s in place, then they can contribute to society”

irishtimes Saturday, December 21, 2019 3:58:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “The longer this goes on the bigger the health crisis will get. The Government must put an end to the embargo, begin filling the 100 plus vacant posts in Donegal and 1,000 across the country immediately so people can get access to health as and when they need it,”

donegaldemocrat Tuesday, November 5, 2019 8:21:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle stated : “I look forward to the outcome of the awards and hope that my Act continues to inspire the global divestment campaign as well as climate activists until governments across the world urgently respond to the pressing threats of climate change,”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, September 28, 2019 12:14:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “In some cases, people think that they have no choice. The credit union is a cheaper and more reliable choice.If people go to loan sharks they will be paying a massive interest on loans,”

donegaldemocrat Sunday, August 25, 2019 12:45:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle says : “I received a reply this week indicating that as of August 2019 in Donegal, the CAMHS team have two out of three Consultants in place – One permanent and one locum. According to the HSE the third Consultant is currently on leave from July to December 2019 and the HSE is currently aiming to recruit a locum replacement for this period”

highlandradio Friday, August 16, 2019 2:28:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle concludes : “I intend to make a pre-Budget submission on the issue of significant and persistent vacancies within CAMHS in Donegal and will confront the Minister on this issue as soon as the Dáil resumes in September”

highlandradio Friday, August 16, 2019 2:28:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “I’ve been inundated with emails from constituents who are rightly concerned at the removal of this allowance. Many recipients are disappointed and concerned at the decision by the HSE to abolish the Rehabilitative Training Allowance from September 1st, for people with disabilities, who are applying to do a rehabilitative training programme this year. This means they will not get €31.80 a week while they are on the programme. This may not seem like a lot but for someone with a disability and receiving slim pickings from the Government as it is, it’s a lot”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, August 15, 2019 5:06:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle concludes : “We really need to question why it is that every time there’s a cost overrun, mismanagement of capital programmes or an economic downturn that disability supports are the first to be targeted. Why did the Minister for Disabilities and the HSE sign off on something that would have positively impacted on people with disabilities. This is a callous move and one which is directly in contravention of Ireland’s ratification of the UNCPRD and I call on the Minister and the HSE to immediately reverse this decision”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, August 15, 2019 5:06:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle concludes : “I understand that LUH local management in conjunction with Saolta Management are working to get this post approved as a matter of urgency. The question remains as to the sustainability of the current situation. We already have a recruitment crisis to begin with. The current recruitment freeze will only further exacerbate the situation. I will be following up with the Minister and the HSE on exactly what measures are being taken to resolve the current on this matter”

donegaldemocrat Saturday, August 10, 2019 12:59:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle insisted : “More investment is needed so that schools and public buildings can generate renewable energy, not just reduce it,” “I’m delighted to see that five schools in Donegal will receive funding under this project in an effort to reduce energy consumption”

donegaldemocrat Friday, March 29, 2019 8:48:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle added : “Governments must face up to their failures and start prioritising climate action now”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, March 21, 2019 3:45:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle stated : “it is vitally important to put Yvonne into the council because that is where change starts”

leitrimobserver Thursday, March 14, 2019 7:10:00 PM EAT

Thomas Pringle said : “These exonerees, who did nothing wrong in the first place and lost huge chunks of their lives in prison, are offered little or no compensation upon their release, whereas actual criminals who served their time are entitled to receive all the financial benefits the system will allow,”

expressindia Thursday, January 31, 2019 10:40:00 AM EAT

Thomas Pringle concludes : “I hope that the Bill will continue to inspire other countries to lead on climate action when it is signed and enacted into law shortly”

donegaldemocrat Thursday, December 6, 2018 4:48:00 PM EAT