Sean Fleming

11. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the progress made to date under national strategic outcome, NSO, No. 6 of the National Development Plan 2021-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51367/26]

106. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his response to the latest monthly housing commencement figures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48047/26]

I want to raise an issue with the Taoiseach today regarding the lack of Industrial Development Authority, IDA, supported jobs in County Laois. I think the Taoiseach will be shocked by what I have to say. The IDA has ignored Laois for many years. There are 145 IDA-supported jobs in County Laois. That is by far the bottom of its list by a long shot. If the Laois figures were replicated nationally, t…

What the Taoiseach said is interesting. Based on what he said, I can confirm the unusual situation that there are more people who leave County Laois every day to go to work outside the county than there are people with jobs in the county. More Laois people have to commute to work, maybe using the motorway. However, there is also good news. The IDA bought a 45 acre site a few years ago adjacent to …

55. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will report on the implementation of the accelerating infrastructure plan. [40277/26]

126. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the measures he is taking to support the retail sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30062/26]

I welcome the opportunity to speak on the Bill. As Chairman of the Joint Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery, I welcome this particular discussion and look forward to this legislation going to the committee. As Chairman, I will ensure we have a thorough, effective and detailed discussion on Committee Stage. We will have ample time for any issues that need to be raise…

7. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Health her plans for a new GP contract; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17324/26]

114. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of jobs IDA Ireland supported in each county in the midlands region in 2025; the way in which this compares with the position in each county in the midlands region in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1592/26]

Will the Minister comment on the number of IDA Ireland jobs in County Laois? The most recent figures I received show 145 IDA Ireland-supported jobs in County Laois. In the midland region, which includes four counties, there are over 8,000. Laois has 30% of the population of the midlands region and less than 2% of IDA Ireland jobs.

I thank the Minister for that information. It has confirmed the issue I raised. I want to highlight the following situation. There are 52 IDA-supported jobs per 1,000 people in Westmeath. The figure in Longford is 35 per 1,000 and in Offaly 16 per 1,000. The figure for County Laois is two per 1,000. The IDA does not exist in Laois; I wonder does Laois exist in the minds of the IDA. It has a big re…

I appreciate the comment on Leprino, which closed in Portlaoise and was originally Glanbia, an Enterprise Ireland project. Because it was sold to an American company, it now comes under the remit of the IDA. That it just a book transfer but we need to get a facility reopened in that location as quickly as possible. I ask that when the Minister is arranging the visits for Enterprise Ireland and the…

I want to raise the issue of Erkina House, Rathdowney, which is a long established and excellent HSE facility that comes under the mental health services. By definition, the residents are vulnerable people and are entitled to peace of mind and not to be upset by the HSE in their works. Three years ago, we raised this in the House, and the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, was with us and was perso…

I thank the Minister of State for her response. I understand and appreciate what she is saying, but, obviously, I have a number of questions. As already stated, the Minister of State was involved in an issue relating to Erkina House a number of years ago and was very positive and helpful on that occasion. The Minister of State indicated that a significant level of investment would be required to …

In my role as a TD, I have had direct involvement on behalf of local communities in respect of the location of wind turbines in various locations throughout County Laois, and some of those developments also impacted on neighbouring counties such as Kilkenny and Carlow. Many years ago, the first involvement I had on behalf of a community was regarding a wind farm called Gortahile in Rossmore, which…

99. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the key measures to increase usage of modern methods of construction under Delivering Homes, Building Communities 2025-2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [65568/25]

69. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence in view of his support for chaplains to the Defence Forces having representation, his plans to agree to amending the PDF’s conciliation and arbitration scheme to provide for such representation in this administrative scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [60435/25]

7. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the housing activation office and its work and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53635/25]

13. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment the number of investments the IDA is targeting in the midlands under its current strategy; its performance in midlands investments under the previous strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50579/25]

I thank the Minister for that overview of the midlands region but I am sure he will understand if I speak about Laois in particular. At the end of last year, there were 8,045 IDA-supported jobs in the midlands. Laois has 30% of the population of the midland counties but has only 1.8% of the IDA-supported jobs in the area. If one looks at the county-by-county list produced by the IDA, one sees that…

I thank the Minister for that and, in particular, his commitment to help arrange a meeting between the TDs, the chief executive of Laois County Council and appropriate IDA officials - or Enterprise Ireland officials, while we are at it, because the figures for Enterprise Ireland in Laois are abysmally low as well. We are almost at the bottom. I will make a few key points. The Minister mentioned L…

24. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet committee on infrastructure will next meet. [34612/25]

I would like to know whether the Taoiseach has a date of publication for the review of the national development plan and whether he knows the period to be covered by the updated plan. As Chair of the Joint Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery, I believe everybody in the House must accept the need for long-term investment in housing, transport, water, electricity and h…

156. Deputy Seán Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform the status of the review of the National Development Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27741/25]