2026-05-19

I would not expect the Taoiseach to be aware of every incident of vandalism that takes place in a particular playground or play facility across the country but the north inner city task force is run by his Department. Diamond Park is a playground right in the heart of the community and it is well used. If you go into it, most days you will see what happens in any other playground - families sitting together and children playing. That playground was burned over the weekend. It was torched and set alight. It is not the first act of vandalism that has happened there. It has happened in the dark of the night on many occasions. This is all while the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, tells us there is high visibility policing happening around the city centre. Those two things do not meet. The community of the inner city are telling us they are not being policed to the same levels you will see in the commercial city centre where you will see a visible policing presence. What occurred over the weekend with another loss of an amenity is not acceptable.

I agree fully with Deputy Gannon that this is an appalling incident and we must condemn those who did it because they are impacting, presumably, on their own community. Young children now cannot avail of that play facility because of the burning that has taken place. I cannot comprehend why people would do that. I will alert the Minister for justice to the Deputy's comments. There has been increased visibility but gardaí are not going to be everywhere 24 hours a day. That has to be acknowledged as well. Nonetheless, this is a very serious incident. It is shocking in terms of the damage and the prevention of opportunities for children to play. I will certainly alert the Minister to this.

The Green Party has highlighted the pollution and damage to nature at Lady's Island Lake in Wexford with the Taoiseach in the past. Last Friday, the climate and environment committee visited Lady's Island Lake, and met with the strategic oversight group and the save Our Lady's Island Lake community group. What has been done to date is encouraging, and I welcome the initial tranche of funding provided to begin the baseline and scoping work. However, more State support is needed. My colleague, Senator Noonan, stated that the restoration of the ecological status of Lady's Island Lake could take up to 20 years, and with a huge collective effort. On National Biodiversity Week, will the Taoiseach give a commitment to more investment to fund the work of the strategic oversight group to deliver long-term restoration of the lake through supporting local farmers? Lady's Island Lake could become a beacon of restoring nature across this island but it requires the State to step up and support actions on the ground that will ultimately turn this situation around.

First, I appreciate the comments the Deputy has made and that he has acknowledged the encouraging signs the committee witnessed when it visited Lady's Island Lake recently. I have been engaged with the Minister of State, Deputy O'Sullivan, on the biodiversity plan and national funding over a period, to enable implementation of the broader national strategy and plan. Obviously, we are committed to continuing the work at Lady's Island Lake to see how speedily or timely we can get that work done. I will speak to the Minister of State again on that.

It is now taking anything from four to six weeks for Garda vetting to be returned by the national vetting bureau. This is having a very real and immediate impact on the early years sector, a sector that, frankly, should be an absolute priority. Services are operating strict staff-to-child ratios and because of these delays, some are being forced to close rooms. That, in turn, is creating a huge knock-on effect for working parents who rely on these services every single day. We clearly need a more efficient, portable vetting system. What action can the Government take to fix this?

The additional resources have been allocated and the Garda and others are working flat out to make it as timely and efficient as possible. Legislation is there, so people are either constrained by it or have to operate under the legislative frameworks that govern vetting. It should be kept under constant review to make sure it is practical and pragmatic while at all times ensuring proper safeguarding and protection of people.

I have been contacted by farmers across north Tipperary and north-west Kilkenny, who are currently finding it difficult to access funding under the targeted agricultural modernisation scheme, TAMS, for the installation of solar panels on their farm buildings. A recent parliamentary question reply stated that the solar capital investment scheme has been hugely popular with farmers wishing to invest in renewable energy, thereby reducing their dependence on fossil fuels. That same reply from the Minister, Deputy Heydon, stated that between 2023 and 2025 over €4.5 million was paid to farmers to get solar panels on their farms, which is really good news. However, in the current climate of rising costs for diesel and electricity, falling prices for farmers and the need to reduce carbon emissions, the installation of solar panels on farm buildings really is low-hanging fruit. Therefore, my two questions to Government are: first, will we see an increase in the percentage in TAMS funding in the next tranche for the installation of solar panels on farm buildings? Second, can farmers who have been refused recently-----

Thank you, Deputy. The Taoiseach to respond, or the Minister.

-----be prioritised in the next round for funding?

I know the Minister for agriculture is here but I will take it on the basis that this morning, the Cabinet had a discussion on this issue, acknowledging, first of all, the significant take-up of TAMS by farmers in respect of solar. More than 20% of the expenditure overall, out of €160 million, has been on the solar capital investment scheme. That shows there is a real hunger there among farmers. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, is engaging with the Minister for agriculture. They will try to work it out together and then we will go to the Minister for public expenditure. In any event, we are onto this and I think there is an issue here. It is an issue for everybody. The more renewables we can install, we can reduce costs for users of energy and that is something we have to do at pace. TAMS is a good potential vehicle for solar but, that said, there are limits under the existing scheme because of the fact that 64,000 applications have been received to date. Three times the number was received.

I was in Croke Park this morning for the All-Island Cancer Summit 2026. It had organisations from the Irish Cancer Society and medical consultants to researchers, people from the hospitals and everyone involved in cancer care in the country. The big concern they all have is about the future ten-year cancer plan. The strategy is a ten-year plan from 2016 to 2026. Has a team been established to plan for cancer care and treatment in the country for the next ten years? How can we deal with the new therapies being delivered and made available? How we can keep up to date with those new therapies? When is a plan going to be put in place? Is a team in place?

We have benefited enormously from a strategic approach to cancer over the past three decades, going back to the late nineties. That has resulted in significant survival rate improvements and increases in technology and so on. Survival rates for patients have improved greatly. OECD data show that cancer mortality rates in Ireland are falling faster than the EU 27 average and faster than that of our economic peers. The first strategy was 1996. My understanding is that there is a successor to the current ten-year strategy in planning and on the way. There has to be. I will talk to the Minister in terms of the Deputy's raising this issue today. We need to continue with that strategic approach, looking ahead at trends, therapies and how best to deploy them.

Colm Byrne, my Sallins constituent, has just been kidnapped an hour ago on a flotilla in international waters on a peaceful mission to deliver aid, medical supplies and food to the Palestinian people. It is a non-violent humanitarian expedition yet the IDF is treating them savagely and illegally. Amidst his mistreatment, in a voice message he sent to me, all Colm can think about is not what the IDF is going to do to them, but imagining what they do to Palestinians - the cruelty, torture and sexual abuse that Palestinians, including children, suffer. He wants me to give a clear message to the Government to stop being so spineless when it comes to Israel. Colm is urging every single Teachta to remember what the State of Israel is doing when they vote for the sanctions against Israel Bill tomorrow night. Irish citizens are sailing into danger carrying aid, abiding by international law, because the Government has failed in his moral duty by allowing this horror to continue. What is the Taoiseach to protect these Irish citizens and to make sure that we finally act against this genocide?

As we have always done, we work to help and support Irish citizens in any difficult situation. In this case it is absolutely unacceptable. I have condemned what the Israeli military and Israeli Government have done in international waters. We will work extremely hard through our ambassadors to make sure that all Irish citizens are looked after and that they are released immediately. Those are the advocacy and representations we will make to the Israeli Government. I do not accept the Deputy's assertion that it is the Irish Government's fault that the flotilla has been intercepted by Israel. They have been doing that for over two decades.

I did not say that.

I do not think it is fair. I will just make the point----

I said the Government is forcing Irish citizens into direct action because it is not doing enough.

That is not the reason.

It is the reason. They would not have to do that if the Government were acting.

That is not the reason.

Duiske College located in Kilkenny has DEIS status. It was ranked third in terms of progression to university throughout the country in a national poll. The school site is made up of prefabs. They are dated and full of mould. There are holes in the floor and electrical issues of all kinds. Recently it been refused a second ASD class, even though there is a waiting list at the school. I tabled a parliamentary question recently and to say that I got a partial answer does not even describe it. I ask the Taoiseach to intervene to make sure that the second ASD class for Duiske College is delivered, that the prefabs are examined and updated without delay, and possibly that they be given a new site close to that school. It is not acceptable.

I take it that it is a post-primary school.

Yes.

I will talk to the Minister in respect of this. In addition to the physically established special classes, a new inclusive class is being advanced by the Department. It is open to schools. If they have children and young students with special needs, the same principle of one teacher and two SNAs will apply. In advance of a class being established physically, a new innovation has come into being. I will check with the Minister whether Duiske College can be accommodated within that. We are trying to create more classes as well across the length and breadth of the country because the numbers are increasing and we have to meet the need.

As I said to the Taoiseach earlier on, I am getting reports from the flotilla organisers that Israel is shooting rubber bullets at boats that have Irish citizens on them, who have not yet been kidnapped by this rogue regime. There would be uproar if Russia kidnapped people on the open seas, for example. There were sanctions immediately when it invaded Ukraine. There would be outrage. The Government has not imposed a single sanction on the State of Israel despite, genocide, apartheid and now the seizure, again, of Irish citizens. This is a regime that tortures people, according to the UN special rapporteur and widespread reports. There are grave concerns for our citizens. What crime does Israel have to commit before we will impose sanctions? Why is the Government going to vote against the sanctions Bill tomorrow night when the flotilla organisers, and I would say the majority of people in this country, are saying we should impose sanctions on this state for the crimes it has committed?

The Deputy knows that the European sanctions against Russia are European, not individual member states'. The same applies to Israel. We have not been able to get unanimity at European Union level in respect of Israel. The Deputy knows that yet he just presents a false picture. By the way, Russia did kidnap thousands and thousands of children.

Has the Government put sanctions on it?

The Deputy has never brought a Bill in about that.

I did.

Or about anything. I agree what has happened is unacceptable. Everybody does. We are seeking to try to get the Israeli-EU trade association agreement suspended. More states are becoming supportive of the Spanish and Irish position. The Deputy knows damn well we advanced it two---

The Spanish imposed sanctions; the Government has not.

The Deputy keeps interrupting. We advanced it two and a half years ago. He knows we did, yet he just keeps on making false assertions about the Government's approach to this. I do not think that is fair either.

Not false.

The current income limits for council housing are completely outdated. They are too low and must be increased urgently. These low income limits have the effect of locking large numbers of low- and middle-income families out of public housing and indeed private home ownership as well. The families do not qualify for council housing or the housing assistance payment, nor will they qualify for a mortgage. They are condemned to private renting at enormous rents for ever more. They cannot save for a deposit. Some of these families have been on council lists for years, only to be removed when the list is removed. I know the Taoiseach will tell me about schemes like help to buy, affordable housing and rent to buy. Large numbers of these families simply cannot avail of these schemes. They live from week to week and cannot save for a deposit. These limits need to be urgently increased. They are unacceptably low at present.

I appreciate the point the Deputy is making and I have a lot of empathy with what he is saying. They were last revised about three years ago, maybe a bit longer, and I think the threshold for qualification for social housing went up about €5,000. I know the Minister for housing is reviewing this. I have spoken to the Minister about this. There are quite a number of working people who are on incomes that would not enable them to get mortgages and so on and who are above the threshold for social housing. I believe it needs to be reviewed upwards.

I acknowledge the hard work and commitment of our gardaí across the country. Day in and day out they serve communities with professionalism and dedication, often under significant pressure and with limited resources. The increase in Garda recruitment and investment in recent years is welcome and appreciated. However, rural communities still feel they are not seeing the benefit of the investment on the ground. The issue is not simply Garda numbers; it is the geographical spread of resources. Too many rural towns and villages are left without a visible Garda presence. People in rural Ireland deserve to feel safe in their homes, farms and communities. Farmers continue to face theft and trespassing. Elderly residents are worried about isolation and long response times. Many communities feel disconnected from local policing. We need to ensure that recruitment and resources are distributed more fairly so that rural Ireland is not left behind. Will the Government commit to improving the geographical spread of Garda resources and increasing the visible Garda presence in rural communities, particularly in Carlow-Kilkenny but also around the country?

I thank the Deputy for raising this. He has a particular focus on this issue. I will speak to the Minister for justice. Generally speaking, we support what the Deputy said. The numbers are increasing of those coming through Templemore recruitment centre and college, which is good. There was an initial focus on Dublin and cities but that will change. There is now an increasing allocation to rural areas. In terms of a recruitment and dispersal strategy, I take fully on board what the Deputy is saying. I will also pick up on his point that perhaps we need to look at the policing model for rural Ireland and work with local community safety partnerships and local stakeholders in rural Ireland to see what is the best way to deploy resources to enable people to feel safe. I have witnessed recently that where we had greater Garda visibility on streets, the psychological impact was amazing. People felt safer because of that.

I want to raise once again the question of wind energy guidelines. Last year when I entered this Chamber, I was anxious to understand when the planning guidelines would be updated both for wind energy, the towering tall 185 m high turbines and of course for solar energy. There was a promise or commitment given that the planning guidelines would be updated and published in the spring of this year. Spring has just slipped away and I am anxious to know when they will be published.

Work is under way between the Department of energy and climate and the Department of housing in terms of a planning statement, which has replaced the format for guidelines. Remember this same Department had to work on the planning on exempted developments, which was quite a significant piece of work, on the rural housing guidelines, which are imminent, and on short-term lets. There is a lot of work going on there. I do think we need somewhat of a conversation or debate about energy. I make this point generally. We had to allocate €750 million a couple of weeks ago to help people pay for their energy costs because of the importation of fossil fuels and the incredible rise in prices, which is impacting people. Renewables give us a pathway to reduce costs for everybody. We need to make sure we get the balance right in terms of the different energy sources, so that we can get costs down permanently for people. That might involve trade-offs but we can discuss that when the planning statement comes along.

I want to raise with the Taoiseach the issue of the flotilla. As he knows, Dr. Margaret Connolly is a constituent of mine from County Sligo. She and 11 others have been detained by Israel on the open seas in international waters. Their boats were invaded and taken over by military force and people were taken by military force back to Israel. We do not know who they are, where they are, where they are being held or what is happening to them. These families are in distress. I acknowledge the Irish consulate is working with them and the work it has been doing there. Politically, the reaction of Ireland needs to be strong, determined and forceful. We need to say clearly to the world that it is not appropriate that Irish citizens can be treated in this way. They were bringing aid to an area in Gaza which is under siege, where people are hungry, do not have medical provisions and have been tortured and destroyed by war for the past 18 months. Yet we see this international action happening, which is totally inappropriate. I appeal to the Taoiseach to be firm and clear as to what Ireland is going to do in respect of this.

The Taoiseach will now respond.

I agree in terms of the appalling nature of this act. Worse is the fact that Israel is not allowing appropriate and sufficient aid into Gaza. Notwithstanding the Board of Peace and the first phase of the agreement being implemented early on, and aid was getting in-----

A trickle.

That has choked up again and has been restricted. This is a grievous thing to be doing. It is an appalling thing for the Israeli Government to be doing because people are still starving and do not have proper shelter in Gaza. There are quite a number of international citizens, including Irish citizens, on board the flotilla raising awareness about the injustices of what is happening in Gaza and in the West Bank itself. Ireland has been very clear on this. It is at European Union level that the greatest impact can be made, and with the United States Government, to have pressure and leverage on Israel to stop doing what it is doing. It is acting with reckless abandon and, in my view, is consistently in breach of international humanitarian law.

I want to highlight some difficulties that Irish healthcare students face in accessing clinical placements. A constituent of mine is studying physiotherapy in the Netherlands and needs to complete specific clinical practical placements in hospitals to register with CORU to practice as a physiotherapist in Ireland. She has been trying to line up a placement since February of last year but to no avail. Tallaght hospital has told me it has received 34 placement requests since January 2025 and so far it has only been able to accommodate five of these. In fairness, this is in addition to the placements it gives as a training hospital to Trinity College Dublin. At a time when we are trying to encourage people to join our health service it seems there is a lack of capacity in the training hospital system to cater for demand. What will the Government do to improve capacity to provide clinical practice for healthcare students who are either studying outside the State or at private colleges here that do not have official links?

We are trying to increase the number of healthcare places in the system and we have added 1,100 across therapies, medicine, nursing, midwifery, etc. Placement opportunities are essential for these courses to go full term. I have been working very closely with the Minister for Health on this. The Minister for Health has appointed HSE regional co-ordinators for placements, specifically for this issue, to ensure that each hospital and healthcare facility is supported and makes these places available. Deputy Ahern mentioned that Trinity College has a relationship with Tallaght hospital. One of the issues is that there has to be more flexibility in the system. A hospital may have always had a relationship with a particular institute but it will not always have it and will have to look beyond it. I will pick this up with Deputy Ahern off-line and will engage with the Minister for Health on it as well to see what can be done for this particular student.