Ken O'Flynn
Written
18 Sep 2025 · to Further and Higher Education
386. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of student accommodation units available in Cork city, Blarney, Mallow and Glanmire, as of September 2025; the number of units currently under construction or with approved planning; and the projected shortfall against third-level enrolments for the 2025-2026 academic year. [49410/25]
70. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Taoiseach if he will meet with the Ombudsman for Children to discuss his recent remarks and proposals for reform of the child protection review system. [47994/25]
71. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Taoiseach regarding the Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office, the cross-Departmental actions that have been initiated to coordinate responses on income supports, housing, childcare access and educational disadvantage, in order to reduce housing-cost-adjusted child poverty rates; and if he will provide details of progress to date. [48419/25]
102. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to publish the terms of reference, membership, selection criteria, and code of conduct for the Ireland-India Economic Advisory Panel; the way in which conflicts of interest are handled for members whose companies hold State contracts; and whether minutes and advice will be published. [48752/25]
103. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to confirm the scope of the role of a person (details supplied); and what recusal rules apply. [48753/25]
105. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of the growing concern over external risks to exports, especially through possible US tariffs or EU trade deal disputes, the specific supports he will provide to exporters based in Cork and the Munster region to hedge against trade shocks, including advice, financial aid, or market diversification programmes. [48864/25]
109. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade in view of recent controversy in the United Kingdom over diplomatic vetting as in a case (details supplied); the current standards and oversight mechanisms in place for Ireland’s nominations and appointments for foreign diplomatic posts, both multilateral and bilateral; and if the Government will consider publishing a review of prec…
140. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the reason Irish households are now paying the highest monthly electricity bills in the European Union, averaging €150 per household in September 2025, compared with €115 in Germany and €38 in Lithuania; and the measures being taken to address this disparity. [48833/25]
141. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the breakdown of electricity costs in Ireland by generation, transmission, distribution, and taxes/levies; and how these compare with the European Union average. [48834/25]
142. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the analysis that has been undertaken to assess the impact of renewable energy penetration, grid constraints, and market design on Ireland’s retail electricity prices compared with other EU member states. [48835/25]
143. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he plans to introduce price cap mechanisms or targeted relief schemes in light of Irish consumers facing the highest electricity bills in Europe. [48836/25]
144. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he accepts responsibility for the fact that Irish families are now paying the highest electricity bills in Europe; and if he will convene a cross-departmental strategy to reduce household energy costs to the EU average. [48841/25]
158. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the status of the European Union enforcement order requiring the remediation of illegal dumping at Murphy’s Rock, Cork; the actions taken by the State to comply with this order over the past twenty years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49226/25]
159. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he will set out the compliance obligations on Ireland under European Union environmental law in relation to Murphy’s Rock, Cork, and other similar sites where illegal dumping has occurred; and if he will provide details of the sanctions that could apply in the event of continued non-compliance. [49227/25]
160. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if he has engaged with the European Commission regarding the outstanding remediation of Murphy’s Rock, Cork; the nature of any correspondence between the Commission and the State; and if he will publish this correspondence. [49228/25]
224. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport whether he has considered the establishment of a rail link between Youghal and Midleton in east Cork; if any feasibility studies or assessments have been conducted; if so, the estimated costs and timelines; whether there are plans to progress this project to provide a reliable public transport option for residents of east Cork (details supplied); and the measur…
226. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the projected timeline for commencement and completion of the proposed light rail system for Cork city; and if the project is guaranteed funding under the National Development Plan allocations 2026–2035. [48384/25]
227. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the current status of the BusConnects Cork programme, including consultation feedback, revised routing, and delivery milestones; and to set out the budget ring-fenced for the scheme in 2026–2030. [48385/25]
228. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport if he will commit to delivering the full upgrade of the Cork to Limerick N20 as a motorway by 2030, given its designation as a strategic priority in Project Ireland 2040. [48386/25]
257. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the funding commitments which have been secured in the current EU budget negotiation for transport infrastructure improvements in Cork including port expansion, connectivity and rural-island link roads, and the way in which the Government will ensure that Cork's transport and connectivity projects are not underfunded in comparison with central and eastern Europ…
300. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Finance if his Department has considered the introduction of a site value tax or equivalent measures to discourage speculative landholding that withholds serviced land from development; and if he will publish any economic analysis on the potential effects of such a tax on housing affordability. [47953/25]
313. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Finance his views on the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council’s warning that the €9.4 billion Budget package risks overheating the economy; and the means by which he intends to reconcile these fiscal pressures with the urgent need to reduce child poverty. [48350/25]
314. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide a breakdown of how much of the projected €8 billion fiscal gap (after excluding excess corporation tax) will be addressed by sustainable, recurring revenue sources rather than temporary windfalls. [48351/25]
315. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Finance given the IFAC’s warning on Ireland’s fiscal overexposure to volatile corporation tax receipts, the steps being taken to broaden the revenue base and safeguard fiscal stability, in particular to sustain infrastructural investment in Cork. [48379/25]
316. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Finance to provide a full breakdown, by Department, of current expenditure overruns to date in 2025, including both voted and non-voted expenditure; and how these figures compare with the allocations approved in Budget 2025. [48392/25]