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2874. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of beds that have been unavailable for use at Heather House Community Nursing Unit (Daisy Unit) in each month from February 2025 to date; and the number of residents displaced as a result in each month, in tabular form. [24692/26]

2875. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the measures that have been put in place to offset the loss of 25 beds at Heather House Community Nursing Unit since February 2025; and whether additional capacity has been sourced externally, including through private or voluntary providers, as a direct consequence. [24693/26]

2876. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the interim staffing arrangements currently in place to ensure the safe operation of the dementia-specific unit at Heather House Community Nursing Unit pending the finalisation of an approved workforce model; and the current whole-time equivalent staffing levels assigned to that unit. [24694/26]

2877. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total projected cost, procurement process, and key timeline milestones associated with the fire safety works at Heather House Community Nursing Unit; and whether any delays have arisen since the works commenced. [24695/26]

2879. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of admissions to Heather House Community Nursing Unit that could not proceed, were delayed, or were diverted elsewhere in each month since March 2025 due to the temporary closure of the 25-bed Daisy Unit for fire safety works. [24697/26]

2880. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether the temporary closure of the 25-bed Daisy Unit at Heather House Community Nursing Unit has resulted in a net reduction in operational bed capacity at the facility in each month since March 2025; and if she will provide the total number of operational beds available at the unit in each such month. [24698/26]

2881. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the current project timetable for the fire safety works required to Daisy Unit, Heather House Community Nursing Unit; the date on which the works commenced; the current stage of completion; any interim milestones set; and the reason the works are now projected to continue until on or before the end of September 2026. [24699/26]

2882. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total cost estimated and incurred to date in respect of the fire safety works to Daisy Unit, Heather House Community Nursing Unit; and whether additional funding has been approved to complete the works. [24700/26]

2883. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health when the approved workforce model for Heather House Community Nursing Unit, including the dementia-specific unit, is expected to be finalised; and whether she will provide the total approved whole-time equivalent staffing complement required for the facility as a whole and for the dementia-specific unit in particular. [24701/26]

2884. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether funding has been approved for the full staffing complement required to operate the 19-bed dementia-specific unit at Heather House Community Nursing Unit safely on reopening; and if not, when such funding approval will be made. [24702/26]

2885. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any external fire safety, regulatory, or risk assessment was carried out in relation to Daisy Unit, Heather House Community Nursing Unit, prior to its closure in late February 2025; and if so, the date and outcome of that assessment. [24703/26]

3023. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Health if she will ensure that legislation to enable care partners for vulnerable people in hospitals, hospices, care homes and other health settings will be brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas; the status of the work indicated in response to a previous Parliamentary Question (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matte…

3058. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 572 of 5 March 2026, the engagements she has had with the Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government regarding funding for the Integrated Homeless Services Hub in Cork city (details supplied); the way in which this project is being funded; the timeline for submission of the proposal seeking sec…

3228. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Health the training local authority housing officers receive on public sector duty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26531/26]

3308. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the number of residential properties owned by the Health Service Executive that have been transferred to local authorities or other State bodies for housing or social use in each year from 2020 to date. [26817/26]

3313. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the current status of the review of the Health Service Executive Protocol for the Acquisition and Disposal of Property, the expected completion date of this review, and whether it will include measures to improve timelines and oversight in the reuse of residential properties for housing purposes. [26822/26]

3323. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether she is satisfied that vacant residential properties owned by the State are being utilised in a timely manner in the context of current housing demand [26832/26]

3327. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a schedule of all studies and reports commissioned by her Department in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, that were composed and delivered by third parties (details supplied); the title and final cost of same; and whether the report is published and or laid in the Houses of the Oireachtas. [26855/26…

3328. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Health if she will provide a schedule of all studies and reports commissioned by her in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, that were composed and delivered by her officials; the title and final cost of same, if applicable; to provide a breakdown of where costs were incurred; and whether the report is published and or laid in t…

3481. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a schedule of all studies and reports commissioned by his Department in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, that were composed and delivered by third parties (details supplied); the title and final cost of same; and whether the report is published…

3482. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will provide a schedule of all studies and reports commissioned by him in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, that were composed and delivered by his officials; the title and final cost of same, if applicable; to provide a breakdown of where costs were incurre…

3530. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will provide a schedule of all studies and reports commissioned by his Department in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, that were composed and delivered by third parties (details supplied); the title and final cost of same; and whether the report is published and or laid …

3531. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will provide a schedule of all studies and reports commissioned by him in each of the years 2023, 2024, 2025 and to date in 2026, that were composed and delivered by his officials; the title and final cost of same, if applicable; to provide a breakdown of where costs were incurred; and whethe…

2. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the funding, both capital and current, allocated to Cork City Council for library services in its administrative area in each of the years from 2019 to 2025 and to date in 2026, by library; the engagements he has had with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage regarding the new Cork cit…

44. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht his plans to support housing for families in Gaeltacht areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22989/26]

I want to raise the issue of building childcare facilities, which are conditional on a lot of planning permissions, especially in major developments. We are finding that facilities are not being built. Even if they are, the rent being demanded for them is too high for people to go in and for it to be viable. It is time now that we looked at this as a Government to see what can be done to make sure…

I welcome this opportunity to provide an update to the House on the devastating conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan, and to hear the views and concerns of Deputies. Many have described the conflict and its impact as a forgotten crisis. In truth, it is has at times been an ignored and sidelined crisis. It is, as we heard this morning, the worst humanitarian catastrophe happening on our planet…

I thank the Minister of State for her presence. I raised this issue with the Minister for Transport last night. I understand that at short notice he cannot be here, but I would be very much obliged if the Minister of State can convey the importance of this issue, which I know he is aware of. There is going to be industrial action by taxi drivers or as close as they can get to it today either outsi…

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time". The absence of guidelines or regulations for wind turbines is absolutely scandalous. We have been relying on outdated guidelines from 2006 for over a decade and a half. The Bill is about putting a proper planning framework in place. It is not about stopping the utilisation of wind but having wind turbines in the right place and at the right scal…

I commend Deputy Stanley on bringing forward this very important Bill and for all the work that went into it. It is imperative that we get action and that there is real and true balance for communities. Currently there are no protections for any communities throughout my own county of Offaly or the neighbouring County Laois. It is very unfair. Communities have no say whatsoever and these monstrosi…

I move: That Dáil Éireann: acknowledges that: — the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, as amended, was enacted to give effect to the European Union's Whistleblowing Directive and to protect persons who, in good faith, report wrongdoing in the public interest; — despite these statutory protections, numerous whistleblowers have faced retaliation, career destruction, delay or suppression of their di…

I thank the Independent Technical Group for tabling this motion. It is an issue close to my heart and it is personal. I welcome, like other colleagues, those who have gathered in the Gallery this morning. They are people who have taken enormous personal risks to do what is right. Not only have they all served the people in their roles as civil and public servants, but they have doubly served the p…

I welcome all the whistleblowers and their friends in the Public Gallery. I am supporting this motion. We all remember former Sergeant Maurice McCabe who exposed corruption and malpractice within An Garda Síochána, and the treatment he faced as a result. It led to the disclosures tribunal. On the recent protected disclosures Deputy Toole mentioned, I also raised these here in this House, including…

In the brief time I have left, I will try to make a summation of all the points that have been made and answer each one of them. I thank colleagues for their comments. I regret some of the polarisation of the language in some of the contributions, which I thought was unnecessary. This is something people from both sides of the House have strong views on. We should all respect one another's views …

I thank the Minister of State. It is disappointing that we are back here again debating the extensions of these provisions. The motion seeks to extend the provision for the consumption of alcohol in relevant outdoor spaces, as provided for in the miscellaneous provisions Act 2021. As the Minister of State said, the current arrangements are due to expire at the end of this month and the motion woul…

I note that Ireland is bound by the EU passenger name record directive so it makes full sense for us to opt in. What is at stake here is data exchange. In time, it will lead to increased police co-operation, prevention, detection, powers of investigation and, ultimately, one would hope, prosecution where terrorist offences and serious crimes are concerned. Overall, this is a very good measure and …

I said it to the Taoiseach and Tánaiste and will say it to the Minister of State: it is about time we had a citizens' convention on immigration and asylum policy that would include a lot of people who are now Irish citizens who came from elsewhere for a better life. We need to have this because the debate is not a zero-sum game in terms of extreme left to right ideology. It is about trying to see …

I thank all speakers who contributed to this debate. If you listen to the range of contributions, you will hear wide and varied differences in the views and opinions being offered. For me that reflects the complexity of the whole issue of immigration and migration. There are very little solutions and lots of criticisms, which I can accept but it is the job of Government to try to manage migration …

What does the Minister say about the promise he made to workers when he begged them for their vote? He promised he would cut their taxes. In his manifesto, he campaigned on that and he broke that promise over and over again. With this vote, he now has the opportunity to do something that is positive, that is progressive and that is about reducing the burden on people here and now. The Minister say…

I thank Deputy Nash for this proposal. I have heard him talk about this time and time again, and for good reason. I fully accept that budgets are about choices and we will have rigorous debates in this House about whether our choices are right. I contend – the Deputy will have a different view – that the choices we made this year were about trying to boost economic resilience, protect jobs and sti…

That is a point that merits further consideration by us. While I am not in a position to accept the amendments, there is the legislation coming forward next week and there is also the commitment in terms of the planned review of the scheme. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage will, as required by section 51 of the 2022 Act, carry out a review of the operation of that Act. Legal…

I will give the Tánaiste a quick example. Solomons Court in Letterkenny has 1,400 houses and every single one of them has defective concrete. Some 15 have been remediated. With some, that involved full demolition and with others, it was partial remediation. However, the majority of people there are stuck because they are in a town and if 500 of them want to go into this scheme and get on with thei…

I move amendment No. 5: In page 8, between lines 13 and 14, to insert the following: “Report on rent tax credit 4. The Minister shall, within one month of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the rent tax credit operating in the absence of a cap on rents, making a direct comparison between the amount of the credit and rent increases across the State for each …

One day, if Deputy Doherty can ever form a Government or can find people in this House who wish to form a Government with him, he will realise that you go out to the people and seek a mandate from the people on your manifesto. You get as many votes and seats as you can in Dáil Éireann. If you do not have enough seats to form a Government, you then seek other parties in the Dáil to work with you. Y…

I move amendment No. 10: In page 13, between lines 23 and 24, to insert the following: “Report on relief on medical expenses 5.The Minister shall, within one month of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the inability of persons without the adequate tax liability to benefit from relief on medical expenses, making reference to the substantial burden facing ind…

The Deputy's initial analysis is somewhat right. He has the corporate memory to be able to go back to the then Minister, Michael Noonan. This scheme has not seen a very significant level of uptake. We have been trying to examine ways in which more people could benefit from this scheme, which brings properties back into use. Across the political spectrum, we all share the objective of trying to use…

I move amendment No. 28: In page 91, between lines 1 and 2, to insert the following: “Report on legislated increase to rates of Mineral Oil Tax 53. The Minister shall, within six months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before Dáil Éireann a report on the legislated increase to rates of mineral oil tax, including an analysis of the distributional impact.”. I have raised and reference…

The Deputy presumed to deliver my lines. Let me have a go at responding to him. First, as we have discussed, and I understand and acknowledge that this is how the rules of the House work, nobody is about to vote on anything other than an amendment to have a report on mineral oil tax. We need to be honest about the effect of this. No matter what way anybody votes, this is an amendment to request a …

On 12 November, the Taoiseach told this House that legal advice states a Minister cannot read protected disclosures. That claim has caused real alarm throughout the country because if a Minister cannot read protected disclosures, the Minister cannot verify whether the Minister is being misled. It is an extraordinary position for this Government to have in a system that has repeatedly accused, atta…

Four weeks ago, the previous Minister for foreign affairs gave an indication that the occupied territories Bill would be brought back to this House before the end of November. The November schedule will be agreed without that being included. Can the Chief Whip now give an assurance that the Bill will be brought before the House before Christmas and the end of December?