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506. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the area known as Murphy's Rock in Cork is currently designated or proposed for designation under any national or EU environmental protection frameworks, including special areas of conservation, special protection areas, or natural heritage areas; and if not, the reason it has not been considered for such…

507. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the criteria applied by his Department in determining whether a natural site may be considered for inclusion on Ireland's UNESCO tentative list for natural heritage, biosphere reserve, or geopark status; and whether sites of significant biodiversity value such as Murphy's Rock could meet these criteria. [32109/26…

508. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the formal process by which a natural site in the State may be advanced for consideration under UNESCO frameworks, including World Heritage, Biosphere Reserve, or Global Geopark designation; and the role of his Department in initiating or supporting such nominations. [32110/26]

509. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has considered, or will consider, the ecological and natural heritage value of Murphy's Rock in Cork as part of any future proposals for UNESCO designation, including biosphere reserve or geopark status. [32111/26]

510. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any gaps have been identified in ecological or biodiversity data relating to Murphy's Rock in Cork which would prevent its consideration for national or international designation; and whether further surveys or studies are planned. [32112/26]

511. Deputy James Geoghegan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he has considered a rent-to-buy scheme including a State component (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32130/26]

514. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of AHB units funded under CALF in 2025; the number of schemes this applied to; and the number of schemes of less than 20 units that currently have funding under CALF. [32146/26]

515. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of AHB units funded under CAS in 2025; the number of schemes this applied to; and the number of schemes of less than 20 units that currently have funding under CAS. [32147/26]

518. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average processing time from initial application to approval for CAS funding projects. [32150/26]

519. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32176/26]

520. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of protected disclosures that have gone missing or have been compromised that have been submitted to his Department or State bodies that are responsible to his Department. [32291/26]

521. Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of funding (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32365/26]

522. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will take steps to ensure that Daingean Fire Station County Offaly is made operational (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32394/26]

523. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of active HAP and RAS tenancies on 1 November 2025; and to provide a total number for each scheme. [32781/26]

525. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason families who are currently rebuilding/ remediating their homes under the defective concrete block grant scheme cannot avail of the increased cap of €462,000 all at once rather than having to work to the previous cap of €420,000 and then separately apply for the difference of €42,000; and if h…

526. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No.1759 of 14 April 2026, to outline the administrative processes between now, including the Order, and the date on which the scheme will be available in Meath; exactly which 'relevant parts of Meath County Council' are to be designated part of the DCB scheme, that is, whethe…

527. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the average processing time for first registration applications in each year from 2020 to 2025; the current average processing time in 2026 to date; and the number of applications currently awaiting examination for more than 6 months, 12 months and 24 months. [33065/26]

528. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the total number of first registration applications currently on hand within Tailte Éireann; the proportion of those applications not yet assigned to an examiner; and the longest recorded waiting time before initial examination. [33066/26]

529. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the formal criteria applied by Tailte Éireann when determining whether a first registration application qualifies for expedited processing; the number of expedition requests received in each of the past three years; and the proportion approved. [33067/26]

530. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether time-sensitive financial circumstances, including risk to mortgage approval or drawdown, are recognised as grounds for expedition of first registration applications; and whether any formal policy guidance exists in this regard. [33068/26]

531. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of first registration applications rejected or returned with requisitions more than once in each of the past three years; and whether Tailte Éireann has undertaken any review of systemic issues contributing to repeated rejection cycles. [33069/26]

532. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether any internal review has been conducted within Tailte Éireann regarding the consistency and clarity of requisitions issued to applicants in first registration cases; and whether guidance has been updated to reduce repeat submissions. [33070/26]

533. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of examiners assigned to first registration applications within Tailte Éireann in each year from 2020 to 2026; and whether additional resources have been allocated to address current delays. [33071/26]

534. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether formal performance targets exist for the processing of first registration applications within Tailte Éireann; and if so, the target timelines and current performance against those targets. [33072/26]

535. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage what reforms or digitalisation measures have been introduced since 2020 to improve the efficiency of first registration processing; and what measurable impact these measures have had on processing times. [33073/26]

Deputy Collins talked about frustration. Yesterday on "Morning Ireland" he spoke to farmers at a volatile time. I absolutely accept how angry people have been and how many people have felt the challenge of the energy shock. After a volatile week when our country has been in a bad place, we all have responsibility. Everyone in this House has a mandate and was elected to help people. That is what we…

How much noise needs to be made before the Government snaps out of its slumber and legislates for all of the people affected by the huge fuel price increases? It has selective hearing, sight and amnesia. It has selectively chosen who is to receive the most minimal cuts to fuel costs in some sectors while the general public and those in many industries who have to be on the road daily are forgotten…

I will not stand here and shout and have a back and forth because there has been far too much shouting this week already. There has been far too much chest beating and too many instances of people not listening, not engaging and of parties becoming so entrenched that we were at real risk last week of the country collapsing. I was so worried about where those protests were going to end up. I want …

This is an arrogant Government. It has not listened and is not listening. It has not listened to representative organisations, the public, TDs or Opposition parties. Several motions for a cost-of-living package have been debated in the House. My Private Members' motion in December calling for price controls on electricity, gas, fuel and food was arrogantly voted down. The recent packages are too l…

They fill the drums and put it into the boat and go out for the day and then go back and do the same thing. It is a continuous situation. I also then have those who are out there in the bigger trawlers throughout the country. I have correspondence from one of them. It states: Hi Michael, No word from our leaders. We have serious trouble with diesel. We have burned 2,500 in 24 hours. Our son was …

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. We need to look at sectors that have been left behind. On home heating oil, I know there were a good few proposals in relation to hydrotreated vegetable oil, HVO. The statistics I am hearing are that HVO would cut emissions by 90%, but there is still a lot of taxes on it. That needs to be looked at. There is nothing there for people right aro…

-----between an A-rated house and a G-rated house in terms of energy consumption and yet Fine Gael councillors in Mayo are seeking to spend-----

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that the Government: — remains deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and Gulf; — continues to seek de-escalation through dialogue and diplomacy so that these issues can be resolved; — recognises and understands the pressures that have arisen due to rising fuel costs a…

Sinn Féin will support measures that genuinely speed up the delivery of critical infrastructure, and there is no question that this State needs urgent investment and delivery at scale. This Government has a clear problem with delivery. Communities are repeatedly told that projects are coming, funding is allocated and plans are in place, but what they experience instead are delays, stalled timeline…

I have been researching and critically analysing Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael's infrastructure policy for almost 20 years. In fact, I did my PhD on it, specifically on infrastructure and how it was developed during the Celtic tiger period. Back then, 20 years ago, the key policy of Fianna Fáil was to have public-private partnerships deliver infrastructure through new ways which were, essentially, han…

I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate. I begin by acknowledging the events of the past week. A lot of people have been in contact with me and my office and I acknowledge their concern. People are understandably worried. The ongoing war in Iran is having real and serious consequences for households and businesses across the country and the pressures of energy costs, fuel costs and …

I was elected for the first time in 2019 as a councillor in Dublin West in the election after the Minister. In preparation for tonight, I looked back over some of my leaflets on transport and infrastructure from that year. One referenced €1.5 billion that was ring-fenced for BusConnects that would cut journey times by 40%. Another referenced a €2 billion investment in rail to electrify and upgrade…

We have a chronic lack of infrastructure in our country. The basics, such as housing, transport, school places, hospitals, grid capacity and an effective high-quality water supply, are all completely lacking in the second richest country in all of Europe. Where does the money go? It is the people's money, the tax that people pay for their work, the solidarity contributions they make to their fello…

I thank Deputy Rice for raising the matter. I concur with him that we have an extraordinary dedicated library staff in Cork city right across all sections of our library service. As the Deputy will be well aware, the current libraries capital programme 2023-2027 is investing €22.6 million in 11 state-of-the-art library infrastructure projects around the country and a further €2.6 million in 12 nex…

To clarify for the Deputy so that he knows, it is not our Department that is responsible; it is the Department of housing. To help him again, Cork City Council is the responsible local authority. I think Deputy Rice was at the briefing we had as Members of the Oireachtas with the chief executive of the city council before Christmas, where we believe the city council identified a site. Work is ongo…

In relation to new builds, a big challenge is sufficient land being set aside where a large amount of housing is being built. The planning authorities are falling down on this. I have seen this in the Glanmire area, for instance, where over 25,000 people live and a proper community centre has not been developed. Sarsfields GAA club has provided really good community support. Without it, there woul…

In terms of the programme for Government commitment, it was relating to goods and we were very clear on that. The Oireachtas committee then asked that we would look at services and it is important that we engage with the committee and its recommendations on any legislation. That was the advice that was asked of the Attorney General and that was the advice that I received soon after coming into the…

I have raised this question before in the House. It relates to the British Government's response to the State's ongoing request for full disclosure and access to all relevant documentation concerning the Dublin and Monaghan bombings of 17 May 1974. We had the summary report of Operation Denton in the past few months but there is still a general frustration, despite the multiple calls by this House…

I thank the Deputy for raising this. I know he has raised it on a number of occasions. We all agree there is no doubt that the families and survivors of the Dublin and Monaghan bombings have waited far too long for answers. We all want to get to that point for them. The Government has long-standing requests in place to allow access by an independent, international judicial figure to all original …

As the Minister said, the findings of Denton and Kenova demonstrated the real and acute need for full transparency from the British Government, the importance of access to these records and the ongoing impact for victims' families, in particular, of withheld material on truth and recovery. I also draw attention to the fact that in the resolutions from this House, we asked for an independent judic…

I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 160 together. I thank the Deputies for raising this question. As they know, the Government is committed to deepening our ties with the Irish communities overseas and to ensuring that the welfare of the Irish abroad remains at the heart of our diaspora engagement. In line with the commitment in the programme for Government, the next diaspora strategy is at a…

Before I take that question, I want to raise an issue with Deputies continuously referring to us in this Chamber as "lackeys". If I stood up in this House and called anyone a lackey, he or she would feel it and I would have to apologise. We represent a group that went into government. I represent the people of Longford-Westmeath who elected me as a TD, not as a lackey. I ask the Leas-Cheann Comhai…

Hang on a second. The Deputy used very emotive language when he asked whether this is "a box-ticking exercise". Let me be very clear that as of yesterday, for the very first time in the history of this State we now have a DEIS plus programme. I do not usually do this, but I remember Aodhán Ó Ríordáin looking for this when he was in this House. He is now Labour Party MEP for Dublin. This is somethi…

Today's statements on Bessborough are welcome and very important but they will be meaningless unless the Government takes action on foot of the debate today. I urge the Minister to listen to the contributions from across the House, including by Members from her own party, who are calling on the Government to intervene. The bottom line is that apartments should not be built on what is very likely a…

I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss funding for improvement and refurbishment works to older school buildings across County Kerry. Deputy Barry Ward - To discuss information and communication for families seeking advice related to the fair …