Questions

914. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the steps which are being taken to ensure that the public can have full confidence in the independence and impartiality of statutory oversight bodies housed within the Office of the Ombudsman, particularly in circumstances where the same office holder adjudicates multiple aspects of a dispute; …

915. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the governance or risk assessments which have been undertaken regarding the concentration of multiple statutory oversight functions within a single office; whether his Department has evaluated if this structure remains appropriate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75095/25]

916. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the way the independence of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner is safeguarded when the role is held by the same individual who also serves as Ombudsman and Information Commissioner; if any review has been undertaken to assess whether this structure may deter potential whistleblowers; and if…

917. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation his Department's plans to review the statutory model under which the Ombudsman simultaneously holds the roles of Information Commissioner, Environmental Information Commissioner and Protected Disclosures Commissioner, with a view to determining whether structural separation would strengthen tra…

918. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the salary scale that applies to the Secretary General in his Department and to the head of each agency for which he or she is responsible; whether this scale has changed in the past two years or whether there are proposals to change this scale in the coming period; and if he will make a stateme…

919. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the amount expended on advertising and promotion in his Department, and within each agency for which he is responsible, for 2022 to 2024, by year and budgeted for 2026; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75219/25]

920. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the number of press, media or communications staff currently employed in his Department and within each agency for which he is responsible; the cost of these staff for 2025 and the expected cost for 2026; whether there are proposals to increase the number of such staff; and if he will make a sta…

921. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the estimated cost to his Department and to each agency for which it is responsible arising from Ireland’s Presidency of the European Council; the line items or events for which a cost is expected to arise and the estimated cost for each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75255/25]

922. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the priorities of his Department and each agency for which it is responsible in respect of Ireland’s Presidency of the European Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75273/25]

923. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite the Tralee flood relief scheme in County Kerry; when works will commence; the estimated timeframe for the proposed works to be completed; the estimated cost of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1021/26]

924. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite the Kenmare flood relief scheme in County Kerry; when works will commence; the estimated timeframe for the proposed works to be completed; the estimated cost of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1022/26]

925. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite the Clieveragh flood relief scheme in County Kerry; when works will commence; the estimated timeframe for the proposed works to be completed; the estimated cost of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1023/26]

926. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite the Abbeydorney flood relief scheme in County Kerry; when works will commence; the estimated timeframe for the proposed works to be completed; the estimated cost of the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1024/26]

927. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to prepare a coastal protection scheme for Banna in County Kerry; when this proposal will be in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1025/26]

928. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation when the urgent coastal protection works at Rossbeigh Beach in County Kerry will be carried out; they will be carried out prior to the summer season; the cost of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1026/26]

929. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite the Cromane flood relief scheme in County Kerry; if the proposed works will commence prior to the summer season; the estimated timeframe for the proposed works to be completed; the estimated cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1027/26]

930. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite a coastal protection scheme in the vicinity of the car park in Ballyheigue, County Kerry which was damaged during storm Bram; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1028/26]

931. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite a coastal protection scheme in the vicinity of the toilets at White Strand, Cahersiveen, County Kerry before they are washed away; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1029/26]

932. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation to expedite a coastal protection scheme for Waterville in County Kerry that is subjected to continuous coastal erosion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1030/26]

933. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the origin of the statistics on hours lost due to congestion on page 21 of the ‘Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan’; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1041/26]

934. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation when the study of major capital projects reviewed by the Major Protects Advisory Group as of mid-2025, undertaken by DPERs National Investment Office (and referenced on p30 of the ‘Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan’), will be published; and if he will make a statement on th…

935. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the average period of weeks for a major capital project to go through the entire Approval Gate 1 process, as determined by the study of major capital projects reviewed by the Major Protects Advisory Group as of mid-2025, undertaken by DPERs National Investment Office; and if he will make a …

936. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the average period of weeks for a major capital project to go through the entire Approval Gate 2 process, as determined by the study of major capital projects reviewed by the Major Protects Advisory Group as of mid-2025, undertaken by DPERs National Investment Office; and if he will make a …

937. Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the average period of weeks for a major capital project to go through the entire Approval Gate 3 process, as determined by the study of major capital projects reviewed by the Major Protects Advisory Group as of mid-2025, undertaken by DPERs National Investment Office; and if he will make a …

938. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the percentage of the 2025 Capital Budget allocation for the OPW that was spent; and if any underspent allocation will be automatically transferred onto the 2026 Capital Budget allocation for the OPW. [1158/26]