Edward Timmins

12. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the actions that have been taken to implement cost control in Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51538/26]

It may not be the most interesting subject, but it is probably the most important subject in the Minister’s brief, and that is the issue of cost control. What actions are being taken to implement cost control in Departments?

I thank the Minister for his response. We have interacted quite a bit at committee level on the same topic and will continue to do so. The starting point is a detailed, accurate and complete budget. This must be prepared on a zero-waste budgeting model where all costs must be justified and it is not just assumed that last year's budget funding is a given. This, then, must be closely monitored on a…

I will list some specific items, but the list is not exhaustive. Regarding funding given to quangos, can we review whether there is overlap between these organisations and if the Government is funding them to do the same things? Can we use the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, CCPC, to do more work on bid rigging prevention? Do all Departments publish reports on overtime, the cost of…

The 132 bus service is the only bus to Dublin for most of west Wicklow. A year ago, I was told by the National Transport Authority, NTA, that the frequency of the service would be doubling. Nothing has happened since then. How do different Departments and Government bodies talk to one other? The NTA made that announcement without even having a timetable from Bus Éireann. How will communication be …

68. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport if he can provide an update on the American Presidents trail as we approach America 250; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44534/26]

A total of 23 US Presidents have had Irish heritage, with many coming from Northern Ireland. As the Minister of State knows, I floated the idea of an American Presidents trail in the House early last year. I thank the Minister for his great support. I ask the Minister of State for an update on the progress of this project.

I thank the Minister of State. I am glad that progress is being made. The actions announced are the start of what will, hopefully, be a fully-fledged tourist route. I strongly believe that this proposal could be a positive North-South project. It could also be a major attraction for US visitors, especially those with Irish links, and could be comparable to the Wild Atlantic Way. I have pinpointed …

Never has it been so important to highlight the close relationship we have with the United States. This trail would promote our close ties. It is a perfect example of the use of soft power. Soft power is something we have in the context of the US and we need to constantly remind ourselves of this fact, develop it and not take it for granted. It has contributed to the massive investment in this cou…

I want to raise three topics under tourism. The first is short-term lets. Short-term lets provide the only form of tourist accommodation in many parts of rural Ireland. They bring tourists from all over the world to places that would never otherwise receive tourists. I know because I live in a village in rural west Wicklow and have witnessed what these short-term lets bring. These industries were …

I want to raise the issue of the residential zoned land tax and how it applies to county councils. Councils were originally led to believe that they would not have to pay this tax. In Wicklow in the past year, the council paid €1 million in residential zoned land tax, which impacts on reducing services in County Wicklow. This does not work correctly because it penalises forward-looking councils li…

147. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he will reintroduce indexation for capital gains tax to eliminate this annual stealth tax; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39883/26]

Indexation for capital gains tax relief was abolished in 2003. Will the Minister of State consider reintroducing this indexation, something that, at the moment, is effectively an annual stealth tax because there is no indexation?

I will give a simple example to illustrate this better. If you had €10,000 in savings, you bought shares today and they gained by 20% over the next five years, say, 4% per annum, that would mean they would be worth €12,000 in five years' time. If inflation is a similar rate, which may well happen - 20% over the next five years - your €12,000 in five years is worth the same as €10,000 today because…

I understand this is a tall order because the position has not changed since 2002. That is 24 years. It has been an issue every year since then but various finance Ministers have chosen not to act. I would also argue that capital gains tax is different from income tax, gift tax and inheritance tax. In fact, tax credits and bands have increased considerably over the past 20 years. The exception has…

96. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine for an update on the bovine TB eradication programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35737/26]

I want to raise the issue of rural planning. It is an issue I have raised here previously with the Taoiseach. I am pleased that the guidelines are to be amended and I ask the Taoiseach to support any proposed changes that will help genuine applicants. This is an important component in dealing with the housing challenge. I have worked through four county development plans in Wicklow over 20 years a…

Ireland has benefited enormously from our membership of the European Union. From the huge value of structural funds to the attraction for American multinationals of having an English-speaking base in the EU, Ireland has been transformed for the better by this membership. This has led to a standard of living our grandparents could never have imagined, not only economically but also culturally, soci…

I met with the NTA in April 2025 and I was advised that the 132 bus service would double from four to eight buses a day at the end of April 2025. Since then, nothing has happened. I still have no clear explanation as to why. Expanding the bus service is part of the programme for Government. I ask that the current service, the only public transport for most of west Wicklow, be at least reliable. It…

I will raise a broad range of issues affecting rural Ireland. I will start with one close to my heart, that of rural planning. This is an important component of dealing with the housing challenge. I have worked through four county development plans in Wicklow and made many changes to help with rural planning. There are currently many aspects of it that make it difficult and we must make changes. F…

------it is important that non-agricultural contractors are recognised-----

-----in the Government's response to the fuel challenge.

8. Deputy Edward Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Youth for an update on the expansion of the school transport service to reduce the distance criteria to recognise feeder schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29143/26]

As part of the programme for Government, we set out to implement the terms of the school transport review to reduce distance criteria and expand eligibility. I want to raise the importance of recognising feeder schools as part of this criteria.

In west Wicklow, St. Brigid's National School in Manor Kilbride is a feeder school to Blessington Community College. Some families attending Manor Kilbride school are told they cannot receive bus tickets to Blessington. This is because five other secondary schools in County Dublin are closer but they cannot get into those schools as it is not a feeder school to those schools. This is a crazy anoma…