Questions

879. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if his Department has taken advice in respect of the use of artificial intelligence (AI) within his Department in 2024 and to date in 2025; if any section of his Department currently makes use of artificial intelligence; if he will outline the purposes it is utilised for and costs associated with same; if he has consulted with any consu…

880. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development further to Parliamentary Question No. 733 of 11 February 2025, the exact date his Ministerial brief will be published; and the uniform resource locator (URL) for same. [6384/25]

881. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide details of undeveloped sites, by county, in his Department’s portfolio; the value of the property; the length of time they have lain undeveloped; and the reason for the lack of development, in tabular form. [6533/25]

325. Deputy Fionntán Ó Súilleabháin asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of persons facilitated by council-backed remote working hubs (details supplied) in County Wexford in 2024. [5455/25]

298. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the annual payment by his Department to the climate action fund scheme, as required by virtue Circular 01/2020 (D/PER), broken down by trip, in each of the past five years and to date in 2025, in tabular form. [4962/25]

731. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a tender was issued for the PSO contract for Arranmore Island and Tory Island; when the current contract expired; if there has been a delay; if so, the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3972/25]

732. Deputy Erin McGreehan asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to consider providing financial contributions to community groups supporting communities lacking utilities following Storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4036/25]

733. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to publish the ministerial brief he received on commencing his role; and when and by what means it will be published. [4098/25]

734. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development in respect of each Bill for which his Department had responsibility and that was initiated in 2024, or that was enacted in 2024, to specify in which House of the Oireachtas the Bill was initiated; the number of ministerial or Government amendments submitted at each legislative Stage of the Bill; if the guillotine was used on the Bil…

735. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the salary scale that applies to the Secretary General of his Department; whether this scale has changed in the past year; whether there are proposals to change this scale in the coming period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4324/25]

736. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of requests his Department received from the Charities Regulator seeking approval for the recruitment of additional and or replacement staff in 2024 and to-date in 2025; and of the requests received, the number that were approved, or are pending, in tabular form. [4345/25]

737. Deputy Pádraig Rice asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to explain further the Government’s plans in respect of the Programme for Government commitment to “renew the focus and the purpose of the community recognition fund”; if this process will include a consultation process with key stakeholders such as community groups involved in local integration initiatives; and if he will make a statemen…

738. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if assistance will be provided to local development companies which have been impacted by Storm Éowyn; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4396/25]

739. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when a decision will be made regarding the future of the proposed community hotel in Roscrea, which was funded by his Department. [4443/25]

740. Deputy Aidan Farrelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he will provide a schedule of expenditure relating to IT external service provision in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025, including the company name and amount expended with them, in tabular form. [4479/25]

741. Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to outline the exact title of each Minister of State in his Department; to outline their delegated functions and attributable budget heading for each of these functions; the timeframe for when such delegated functions will be formally notified to the Dáil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4614/25]

742. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development when the next round of funding under the rural regeneration and development fund will be allocated; and the current status of the application process. [4648/25]

743. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development whether the urban regeneration and development fund could be replicated for rural towns and villages in order to support sustainable and regenerative development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4726/25]

744. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to detail the funding avenues available for sports, arts and community facilities and amenities in growing towns and villages. [4727/25]

273. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development to provide a detailed breakdown of all funding allocated for the year ahead or spent in the past fiscal year by his Department on artificial intelligence systems or artificial intelligence research; what programmes or Department operations are conducted using artificial intelligence tools; and if he will make a statement on the ma…

274. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the details of each time his Department, or public bodies under the aegis of his Department, enlisted the services of consultants in 2023 and 2024; the purpose, value, and duration of each contract in relation to public bodies under the aegis of his Department, including where consulting contracts are classified under ‘business-as-usual…

1387. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the number of requests to his Department that have been granted for various matters (details supplied); the number of such requests that were refused; and the grounds on which they were refused. [2499/25]

1388. Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the plans that are in place to tackle the chronic depopulation continually occurring in rural Kerry and as highlighted in a recent report by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2177/25]

1389. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development if he can provide any assurances that men's and women's sheds will not be impacted by the change away from the sustainability grant towards local enhancement programmes being managed by local authorities; if consideration was given to the fact that men's and women's sheds will now have to compete with other groups for funding prior to …

1390. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development the status of each individual project approved under the town and village renewal scheme in County Clare in 2024; the grant approved for each project, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2225/25]