William Aird

193. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Social Protection the progress made in ensuring seamless service delivery between his Department and other Government Departments and agencies in the provision of social welfare and employment supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31478/26]

497. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the steps being taken to secure a new investor or occupier for a former facility (details supplied) in Portlaoise, given its strategic importance as a major modern industrial asset, its suitability for food, pharmaceutical or advanced manufacturing use, and the risk of significant economic loss to the Laois region if the site remains idle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30552/26]

498. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the way in which the proposed Consumer Protection, Competition and Enforcement Bill 2026 will enable the Consumer and Competition Protection Commission (CCPC) to act more quickly against unfair business practices; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30553/26]

499. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the specific supports that are available through Fáilte Ireland to assist in the development and promotion of tourism infrastructure in County Laois and the wider Midlands region, in order to enhance regional visitor numbers and economic activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30554/26]

500. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment whether consideration has been given to targeted investment or incentive schemes to support the redevelopment of large-scale vacant or underutilised industrial sites for tourism-related uses such as food tourism, visitor centres, or experimental attractions in regional areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30555/26]

294. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence the steps being taken to ensure that the Defence Forces are adequately staffed and resourced to meet current and emerging security challenges; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29257/26]

295. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence the current status of recruitment and retention initiatives within the Defence Forces; the measures being considered to address ongoing personnel shortages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29258/26]

296. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence the level of investment being allocated to the modernisation of Defence Forces equipment and infrastructure; the timeline for the delivery of key capability upgrades; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29259/26]

297. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence the extent of Ireland's participation in international peacekeeping missions; the plans to expand or reduce such commitments in the coming period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29260/26]

298. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Defence the measures in place to enhance cybersecurity and protect critical national infrastructure from emerging threats, including any role envisaged for the Defence Forces in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29261/26]

365. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the date on which she and Department officials will visit a school site (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29245/26]

366. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the criteria for the appointment of home school liaison resources for schools under new DEIS strategy to 2035; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29246/26]

367. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the breakdown, by county, of the €90 million investment package for the 2026 Climate Action Summer Works announced in November 2025; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29247/26]

368. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reasons for re-introducing the State examination fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29248/26]

369. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Education and Youth the level of capital funding provided to primary and post-primary schools in County Laois in each of the years 2016-2025, by school, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29249/26]

478. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the measures being taken to address extensive childcare waiting lists, particularly for children under three; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29253/26]

479. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the specific measures the Government is taking to reduce child poverty in rural areas, such as County Laois, where deprivation may be underreported; the way in which Tusla and the Ombudsman monitor whether interventions are achieving long-term reductions in child poverty rather than providing only short-term relief; the guarantees that can be given that children in smaller counties receive equitable support compared to urban centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29254/26]

480. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the way in which her Department is working with Tusla, the HSE, Cuan, and other relevant agencies to support coordinated access to community-based counselling and psychotherapy services for children, young people, and families, including those in rural or disadvantaged areas; whether engagement with an organisation (details supplied) forms part of this work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29255/26]

481. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the expected impact of the recently announced €1 million in funding for nine digital and assistive technology projects under the HSE CREATE III initiative; the way in which these projects will enhance participation and supports for people with sensory, cognitive, physical and intellectual disabilities; her plans to further strengthen the national assistive technology ecosystem; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29256/26]

287. Deputy William Aird asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he has assessed the potential knock-on effects of increased agricultural fuel costs on food price inflation, and the extent to which carbon taxation on agri fuels is contributing to increased costs for consumers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26863/26]

174. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment the measures being taken to ensure the continuity and security of electricity supply given the continued reliance on fossil fuels for more than half of electricity generation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27872/26]

175. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment if the National Oil Reserves Agency plans to increase stock levels within Ireland’s strategic oil reserves in the event of a worsening international energy crisis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27873/26]

234. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport to clarify the policy position of National Broadband Ireland ( whereby only one broadband order or line may be allocated per Eircode or associated postal point; the rationale for this restriction, particularly in cases where a single domestic property contains a separate home office or workspace requiring an additional broadband connection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27874/26]

235. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport the process by which a second postal point or commercial postal point may be created through GeoDirectory in order to facilitate an additional NBI connection, including the criteria which must be met (such as physical separation, separate driveway, or supporting photographic evidence); to indicate whether this process is considered proportionate in the context of increasing levels of remote working and home-based enterprise activity in rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27875/26]

236. Deputy William Aird asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport whether his Department has considered or intends to review the interaction between Eircode, GeoDirectory and NBI systems to ensure that households are not unduly prevented from accessing multiple fibre connections where there is legitimate dual residential and home office usage; whether any flexibility exists within the National Broadband Plan framework to accommodate such cases without requiring structural changes to properties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27876/26]