Cian O'Callaghan

We need more people to build homes.

2. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will publish updated spending reviews for each Government Department; the reason for not publishing in advance of budget 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60444/25]

I ask the Minister about the spending reviews carried out this year that were not published, as had been the practice in previous years. Why were no spending reviews published in the run-up to the budget? How many spending reviews were carried out this year that were not published? Why has the practice of publishing these reviews been abandoned? Does the Minister agree the public has a right to kn…

Go raibh maith agat, a Aire, but let us focus on spending reviews and 2025, and not all the other things that have happened. The Government has a track record of wasting public money. We need look no further than the bike shed for an example of that. In previous years, spending reviews were published in the run-up to the budget. That did not happen this year. Why not? Why is the Minister suppressi…

How many spending reviews were carried out in 2025 that have not been published? That is the nub of my question. That is what I want to know. We have been told at the budgetary oversight committee that in the region of 50 spending reviews across Departments - a very significant body of work - have not been published. Can the Minister tell us how many spending reviews have been carried out this ye…

I am asking the Minister about the spending reviews he has not published.

Will the Minister publish the spending reviews that he has not published?

The Parliamentary Budget Office.

I thank Deputy Heneghan for his contribution. I also want to acknowledge that the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, visited the school - Stapolin Educate Together National School - a few months ago. The Government has said time and again that every child that needs an appropriate school place should have one. Stapolin Educate Together National School has asked to open two additional autism class…

I want to read from correspondence from the school principal. She says: Our autism classes are now in their third year, and in that short time, we've gained extensive experience in setting them up and supporting our pupils to thrive. The success of our model has been widely recognised with teachers and SNAs from other schools regularly visiting us to observe and learn from our approach. We have d…

Budgets are about choices, and the cruel decisions this Government has made are all over this Finance Bill. The Government had the chance to stand with struggling families, renters, carers and disabled people, but it chose instead to stand with the golden circle - developers and fast-food chains. Once again, the people who already have the most are walking away with the biggest gains while ordinar…

It is true. That is what you have done.

It is shameful what you have done and these are the choices you have made. I agree; it is shameful. You have made those choices.

These are the choices you have made. Why are you continuing to underfund domestic violence refuges?

You are underfunding them. Why are we not at Istanbul Convention levels? Why not? You, as the Minister for Finance, and the entire Government should ensure that we have sufficient funding for enough refuge spaces so that no one is turned away. We are way below the amount of funding that we need and you know that. I recognise serious work has been done in this area by the Government.

It is not below me; it is below this Government to not fund properly-----

You say politics of the worst kind. This is coming from a party that has just attacked basic rule-of-law principles during the campaign that has been going on this week. That is politics of the worst kind.

I have listened and it is a charge worth making. We need to fund domestic refuges properly. They have not been funded properly. They have been underfunded for years and they remain underfunded.

I stand over that. They have been underfunded for years and remain so.

There is not enough funding.

I am saying that you, as Minister for Finance, and the Government are underfunding-----

It is not unfair. They are underfunded and, yes, you need to fund them properly.

I believe that, as a Government, you are making that choice. The Government is making a choice to underfund domestic violence refuges and needs to fund them properly so we meet our obligations and meet the need that is there. That is absolutely the case and I make no apology for saying that. I stand over that.

Yes, the Government is choosing to underfund domestic violence refuges.

Do you believe the Government is providing enough funding for domestic violence refuges? That is the question I am putting to you and I will give you the opportunity to answer. You are not answering.