364. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the number of firms that availed of the research and development tax credit in 2025, by firm size; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14176/26]
365. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the measures being taken to increase SME participation in the research and development tax credit, in view of recent analysis of uptake patterns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14177/26]
366. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance the regional distribution of research and development tax credit claims in 2025, including the number of claims from the Mid-East region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14178/26]
486. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Education and Youth when staffing allocation decisions for the 2026-2027 school year will issue to schools in Kildare North; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14173/26]
15. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps being taken to build national capacity within regulators and industry in advance of the full commencement of the EU AI Act; the way in which this will support Ireland’s position as a competitive and innovation-focused location for AI development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13254/26]
80. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures being put in place to help businesses, particularly SMEs, identify their supervisory authority under the distributed regulatory model in the general scheme of the Regulation of Artificial Intelligence Bill 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13253/26]
107. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how the new €135 million programme of State-led early learning and childcare services will support increased capacity and improved access for families in Kildare North, particularly in areas experiencing sustained demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13255/26]
161. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality how Ireland’s first National Equality Data Strategy will enhance the delivery of public services, particularly in identifying and addressing barriers faced by different groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [13256/26]
3. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Taoiseach for an update on the first progress report of Climate Action Plan 2025. [7898/26]
183. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Defence the surveillance and reconnaissance capability gaps in the Army’s current drone systems that the planned acquisitions under the Defence Sectoral National Development Plan are intended to address; the indicators that will be used to measure improved capability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12372/26]
222. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Defence the funding allocated in the Defence Sectoral National Development Plan for expanding and integrating Army drone capability; the expected timeline for achieving enhanced operational capacity; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12373/26]
391. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the reason the NTA has not published punctuality or lost-kilometre data for the W61 route for 2025 to date; when this reporting will recommence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12204/26]
392. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the measures being taken by the National Transport Authority and the operator to address repeated failures of the W61 service to operate as scheduled, particularly during evening hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12205/26]
393. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the assessment undertaken by the NTA regarding the impact of W61 service unreliability on passengers; the steps being implemented to ensure that a 30-minute-frequency service operates dependably; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12206/26]
403. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the reason for the reduction in carriage numbers on the 16:28 Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch service, which previously operated with four carriages but now operates with three; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12310/26]
404. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport if Irish Rail conducted any demand analysis prior to reducing capacity on the 16:28 Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch service; if he will provide details of the criteria used to justify this change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12311/26]
405. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport when Irish Rail intends to restore the previous four-carriage configuration on the 16:28 Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch service; if consideration will be given to increasing capacity further in light of rising passenger numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12312/26]
406. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the measures Irish Rail and the NTA are taking to address overcrowding on peak-time services on the Kildare commuter line, particularly the Grand Canal Dock to Hazelhatch service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12313/26]
407. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport if he will provide an update on fleet availability and allocation across the Kildare commuter network; whether additional rolling stock can be deployed to alleviate overcrowding on peak services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12314/26]
432. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the measures being taken to address the low punctuality and high levels of lost kilometres recorded on Bus Éireann Route 115 to Kilcock in recent performance data; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12761/26]
433. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Transport the steps being taken to improve bus services for Kilcock, given that Route 115 is the bus service for the town; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12762/26]
532. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the status of his Department's consideration of the An Post pension increase; the timeline of interactions between his Department, the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport and NewERA regarding the statutory review; and whether he will commit to expediting the process given the fi…
533. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will undertake a review of the statutory approval process governing pension scheme changes in semi State bodies, with a view to ensuring timely implementation of actuarially approved, employer funded pension increases, and to prevent unnecessary delays caused by dual ministerial sanct…
730. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the reason it has taken almost six months to approve the increase to the An Post superannuation scheme, submitted by An Post in October; the reasons for the current delay within his Department; the expected timeframe for sign off; and the measures being taken to prevent similar delays in future, given the serious impact on pensioner…
731. Deputy Naoise Ó Cearúil asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the rationale for requiring ministerial sanction under the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act 1983 for increases to the An Post superannuation scheme, given that the scheme is solvent, independently assessed, and poses no liability to the Exchequer; and whether he intends to review or amend this approval requirement in light…