Alan Dillon

As I said, the retail crime strategy is being worked through at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. It is being led out by the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. I have had extensive engagement with him and his officials. We have held a round-table meeting with many retailers, who were representatives of the retail forum. We want to ensure that strategy has concrete interventions and…

The Government is committed to delivering on Ireland's responsibility to address the climate crisis. Work remains ongoing across Departments to carry out climate mitigation efforts every day. The roll-out of retrofitting, renewable energy and more affordable electric vehicles, EVs, continues at pace. Ireland now has the lowest level of greenhouse gas emissions in over 35 years, despite a populatio…

As I said earlier, we are making significant progress and we need to continue that pace and ensure that we have full delivery of all planned measures in regard to our legally binding targets. That is exactly what we are intending to do. Let us be clear, we have the policies and the necessary funding in place and the governance is being strengthened. The Government has continued to remove blockages…

Just to address the rhetoric and some of the-----

----- issues that the Deputy is raising.

We are trying to have a civil conversation on oral parliamentary questions. As I said earlier, we have reduced our CO2 emissions below 1990 baseline figures for the second consecutive year, and we are making significant progress on expanding home retrofits and bringing more renewable energy on stream. The best response we have made in recent years is that our emissions are falling. That is the rea…

We will not dismantle our climate policy. We have continued-----

The programme for Government commits to promoting the SRESS to simplify market access for communities, SMEs and farmer-owned solar and wind projects. The SRESS export tariff is designed for community, SME and farmer export-only projects above 50 kW to 6 MW. SRESS offers a simpler route to market for those groups, with fixed tariffs for solar and wind. All export projects up to 1 MW can also apply …

I fully accept that the uptake must increase. I know there is one project in Kerry and there is also a project in my own constituency of Mayo. That is exactly what we are working to do, to unlock the barriers. In terms of our commitment, we are reviewing whether 100% community ownership remains the right model. We are also examining options of partnership between communities and developers, and a…

To answer the question, we met as recently as yesterday in regard to it. We hope to have the review published before the end of the year. I understand the urgency around it. We listen to the frustration from communities that are giving their time and energy in trying to get these projects off the ground. We are very much committed to the community-enabling grants. That has not changed and we want…

Sit down, you fool.

Good electioneering there, Paul.

I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after "Dáil Éireann" and substitute the following: "notes that the Government: — remains deeply concerned about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and Gulf; — continues to seek de-escalation through dialogue and diplomacy so that these issues can be resolved; — recognises and understands the pressures that have arisen due to rising fuel costs a…

I thank Deputy Sherlock for raising this matter and for the opportunity to update the Dáil on the modification and expansion of the buy and renew scheme. I am taking this question on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The Department has a number of schemes in place targeted at increasing the supply of social housing and working towards ending dereliction. That is …

I thank Deputy Sherlock for the constructive points she has raised this afternoon. Certainly I feel there are many good local authorities that engage in these types of schemes very proactively. There are also local authorities that fall behind and do not promote them. The modified and expanded buy and renew scheme is a positive and the new parameters are very welcome. The inclusion of the contract…

I thank Deputy Gibney for raising this important matter and giving me the opportunity to update the Dáil on behalf of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Critically, the management and maintenance of local authority social housing stock is, first and foremost, a matter for the respective local authority, in this instance Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, in accordance wi…

Again, I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter and for her contribution. We are in agreement that the standard of social properties being rented out by local authorities should be such that tenants have a good quality of life and their well-being and mental health are being protected. It is not acceptable for anyone to live in damp, mouldy or substandard conditions. That is why the Go…

I thank the Deputy for raising the important issue of the HSE's public dental and orthodontic service in south Tipperary. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health. The HSE oral healthcare service aims to provide an oral examination and necessary treatment for children at ages approximating to second and sixth class and, in some cases, fourth class. Emergency care is provided f…

I have listened to the Deputy and taken on board the points he has made. I will bring them back to the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. The Deputy has advocated for his constituents to ensure they have better dental and orthodontic treatment services. I assure him that improving access to dental care for children is a priority. We need an accelerated response to the staffing deficit that Tippera…

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister for Health. It is great to get an opportunity to provide an update and acknowledge the extraordinary role played by healthcare workers in protecting us during the pandemic. In recognition of those exceptional circumstances, a special scheme was introduced in July 2022 to support eligible public health sector staff…

I acknowledge the extraordinary service of our healthcare workers during the pandemic. The temporary special scheme for long Covid was an exceptional measure that was introduced in recognition of the unique risk faced by staff in those early days and uncertain times. It provided sustained support for nearly five years, which was a level of protection unmatched in any other sector. The Deputy is dr…

I thank Deputy Stanley for raising this important matter of EV charging points in Laois. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. The Government is fully committed to supporting a significant expansion and modernisation of the EV charging network over the coming years. Having an effective and reliable charging network is an essenti…

I thank Deputy Stanley for his advocacy and for raising this matter on the floor of the Dáil. It is not the first time he has raised it and it is an important issue for those who have EVs. They do need more security and predictability in regard to charging networks and facilities. There are three ongoing schemes, LDV1, LDV2 and LDV3, being administered by the Department of Transport and these will…

I thank the Deputy for raising this matter and giving me the opportunity on behalf of the Minister for Education and Youth, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton, to update the House on the current position regarding Cloontagh National School in County Longford. Cloontagh National School is a two-teacher school based in Killashee parish. The school is under the patronage of Bishop Paul Connell and a Catholic…

I thank the Deputy again for raising important points regarding a school in her constituency. I will ensure I take those points back to the Minister for education, Deputy Naughton. I emphasise again that the Department is fully committed to ensuring there is appropriate accommodation available for all school pupils and will, in the wider context, continue to engage with Cloontagh National School a…