Micheál Martin

First, I join the Ceann Comhairle in welcoming the active retirement group from Midleton, and Ability West. I have a strong fondness for Midleton women.

I know. In any event, in terms of the bike shed the Deputy referenced earlier, the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, is saying the approximate cost for the actual bike shed was €32,000. There is a lot more going on there. In terms of the IPAS, that report was circulated today and we need to examine it. We have transferred responsibility for migration and IPAS centres from the Department of childre…

House prices are very high, and too high for many young people. That said, since 2020, notwithstanding Covid, about 148,000 new houses have been delivered in this country. The percentage of first-time buyers has been steadily increasing from about 25% of all purchases in 2015 to just under 40% in July 2025, and the latest data indicate further increases. First-time buyers continue to make the larg…

That review is going before the emergency development forum, which is imminent. I met with many of the groups after Storm Éowyn. Irish Water, in particular, undertook to immediately procure additional generators for the number of facilities where there had not been generators prior to or during Storm Éowyn. That was one practical step that we could take. We have also undertaken to resource various…

It is but I will get the most up-to-date information for the Deputy and will communicate it to her directly. From 1 October, trawling activity and fishing vessels over 18 m in length over all waters inside the 6 nautical mile zone will be prohibited.

That is the policy.

If you prohibit, you prohibit from 1 October. My briefing note states a limited total allowable catch of 2,000 tonnes of sprat will be permitted for vessels over 18 m long overall within the 6 nautical miles and inside baselines from October 2025 to 30 December 2026 only. The Deputy will know the story of the extensive public consultation that happened prior to this decision being made and the 5,0…

It is very disturbing. Irish Water should have the highest standards. Something like this should not be occurring. In recent months, Uisce Éireann had been assessing the feasible options for addressing the primary issue relating to the nine terraced houses and associated septic tank and percolation area in Shannonvale Park. The option is to establish a pumping station and transfer flow across the …

I thank the Deputy and he has made a very fair point. Obviously, there are pressures on budgets all over. There are ongoing discussions between the respective Ministers and the Minister for public expenditure, Deputy Chambers, right now. We are conscious of the pressures on schools in respect of capitation and the need for longer term sustainable funding to deal with increasing costs.

I thank the Deputy for raising what is a very important issue. I fully acknowledge the tillage sector is under significant pressure. I met with some individuals at the recent national ploughing championships and also met with the IFA in respect of the issue, as well as the ICMSA and other organisations. Substantial support has been allocated by Government, including about €32.4 million under the …

----- farming for water EIP, the tillage capital investment scheme, ACRES and the organic farming scheme. However, there are issues and we do not want to maintain that support.

There is a programme for Government. I do not announce budgets in advance.

The Deputy's ministerial colleague would not be happy if I announced the budget in advance.

My understanding is Carlow County Council made a submission to Irish Water. I do not know how recent that was. The Government and the Minister, Deputy Chambers, have allocated substantial funding to Irish Water in respect of the national development plan. We have engaged with Irish Water on this particular proposal.

My understanding is that the Minister for education met with the group or representatives of the group yesterday. Obviously, I would ask people to come off the hunger strike. It is difficult for the survivors concerned to be on hunger strike. It can have health implications. The Government will engage, and I hope people will come off the hunger strike.

The Ministers were very clear and acted in good faith. The Minister for justice was clear that there was not sufficient documentation. Any future visit should be properly organised well in advance and there should be engagement with the national sporting authorities of any particular code of sport and then with the Government well in advance of the submission of any applications in order that we c…

It was more than that. There were issues of minors and accompanying them.

The legislation is on a priority publication list. It is being worked on intensively. Hopefully, given that it is on a priority publication list, we will see its publication shortly. The Dáil has been back two weeks and work has been under way for quite some time. I will consult with the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, in respect of any communication to the Deputy in respect of this issue.

There have been quite a number of very large commencements in Cork city. There is the Greenfield site, for example. The old Dairygold site is now commencing, and money has been released for that. There are the Railway Yard apartments and the docklands. So there has been some very significant-----

Sorry?

They are private?

What is wrong with that?

I will come back to the Deputy again, maybe, and we will discuss that.

There have been very substantial increases in funding in recent years. I appreciate what the Deputy has said about the fantastic work that CDYS is doing in Mitchelstown and in the hinterland. It provides very important interventions and opportunities for young people to progress. I will convey the Deputy's views to the Minister for Education and Youth, Helen McEntee, in respect of the issue he has…

Military neutrality is protected. We are not members of NATO. We are not militarily aligned.