Shay Brennan

There is an expectation that the agreement on the MFF will be reached before the end of 2026. Ireland effectively carries the responsibility for delivering one of the most complex and contested negotiations in recent EU history within that six-month term. These negotiations involve deeply-held national interests across 27 different member states. There are significant disagreements on spending pri…

7. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation for an overview of the progress made to date under national strategic outcome, NSO, 5 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27477/26]

4. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his attendance at the most recent meeting of the coalition of the willing in support of Ukraine. [74073/25]

The Middle East conflict is having wide-ranging repercussions. Two of these impact directly on Ukraine's ability to defend itself. The first is that Russia was selling Urals oil at approximately $40 dollar in the past few months, towards the end of last year. This price has obviously risen substantially since the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East. There are two reasons behind this: the r…

I seek an update on the Government's action plan on insurance reform. This issue continues to be raised with many of us by households, community groups and business still facing very high premiums and, in some cases, finding it difficult to get cover at all. I would like to know where the action plan currently stands, what progress has been made to date and, in particular, whether the priority act…

The action plan was pledged as the answer to years of rising premiums and uncertainty for households and businesses. However, as I am sure he acknowledges, my colleagues and I continue to hear from people who have not yet seen any meaningful reduction in their insurance costs despite the reforms that have been announced. Will he set out how the Department is tracking the implementation of the refo…

While not directly included in the action plan, I have a question about the Central Bank (Amendment) Bill 2025, particularly the right-to-be-forgotten provision for cancer survivors seeking mortgage protection insurance, as alluded to by the Minister of State. Will he confirm that mortgage providers will embrace that provision? Has there been any dialogue, input or feedback from them in this regar…

I have pressed the Tánaiste on this before, as I have done his predecessor. I reiterate the fact that asset values are rising and have been steadily rising over many years. This applies particularly to the family home. At the same time, families are smaller and, as my colleagues are saying, it is not always a direct inheritance from a parent to child. Sometimes, it goes elsewhere in the family or …

Has any engagement by the Department occurred with the insurance sector following recent severe weather events, including both Storm Bram and Storm Chandra? These storms have caused real damage and anxiety for many households that are now trying to cope with the aftermath. Could the Minister of State outline what specific engagement has taken place to date and how the insurance sector is respondin…

I thank the Minister of State. As more claims are processed, households now fear that making a valid flood claim could lead to exclusion from further insurance cover or sharp premium hikes, which compound their vulnerability to future weather events. I met many of these households and families over the last few days and weeks in Dublin Rathdown, which was particularly hit by the recent Storm Chan…

I appreciate the Minister of State's and the Department's proactive interaction with the insurance industry. Will he confirm whether his Department's engagements with the insurance industry have included discussions about the role insurers could play in preventing future flooding? In particular, has he explored the possibility of insurance companies contributing in some way to resilience measures …

6. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Finance if he plans to change the rates of capital acquisitions tax or the thresholds at which the rates are paid; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65024/25]

This is my first Dáil engagement with the Tánaiste in his position as Minister of Finance. I take this opportunity to wish him all the best in that role. I look forward to working with him in his capacity as Minister into the future. What, if any, plans does the Tánaiste have in place to examine either the rates of capital acquisition tax or the relief thresholds for gifting or inheriting?

Inflation has risen sharply in recent years. Nowhere is this more evident than in urban areas, particularly in Dublin. The median house price in the capital now stands well above the €400,000 group A CAT threshold, yet there has been no recent adjustment to this threshold to reflect this mismatch between asset value and tax policy. This discrepancy often results in a difficult outcome where an ind…

Individuals who are childless, by choice or otherwise, now make up nearly one in five adults but are effectively penalised under the current capital acquisitions tax regime. Without children to access the larger group A threshold, they are relegated to the much lower group B limit of €40,000 applicable for siblings, nieces and nephews, or even just the €20,000 under group C for all other cases. Th…

I appreciate the opportunity to speak on the Supplementary Estimates before the House today for the Department of Taoiseach and the Office of the Chief State Solicitor. I understand that these proposals are not about allocating new funds for fresh initiatives or discretionary spending. Instead, they represent essential expenditures that arise from legal obligations. These obligations come from dec…

82. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Social Protection for an update on the guidance and information he is providing to employers in relation to My Future Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [62073/25]

Four out of five suicides in Ireland are male. This figure is deeply distressing and behind every number is a man, often young, often in the prime of his life, whose loss devastates families, friends, and communities across the country. Every one of these deaths leaves a ripple of grief that stretches far beyond the immediate circle. It not just a statistic; it is a husband, a son, a brother, a te…

15. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent telephone call with President Zelenskyy. [46841/25]

Ukraine applied for EU membership in February 2022 and was granted candidate status not long after that. Since then, significant progress has been made, with the screening progress reportedly completed in September 2025. Will the Taoiseach provide an update on the current status of Ukraine's accession talks, progress made on any required reforms - if that information is available - and the key mi…

3. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on the economy, trade and competitiveness will next meet. [46842/25]

Internationally recognised digital hubs like Station F in Paris have profoundly transformed their local and regional economies by attracting start-ups, venture capital and cutting-edge innovation ecosystems. The Government has signalled strong backing for digital hubs as cornerstones of Ireland's economic competitiveness and future growth. Sandyford Business District is at an advanced stage of pla…

15. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on EU and international affairs will next meet. [46843/25]

In recent weeks, we have seen an increase in Russian drone incursions into airspace of several EU member states. These were accompanied by threats to energy and transport infrastructure. Both the European Parliament and the Council have called for a stronger, more co-ordinated EU response including potential joint air defence measures, tougher sanctions and new protocols to address aerial and hybr…

105. Deputy Shay Brennan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will revise the vacant homes grant scheme to make it more accessible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53575/25]