{"head":{"counts":{"debateCount":3,"resultCount":3}},"results":[{"debateRecord":{"house":{"showAs":"34th D\u00e1il","committeeCode":"","houseCode":"dail","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/house\/dail\/34","chamberType":"house","houseNo":"34"},"chamber":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/def\/house\/dail","showAs":"D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann"},"lastUpdated":"2026-11-05T17:10:18+00:00","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/main","formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/main.xml"},"pdf":null},"date":"2026-11-05","counts":{"contributorCount":59,"divisionCount":0,"debateSectionCount":41,"questionCount":30,"billCount":0},"debateType":"debate","debateSections":[{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_2","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_3","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Energy Prices","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_2","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_3.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly The Minister knows that we have the highest energy bills in Europe. Wholesale prices are surging again. They are up about 93% in a single year and no doubt another set of price hikes will be on the way. In the budget, however, the Government chose not to introduce energy credits or a household energy payment to give households some breathing space. Pensioners, workers and struggling families have now had years of these costs. Groceries are up 25%, mortgage costs have doubled and electricity and gas prices have increased. Why did the Minister choose not to give a credit?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment (Deputy Darragh O'Brien) Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Teachta. As everyone knows, the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have caused significant disruption to international energy markets. This has resulted in higher energy prices for households and businesses right the way across Europe, including in Ireland. In response to that, the Government has taken a range of significant measures to help support consumers with energy costs. We have established the national energy affordability task force to examine energy affordability challenges and identify practical measures to support households and businesses. The work of the task force helped to inform key aspects of budget 2027 with a particular focus on those most vulnerable to high energy costs. A central element of the Government's approach is reducing energy bills through improved energy efficiency and increased deployment of solar PV. Budget 2027 provided a record \u20ac654 million for residential and community energy upgrade schemes. This investment will support more households to improve energy performance of their homes and lower their energy consumption, permanently reducing bills and improving comfort, while decreasing reliance on imported fossil fuel. The Government also continues to support fully funded energy upgrades for eligible low-income households. Since 2019, we have provided over \u20ac2 billion and delivered over 300,000 energy upgrades, including nearly 41,000 fully funded upgrades to households at risk of energy poverty. Homeowners can save up to \u20ac1,120 per annum when they carry out whole home upgrades. Social protection supports are another important component of the Government's response. In the budget we increased the rate of fuel allowance to over \u20ac1,200 per year and expanded the eligibility for the scheme, which now supports over one quarter of households nationwide. In addition, increases were provided for the living alone allowance and the child support payment, while a new cost-of-disability payment was also introduced."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly The Minister referred to upgrades, but the Government is way behind on its heat pump targets and on the retrofitting targets. This crisis of people not being able to afford their energy bills and being put under enormous pressure is the direct result of political choices that have been made by Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael governments over the years. This Government has also made a conscious choice not to give people temporary relief. We in Sinn F\u00e9in know that energy credits are not a long-term solution. It is, as Andy Burnham has said in England, to give immediate breathing space to people. It is a short-term measure to provide relief and to give time, while we should be bringing down prices. We have proposed a number of measures in legislation over the past few years including a windfall tax, resetting access to grid infrastructure because data centres cannot continue their free-for-all, and legislation to hold the energy companies to account when they are making massive profits on the backs of ordinary people. We also have legislation to accelerate our renewables transition. Will the Government adopt any of that legislation? We are not pushy. We would like the Government to take our legislation and use it for its own proposals."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien Of course you would. There are two things. We are not way behind on retrofitting at all. This year alone, as of the end of last month, we had 124,000 applications for home energy upgrades. This is because of the change to the grants that I brought forward with the Government earlier this year. That is double last year's total. We have over 300,000 home energy upgrades. These deliver permanent savings. That is where I want to see this happen. We are still at risk of the vagaries of international wholesale gas prices, so the best thing we can do is permanently reduce people's use, make their homes more efficient and make businesses more efficient. There were over 5,000 business grants last year paid for through the carbon tax that Sinn F\u00e9in would get rid of. That is \u20ac654 million we are investing. It goes straight into homes, businesses and farms to help reduce their costs, reduce their energy consumption and deliver cleaner and more sustainable energy. That will be our focus. We have also targeted the supports at a social welfare level to over one quarter of our households, with \u20ac1,200 per year, along with the fuel supports we brought forward for productive sectors like haulage and farming, and for motorists, with \u20ac1.4 billion of supports."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly While we are talking about the prices, in September the Minister said that the national energy affordability task force, NEAT, so-called \"action plan\" would inform budget 2027. He said that other areas were under consideration in advance of the budget and that the national energy affordability task force would feed into that. We are now a month on from the budget and the Minister has failed to produce it. There is a delay of five months. What impact did that task force report have on the budget? Why did the Minster fail to publish it? Is there any particular reason for that? In truth, is it a talking shop? How often has it met? Is it just a smokescreen to delay things further down the road and give more excuses so that immediate relief is not given to people who are really struggling with their energy bills? The Minister has no answers for people who are struggling with their energy bills."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien I am going to publish that in the next couple of weeks. It did feed into the budget. The Deputy may recall that just prior to the budget I brought out a new set of grants, such as the boiler scrappage scheme. This is \u20ac14,500 to replace fossil fuel boilers. That is a massive issue for people with home heating oil or other types of fossil fuel boilers. This \u20ac14,500 more than doubled in the course of the year. I brought back in the domestic battery grant, which was gotten rid of for some reason a number of years. That is in place now. These were specific measures out of the national energy affordability task force, which the Deputy will see very shortly because I will publish it in the next couple of weeks. I will bring it to Cabinet and will then publish it. There are also medium- and longer-term measures within it, such as looking at the construct of builds and the regulatory framework. The Deputy can be assured that it was not delayed at all. I chair those meetings as well. It meets regularly. The NEAT report will be published in the coming weeks, well in advance of the end of the year. That will provide a guide for the other work we need to do with regard to energy over the course of next year, the year after that and for the remainder of this Government."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Energy Prices"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_4","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Legislative Programme","counts":{"speechCount":7,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_2","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_4","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ciar\u00e1n Ahern","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ciar\u00e1n-Ahern.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ciar\u00e1n-Ahern.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_4.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien I thank the Deputy for this important question. The heat (networks and miscellaneous provisions) Bill will establish a regulatory framework to support the development and expansion of district heating networks in Ireland. The legislation will contribute to the decarbonisation of the heating sector and support the achievement of Ireland's climate objectives. Advancing this legislation is an absolute key priority for me. Following the Government decision of 30 October 2024 to approve the drafting of the general scheme, we have engaged extensively with Government Departments, the Office of the Attorney General and other stakeholders including IrDEA, the umbrella representative group for this sector in Ireland. The engagement informed a number of revisions to the general scheme, which was subsequently approved in July of this year. The revised heads of the Bill underwent pre-legislative scrutiny before the joint committee, which the Deputy was involved in. That was in September 2026, just a couple of months ago, and we are currently working with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to progress the drafting of the Bill. Publication and introduction of the Bill is expected in early 2027. While the new legislative framework will provide greater certainty for investors and project developers, district heating projects can and do progress in advance of this legislation. I engage with the sector on a regular basis. We have also brought forward the pre-construction fund. The objective of this fund is to support the development work required to bring projects from conception stage towards construction. Following a competitive process I have approved funding for nine district heating projects of about \u20ac5 million in Portlaoise, Galway, Leixlip, Blanchardstown, Monaghan, Castletroy, Naas, Drogheda and Dundalk. I am delighted to see that. Planning is under way for phase 2 of the first operational scheme in Tallaght. The project received \u20ac4.92 million from the climate action fund. In addition, \u20ac50 million is being allocated to district heating in Poolbeg where significant progress has already been made for preliminary design and advance works. We have also provided a fund of up to \u20ac100 million, allocated under the NDP, for continued development of efficient district heating networks."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ciar\u00e1n Ahern","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ciar\u00e1n-Ahern.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ciar\u00e1n-Ahern.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ciar\u00e1n Ahern It is great to hear that the Bill will come in early 2027. The climate committee has been continuing its pre-legislative scrutiny. which we hope to finalise today, and we will have a report for the Minister. We visited Copenhagen, as a committee, last week to look at how they do things over there. Obviously, it is totally different from here. They have been doing district heating over there for 100 years. It is quite interesting in that it started out as a cost-of-living measure 100 years ago. They turbocharged it during the oil crisis in the seventies when they realised they needed to wean themselves off unsustainable, volatile and expensive fossil fuels. While now it is also a sustainability measure and almost entirely based on renewable sources of heat in Copenhagen, it did start out just using oil, gas and so on. There are very interesting structures in Copenhagen. We ask the Minister to look into them. They are municipality led rather than private sector led."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien We are way behind in district heating. We have one scheme, but there is a good pipeline with those nine projects I mentioned which are being supported at pre-construction. There is a number of schemes in planning right now and a Galway scheme with planning consented. There is real momentum in the sector and there are vast opportunities. I agree with the Deputy. I know the committee visited Copenhagen and that was also a very productive and informative visit. I want to get these projects into construction. The pre-construction fund is really good because it helps to derisk projects at a preparatory stage. The capital fund under the NDP also supports those projects and their delivery. I do not know whether the committee has visited Poolbeg but it should. The waste energy plant itself powers over 80,000 homes from an electricity perspective but is ready to go with regard to district heating. That one scheme would decarbonise heat in this country by 5%. We want to get that done. Dublin City Council has lodged for planning on that connection. I have engaged with them directly myself. I thank the Deputy for the question. It is an important sector with lots of opportunities for us."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ciar\u00e1n Ahern","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ciar\u00e1n-Ahern.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ciar\u00e1n-Ahern.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ciar\u00e1n Ahern We have a target of 15.8% for renewable heating by 2030. It is going to be very difficult to get that. Poolbeg will obviously play a huge role. We visited a similar waste-to-energy plant in Copenhagen called CopenHill. They were trying to figure out how to get public buy-in into putting a big incinerator in the middle of a residential area. They put a ski slope on it and a climbing wall. It is absolutely incredible stuff. They have multiple heat sources over there. Everything in Copenhagen, from homes to hotels to industry to shopping centres, is both heated and cooled via these district heating schemes. It is absolutely incredible. We have a long way to go but it is a means of keeping prices down. Average energy prices for a household in Copenhagen are somewhere between \u20ac1,200 and \u20ac1,500 per year. It is a cost-of-living measure as well as a sustainability measure. The schemes here have a long way to go, but we will give the Minister every support we can in ensuring they are expanded and brought to their full potential, including the one in Tallaght in my constituency."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien The Deputy might break into song: \"Wonderful, Wonderful Copenhagen\". Deputy Ahern is far too young but Deputy Pa Daly will know that song."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly Never heard of it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien I am sure he has. This sector is ready to go. Deputy Ahern has raised it from a decarbonisation perspective, which absolutely makes total sense, if we consider the number of heat pumps that would have to be installed to equate to one plant. We are still absolutely committed to heat pumps and electrification, as we covered in the first question and there are further questions coming up. What we want to see is projects starting. The sector has responded really well to the pre-construction fund and the allocation for the first time of dedicated funding on the capital side under the NDP. The heat (networks and miscellaneous provisions) Bill will be important because we need a regulatory framework. That is not stopping the development. The sector really wants to see that published. The work the committee is doing on pre-legislative scrutiny is very important. I think it will conclude that today and issue the report to us. We are still drafting the Bill. I am meeting with the Attorney General this morning, and that will form part of that meeting as well. We are moving on it. Over the course of the next couple of years, I really want to see these schemes deployed and connected."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Legislative Programme"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_5","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Weather Events","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_2","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_5","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_5.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly I want to ask the Minister what assessment or planning is being done about the resilience of Ireland's critical infrastructure to severe weather events. Is he going to put any additional investment into grid resilience? Every time a storm hits the country, we are told that it is unprecedented and are promised lessons will be learned, but the next storm arrives and we discover once again that critical infrastructure remains dangerously exposed. I am talking about flooding. I will mention the Ballyheige salt-water intrusion as well, even though technically it is not under the Minister's brief. What is the Government doing to prepare into the future for these extreme weather events, which will recur?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien The resilience of critical energy infrastructure to severe weather events and storms has been extensively assessed through national risk assessments, sectoral adaptation planning, electricity sector preparedness reviews and post-event analysis from Storm \u00c9owyn. At a Cabinet subcommittee with the Taoiseach, T\u00e1naiste, myself and others, we just discussed this again in the last couple of weeks. The assessments identified severe weather, flooding, vegetation and forestry-related risks as key challenges for the electricity network, and have informed both significant resilience investment and a range of operational and legislative measures. Additional investment is planned and is under way. Price review 6, the \u20ac18.9 billion we are going to invest in our electricity grid between now and 2030, includes \u20ac990 million specifically targeted at resilience and climate adaptation measures. Since Storm \u00c9owyn, ESB Networks has delivered a significant programme of resilience and vegetation management measures aimed at reducing the risk and impact of future storm-related outages, including \u20ac74.5 million invested through the ESB Networks winter resilience plan; 25,000 km of hedgerows inspected and maintained; 3,782 km of electricity infrastructure in forestry areas assessed; more than 1,800 forestry owners engaged; 12,000 vulnerable trees attended to; 36 km of high-priority forestry corridors cleared already; and six specialist harvesting machines deployed to support forestry corridor and resilience work. The programme is continuing into 2027, with plans for a further 55 km of forestry corridor works and interventions on an additional 12,000 to 14,000 high-risk hedgerow trees. The assessments undertaken include Ireland's national climate change risk assessment, the Government's sectoral adaptation plans, including electricity and gas sector adaptation plans and crews' sector risk preparedness to 2029, which assesses 25 crisis scenarios, including storms, flooding and extreme weather."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly It is not just me or any of the Opposition parties saying it. The recent assessment from the Climate Change Advisory Council states that Ireland's climate resilience planning does not match the scale or urgency of the risks that the country now faces, the storms, the flooding and the extreme weather. I am interested in what the Minister said about vegetation and forestry. I have no doubt that in the flooding that occurred in Listowel prior to the last general election, there was a direct impact from forestry upstream, the canals that were flowing from the forestry, and the surge of water that came down and flooded two parts of the town. The report that came as a result of that did not mention the impact on forestry at all. Can the Minister be more specific about whether that area upstream in the River Feale has been identified, or about water surges in general, in areas that may formerly have been bog and would have held on to the water much better? The CCAC also said that 31 of the 54 major relief schemes are stuck at preliminary design stage."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien Flood relief schemes are really important and form part of the Critical Infrastructure Act. We just need to deliver them and we are. We have seen where flood relief schemes have been put in place. Many of them, by the way, were objected to for a long time by various groups and individuals, but they actually make a massive difference. Getting back to the Deputy's question, I have outlined specifically what we have done already. Another significant piece of work relates to the legislation. The ESB (amendment) Bill 2026 got approval of the draft heads and we are carrying out priority drafting. That is to ensure there are no grey areas about access to land. The Deputy might give me the details about that specific river and catchment area and I will certainly check that for him. We have 11.6% of our country under forest. We have a reforestation programme which we want to continue to advance. We have targets for additional tree planting that we want to meet. It is critically important, though, that those who own the forests maintain them properly. The ESB is not going to be able to do everything after every single storm event, nor should it. We have private investors and pension funds that own forests, those type of things, and indeed farmers. They need to maintain it. It needs to be part of the maintenance licence. That has formed part of my detailed discussions with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. When that Bill is drafted - I have got approval at Cabinet for it and it will go to committee as well - we will welcome the Deputy's input. It also will deal with maintenance of existing forestry and new forest planted, as to what the responsibility of the owner is."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly In an awful lot of forestry, and particularly upstream in the River Feale, there is vertical drainage from the forestry. The bog that used to soak it up and leave the water out gradually out over a ten-day period is now barrelling the rainwater, if it is heavy, down into the river and gouging out the banks. The consequence is flooding in the town. I also want to talk about coastal communities, specifically the Ballyheige salt-water intrusion. The Minister responsible \u2013 I know it is not the Minister, Deputy O\u2019Brien \u2013 has not visited the area at all. Uisce \u00c9ireann has not had a direct meeting with the 3,500 or 3,600 households involved. We are talking about some 7,000 people on a do-not-consume notice for over one month now with no real end in sight. There are proposals about planning but the amazing thing is that the Glenderry sandstone water source was closed during the summer and has not been reopened yet to provide clear water for the people. Why has that not happened?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien It does not fall directly under my remit but I had extensive engagement with Uisce \u00c9ireann in my previous portfolio with responsibility for this area. I watched the report on RT\u00c9 about the situation at Ballyheige. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne, is well aware of it and is engaged with Uisce \u00c9ireann in this regard. It is my understanding, from watching the report and from the Fianna F\u00e1il councillor in the area who was interviewed in that report, that there is engagement with Uisce \u00c9ireann. If that is not the case, I will follow up on that. There is engagement, but there has also been a request for attendance at a public meeting. That is quite recent. I will follow that up with the Minister, Deputy Browne, after this session in the Chamber. On winter preparedness and preparedness for storms, resilience is critical for our grid network. The most important resilience project on the books is the North-South interconnector. That is why we need to start the project early next year. It needs to be done without further delay. That in itself will provide significant resilience to our electricity network."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Weather Events"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_6","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Energy Policy","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_2","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_6","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_6.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Roderic O'Gorman For the past year, I have been raising with the Minister the potential for people living in apartments and renting properties to be able to purchase a plug-in solar scheme and benefit from low-cost electricity. I have been asking the Minister to move quickly to remove the barriers in Ireland that prevent the quick adaptation of this technology, like we have seen in Germany. When does the Minister expect Irish households will be able to benefit from low-cost electricity through plug-in solar?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien The Deputy has raised this before, and I have discussed this as well. Plug-in solar is an emerging, low-carbon technology and we are committed to accelerating its introduction into Ireland. I want to be clear about that. Once enabled, it could provide a cost-effective and accessible way for customers to participate more effectively in our energy system, with potential benefits including lower electricity bills, greater demand flexibility and increased support for Ireland's renewable and climate objectives. At my request, ESB Networks established a plug-in solar working group in May 2026 to examine pathways for safe, standardised and scalable deployment of the technology. To date, the group has met nine times. The working group recently submitted an options report to my Department, setting out recommendations on matters including installation approaches, product specifications and customer guidance. In parallel to that, we are working with stakeholders to progress elements of the regulatory framework. Planned next steps include an Ireland-specific safety assessment, legislative review, development of a product specification, publication of detailed customer guidance and the establishment of an online product registration portal. Further work is required to ensure the technology can be deployed safely, which is what we want, and that it is supported by an appropriate regulatory framework, with any legal barriers addressed. We are currently progressing the safety assessment and the legislative review, both of which will conclude this year. Product standards are a matter for the NSAI and ESB Networks is responsible for registration arrangements. While delivery timeframes will depend on the work of these stakeholders, we are committed to working closely to expedite them. To give the Deputy an idea of a timeframe, I am aiming for the end of quarter 2 next year. We need the regulatory and safety assessments completed. This will be a game-changer, particularly for those multi-unit developments and apartments where it can be more difficult to get multiple owners to agree to rooftop solar. The timeframe is the end of quarter 2 next year, subject to the regulatory piece being done because we want it deployed safely. There is real opportunity in this regard. We are going to do it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Roderic O'Gorman I am glad the Minister is recognising that plug-in solar should be an option for Irish households. It could be big for people who are renting and unable to get an SEAI grant because they do not own the house, as well as for those living in apartments. I am glad he acknowledged that we are behind in our roll-out of this compared to other European countries. I appreciate that he provided the end of quarter 2 as the date. That is useful. However, I am trying to understand how some of the big pieces of work the Minister set out are going to be done in that scale of time. I agree that the technology has to be correct and safe, but what kind of timeframe are we looking at for an Ireland-specific safety study to be carried out? How long is that going to take? A legislative review was also mentioned. A legislative review means pushing something well down the tracks. How can the Minister ensure and provide clarity that will be delivered in time so that Irish households will be benefiting from plug-in solar in quarter 2 of next year, as he said?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien Let us look at examples. I do not think we are way behind. Britain approved plug-in solar in August 2026, but very little plug-in solar has actually been deployed in Britain because it did not do a lot of the regulatory work. To give the Deputy assurance on this, the working group has met nine times since July. That is not us trying to delay anything at all. There are real opportunities in this regard, particularly for multi-unit developments. I live in one such development, so I can see how this will make a massive difference for people in apartments and that type of thing. It is also cheap. It will make a difference. Plug-in solar is not as powerful as normal solar PV panels, but it is not intended to replace them. It is simply an addition. ESB Networks, to be fair, has carried out substantial work on this. I am aiming for all of this work to be concluded by the end of quarter two next year so that people can purchase it. The SEAI has fed into this as well. There are real opportunities here. The legislative review is not a way of delaying this. I do not want this delayed. I want it in place as soon as possible."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Roderic O'Gorman As the Minister said, Britain has put in those approvals and I have no doubt we will see the take-up of units across that country. Britain began its process in February. The contrast in speed between Britain and Ireland in this regard is what concerns me. The Minister has provided a clear timeframe of the end of quarter 2 2027. I will continue to engage with the Minister to ensure the legislative review moves quickly. What are the key pieces of legislation that need to be assessed for the successful roll-out of plug-in solar? Has the Minister given any consideration to the SEAI providing grants and support for plug-in solar? Is he considering that, or does he consider the cost accessible enough already? This is an opportunity to bring the benefits of low-cost electricity to people who cannot currently enjoy it. We have to do everything we can to speed that up and make it available to as many families as possible."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien We have just short of 200,000 households in the country with solar panels. We have over 1 GW of rooftop solar in the country and it is accelerating at a rate not seen before. People are responding to it. They understand it. With regard to plug-in solar, the Deputy referenced Britain and how it just took from February to August there, but I ask him to have a look at how much plug-in solar has been deployed. It is very little. It put the cart before the horse. We want to get this right. I want to have it in place by the end of quarter two where people can actually go and purchase these units. We have got to make sure that the internal wiring and electricity infrastructure is safe for this to happen. The Deputy knows that as well. Cost wise, it will be between \u20ac500 and \u20ac1,000. The need for grant aid may not be as distinct as it is for other schemes. We will look at it, however, particularly for low-income households, social housing and apartments. It could be deployed in a very cost-effective way. It is a legislative review. I do not envisage that we will need primary legislation. That is not what I am talking about. It might also be useful for the committee, at the appropriate time, to have a look at this. I am aiming for the end of quarter 2 2027 to get this in place so people can purchase plug-in solar."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Energy Policy"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_7","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Data Centres","counts":{"speechCount":9,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_2","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Donnelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_7.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Donnelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Donnelly I will quickly address the previous question because I am interested in that area. No one has mentioned the rules around planning and how solar panels can be put on the side of apartment blocks. That is probably going to be a block. Anyway, that is a different question. Will the Minister outline the steps he is taking to address the fact that data centre demand is outpacing growth in renewable energy?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (Deputy Alan Dillon) I thank the Deputy for his question. Data centres are central to Ireland's economic and digital future. Beyond their direct economic contribution, they underpin the wider digital economy and support investments in renewable energy through mechanisms including long-term power purchase agreements. The Government is prioritising the development of more renewable energy, including reforming the planning system to make it easier to build clean energy projects. Sustainable progress has been made and Ireland already regularly generates 40% to 50% of its electricity from renewable sources. Renewable generation capacity connected to the electricity system now exceeds 8.9 GW, an increase of more than 5 GW over the past decade. Against the backdrop of rising electricity demand, including from data centres, the Government has introduced mechanisms to better align our electricity demand with renewable generation and, critically, the necessary supporting infrastructure. For example, the large energy user action plan provides a robust set of actions to develop a strategic plan-led approach to facilitate future investment in energy-intensive sectors, while aligning future demand with renewable energy deployment and grid infrastructure and ensuring that the cost of developing necessary additional infrastructure is borne in a manner that is fair and balanced. In parallel, the CRU's large energy user connection policy established stringent criteria to ensure new data centres seeking connections in the electricity system address security of electricity, supply risks, system constraints and promote renewable energy targets. This includes requiring that at least 80% of annual electricity demand be met with additional renewable energy generated in Ireland. The plan-led approach is intended to align growth with Ireland's green transition, security of supply and affordability objectives, while also supporting wider Government priorities."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Donnelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Donnelly I would challenge anyone to do a quick Google search about the dangers to our energy supply arising from data centres. I have a couple of statistics. Electricity demand in Ireland is growing at roughly 23% annually and data centres currently consume 21% or 22% of the State's total electricity, indicating it could rise to more than 30% by 2030. Data centres absorb virtually all new added wind and renewable energy capacity. Instead of the greening of the world economy, new green, clean energy feeds the digital infrastructure, leaving the rest of the country still heavily reliant on fossil fuel. Data centres prolong fossil fuel dependency by bypassing the fuel grids, drive up wholesale prices and bills, and put strain on grid reliability. The issue of data centres and the energy that they consume goes on and on. It is worrying that the moratorium on new data centres was lifted by the Government in January. There are real fears in communities about how they will impact on our energy supply."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon We speak about answering unrestricted growth. That is why the Government has moved to introduce a plan-led approach instead of allowing unmanaged development. If one looks at what has been introduced through the large energy user action plan, through aligned future demand growth with renewable energy development, transmission infrastructure and security of supply, the reality is that we are looking at significant progress in renewable energy generation. As I said earlier, we have over 8.9 GW now in process. Between 40% and 50% of our electricity is regularly coming from renewable sources. While demand is increasing, supply from indigenous renewable energy is also increasing rapidly. Government policy is focused on accelerating that progress even further and continuing our twin objectives around decarbonisation and digitalisation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Donnelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Donnelly People are going to be extremely worried. Ireland leads the EU, with 31 MW of data centre capacity per 100,000 people. It is more than triple the nearest competitor, the Netherlands, and ten times the European average. The Minister of State just stated that we are going to push forward and will have more of these data centres. I find that worrying and people are going to be really worried. If one looks at the amount of clean energy, data centres are going to rely more on gas. Where does that leave our energy strategy? Where does it leave our ability to cope with the amount of energy that data centres suck up? Yesterday, I was in the audiovisual room to hear what is being held in those data centres and the infrastructure that the Israeli apartheid regime is using in Dublin. Data centres are hosting infrastructure for an apartheid regime. These data centres are not at all what we are talking about for the future."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon With respect, the Deputy has not mentioned one benefit of what data centres provide, in underpinning our enterprise sector around ICT and digitalisation. It is a tactic that Sinn F\u00e9in uses. More than 180,000 jobs are underpinned as part of this sector."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Donnelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Donnelly Are they in data centres?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien In ICT."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon Digital services provide an enormous service to our citizens and to businesses and public services which rely on them every single day. The issue is how the Government manages that pathway forward. As I said, we have the large energy user action plan and the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, connection policy. Future development will be linked with renewable energy projects. There will be proper planning policy and infrastructure delivery. The answer is not about rising demand. It is about bringing more renewable energy projects and grid infrastructure on stream. That is what we are focused on in the here and now."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Data Centres"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_8","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Energy Prices","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_2","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_8","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_8.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan Electricity costs remain a major burden on both households and SMEs. High energy prices are damaging Irish competitiveness and increasing the cost of doing business. I welcome the Government's supports to date but, ultimately, we have to tackle the underlying costs of electricity. What further measures will the Minister introduce to reduce prices, particularly around network charges and regulated costs?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien I thank the Deputy for raising this important point. He is right that energy costs across Europe and here in Ireland are too high. They have increased substantially. The main reason is the outbreak of the conflict in the Middle East, which was preceded by the war in Ukraine. That said, Europe and Ireland are still far too dependent on imported fossil fuel, and we need to reduce that dependence. To do that, we need to accelerate renewables. The Deputy will be aware, having advocated for them strongly, of the range of new supports that we have brought forward for household and business retrofitting, which is making a massive difference. There have been 124,000 domestic applications this year alone. We will retrofit more than 70,000 homes this year and more than 5,000 businesses. This means permanent savings, reducing energy use and improving energy efficiency. The Deputy's question about network charges is valid. It relates to the construct and the structure. How do we charge for things and who pays? There are two elements to that. One is the network charges work that is being done at the European Union level. We are leading on that under our Presidency. We want to get that back to the Council in December for agreement on a general approach to move it forward. There has been some discussion around taxation. Discussions with European colleagues have been going well. We want to get the grids package agreed by the end of this year at European level. We have our own grids package, as the Deputy knows, which is PR6, with funding of \u20ac18.9 billion. On network charges and the regulatory framework, the national energy affordability task force, NEAT, which I chair, will publish that report in the next couple of weeks. That fed into the budget for shorter term immediate measures, and did so last year too, on the 9% VAT rate. We will publish distinct work on that. It will about taking action to do this very thing by looking at other countries, at how infrastructure is paid for over what period of time, who pays for it and for how long, and so on. That work will come out of the NEAT and I will publish it shortly."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan I welcome the enhanced measures that were announced in budget 2027. It is incredible that people who are dependent on the fuel allowance will now qualify for a \u20ac9,000 solar and battery grant. People who are dependent on the working family payment can qualify for that grant. These are the people who need help and who will struggle with their electricity costs this winter. This investment, which is available to them right now, can make a real difference, not for today and not for tomorrow but right into the future. That is the systemic investment the Government can make to support families. Billions are being invested in the grid. Consumers need greater transparency as to how it is going to benefit them. The Minister knows I have been outspoken about solar and wind farms in my constituency and the impact they are having. The benefits of those projects are not being felt on the ground. How can it be translated so that people who bear the costs of this infrastructure can see the benefits in their communities, more than they are now?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien That is a fair point. Where people feel there is an over-concentration of certain renewable resources, it puts pressure on a community. All of us know that our way out of fossil fuel dependency is through acceleration of renewable energy. We will continue to do that. To respond on communities, I recently visited Octopus Energy in Britain. Greg Jackson is the CEO and founder. It has gained 8 million customers in ten years. Over there, there are communities looking for wind and solar farms because the tariff changes if it is in your area. You have a flexible system. The community benefit fund, which communities benefit from substantially, is turned into a tariff reduction for people in the area. We need a sophisticated billing and tariff system to do that. That needs to be done and should be done. It will help with buy-in. If I am in an area generating a lot of renewables, I should pay less in energy prices. That work will be done by CRU, ESB Networks and EirGrid. That will come out of the NEAT, which we will publish in the next couple of weeks."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan I appreciate the Minister's engagement. People want to hear that if they are going to bear this infrastructure, they will be rewarded for it. At times, community benefit funds can be seen as a weapon used to divide communities. While they benefit communities overall, that does not make up for the households that are most immediately impacted. I welcome the Minister's engagement on that. I represent Galway. We are on the west coast. The wind is blowing all the time. How are we going to get offshore wind energy going in Galway? That is one of the big frustrations. A huge number of planning applications have gone in to hit the targets for onshore wind, but we are not seeing the same success with offshore wind, which I think will be more palatable for the people I represent."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darragh O'Brien","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Darragh-O'Brien.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darragh O'Brien Offshore wind is important. The first phase projects are all in planning. The bond was withheld on Sceirde, which was the scheme in Galway. I still think that area is viable. We are in the middle of work on a national DMAP, which is mapping all of the future sites. The focus is on getting the schemes out of planning. This week, I met one of the ORESS 1 developers of a scheme that is in planning. There has been a request for further information from An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la. Many of those requests have been resubmitted. In the coming months, we expect to have some decisions from that. Our focus between now and 2030 is on getting as many of those schemes as possible into construction. Ireland is still a desirable place for offshore wind investment. That is why we had the only successful auction on offshore wind in the European Union last year, which was Tonn Nua. That was the only one. Taking Europe as a Continent, it was one of only two. There was allocation round 7, AR7, in Britain and Tonn Nua in Ireland. We need to show delivery on that. Planning has held that up. That is just a reality. I am not blaming anyone. We need to get those out of planning and into construction."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Energy Prices"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_9","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_10","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Wind Energy Generation","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_9","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_10","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_10.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly I ask about the offshore wind projects. The Minister touched on it briefly in response to the previous question and the concerns about planning. There was a promise of an offshore wind revolution. There was a target of 5 GW, but we have seen grid bottlenecks, infrastructure and planning delays and the prospect of tearing down our only offshore wind farm before any of the new ones become operational. We have been talking about this for years. Will the Minister tell me what the latest developments are?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 23 together. Five phase 1 offshore wind projects are currently in development with planning capacity of 3.8 GW. These projects are located on the east coast, from County Louth down to County Wexford. All five projects submitted planning applications in 2024 and 2025 to An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la. I understand it was necessary for An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la to make requests for further information in respect of the projects. It has taken some time for the projects to compile this additional information, given the substantial and complex nature of the requests for further information. The first planning determinations from An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la are anticipated in the first half of 2027. Subject to planning approval, it is anticipated that some or all of these projects will be in construction by 2030 and operational in the early 2030s. The anticipated decision dates from An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la reflect the later initial application submission dates, the response times on the requests for information and the requirement for additional public consultation information submitted. The requests for information and project responses will make for some more robust planning determinations. Elements of the renewable energy directive have been transposed, including a mandatory maximum time limit of 65 weeks for planning decisions related to offshore wind projects. This will benefit future planning applications for offshore wind. The five phase 1 projects are responsible for building the offshore transmission assets to connect their individual projects to the grid. These offshore transmission assets will be built simultaneously with the wind farms by the companies concerned. I am advised that extensive negotiations between EirGrid and the five projects on the details of the offshore transmission assets have been ongoing for some time and are nearing a conclusion. Separately, the 900 MW Tonn Nua project off the coast of Waterford is progressing well since Helvec Head DAC was selected as the auction winner in December 2025. I understand the developer envisages a planning determination by 2030 and an energisation by 2033. Tonn Nua is the first of four development zones from the south coast DMAP being brought to auction. Under the development's phase 2 offshore wind policy, EirGrid, as transmission system operator, is responsible for constructing the offshore transmission assets for Tonn Nua and has committed to making a grid connection available by 2033. Preparations are being undertaken to develop the remaining three south coast DMAP development zones over the coming years. The first of those will be the approximately 1 GW L\u00ed Ban zone. The development has been carrying out site-specific engineering surveys and regional level biological surveys. We are also working with EirGrid to develop grid connection options for L\u00ed Ban. There remain two zones in the south coast DMAP area. The offshore transmission assets will then be developed in tandem with construction of the wind farm's concerns. Separately, the Department is advancing the national DMAP for offshore renewable energy. It will be developed and delivered with regard to a strategic long-term plan for ORE development, which will designate sufficient additional renewable development areas around our coast to facilitate long-term targets of 20 GW. A public consultation on the draft plan is expected to commence early in the new year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly I thank the Minister of State. He indicated that the Tonn Nua plan is progressing well and said EirGrid is being consulted and is responsible for having it connected by 2033. I have to tell the Minister of State that there are alarm bells going off in the industry. The ORESS auction for Tonn Nua was held last year. The second site for L\u00ed Ban is coming up next year. Is the Minister of State satisfied that the grid is ready to accept the Tonn Nua and L\u00ed Ban projects and also the Celtic interconnector, which will come ashore at the same place? Is he satisfied that EirGrid will have the necessary grid infrastructure ready to accept these three projects, let alone the other two that will follow? There is concern out there that that might not be the case."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I thank the Deputy for his question. In relation to grid capacity, it is a priority and is being planned alongside the offshore wind developments. The five phase 1 projects have been issued with provisional grid connection offers and discussions are ongoing between EirGrid and project developers. Those discussions are being advanced. We are also developing connection options for the L\u00ed Ban site, as the Deputy said, and the wider south coast DMAP zones. One of the lessons from other countries is that generation and infrastructure must continue to be planned together. That is precisely the model that we are pursuing in Ireland. The reason that is required is that the planning process and grid capacity need to be prioritised. The Government is investing over \u20ac18 billion in EirGrid over the next five years to ensure we have the grid capacity to bring offshore and onshore into generation. We have also established the offshore wind energy programme, which is providing a whole-of-government delivery framework. The task force has been assigned the task of alleviating challenges. The critically important work of the task force includes looking at planning and grid infrastructure, remediating any of the challenges and having a national co-ordinated programme. The offshore delivery task force is about delivery and ensuring we continue our engagement with An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la. It is good that we now have a 65-week time limit for getting a decision. We will continue to work with developers in this regard."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly To be clear, the auction will take place next year and there is concern that, with the Celtic interconnector and the Tonn Nua and L\u00ed Ban sites, the capacity is not there and the necessary planning is not taking place. Is the Department satisfied that the infrastructure will definitely be in place to take these projects ashore? Not only is it important to give clarity to the developers, but it is also important because the development of offshore wind is essential in reducing energy bills. As the Minister of State will be aware, energy bills are tied into the international gas markets. We need offshore wind. I accept that the companies will have to make a buck out of it. People are waiting for a new offshore revolution which will help them in their struggle with energy bills. To reduce energy prices, it is important that this project takes place on time. The record to date does not instill a huge amount of confidence."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon The Celtic interconnector is being built and the expectation is that it will be energised by 2028. The developers will build the offshore grid projects as their projects advance. The good news is that all five phase 1 projects remain active, with planning applications submitted, and work is continuing on the grid connections in parallel. They are continuing to advance those with EirGrid. The Government continues to engage regularly with the developers to support progress. The question now is whether projects are moving forward, and they are. As I outlined, our priority now is to ensure we continue to work on delivering the independent planning decisions and continue to invest in grid infrastructure capacity. It is anticipated that the first planning determinations will be delivered in quarter 1 or quarter 2 of 2027. Subject to those planning approvals, all of these projects could be in construction before 2030. Alongside the significant work that is under way in regard to the grid infrastructure, these phase 1 projects have provisional grid connection arrangements. The negotiations, as I said, with EirGrid on the offshore transmission infrastructure are nearing a conclusion. We hope to be in a position to progress those. In terms of progressing the Tonn Nua project, over 900 MW off the west coast of Waterford, maritime area consent was secured early this year. That is progressing through detailed surveys and development. I acknowledge the progress that has been made, notwithstanding the challenges that these megaprojects face."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Wind Energy Generation"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_11","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Data Centres","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_9","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_11","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Donnelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_11.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Donnelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Donnelly I ask the Minister if he is aware of recent comments made by Ronan Kelly of Digital Infrastructure Ireland and if he agrees with his assessment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I thank the Deputy for his question. All development in Ireland must go through an independent and robust statutory planning and regulatory process, and public participation in such processes is important. It is a matter for the relevant independent bodies to make decisions in line with their statutory powers. Developers of individual projects should consider engaging with local communities in advance of engaging in those processes, so that local communities understand their proposal and to address any concerns in advance. It is also important that developers and their representative bodies are able to make the case in public discourse in economic or social terms for their developments, whether housing, business, factories, data centres or other key infrastructure provided by the private sector. The Government continues to prioritise a balanced approach to digital infrastructure. This means supporting investment in cloud, connectivity and data services, while driving national targets in renewable energy, grid efficiency and carbon reduction. This balanced approach is reflective of Government policy, which recognises the role that data centres play as a core digital infrastructure and seeks to enable the twin transition of digitalisation and decarbonisation of our economy and society. The large energy user action plan, published in January 2026, sets out a plan-led approach for very large and energy-intensive investments, including data centres, which, due to their scale and energy consumption, will benefit from co-ordinated national infrastructure planning. The plan-led approach is the first for industry and energy policy, recognising the necessity for both working in tandem in support and continued large-energy user investment in Ireland in the medium to long term."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Donnelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Donnelly It is extremely healthy that we are having a public debate around data centres, AI and their impact on our energy networks and communities. However, some of the Minister of State's comments are particularly worrying. He does a disservice to public debate by engaging in reds under the bed or China scaremongering because it disrespects the millions of people across the world, not only here in Ireland, who look at the statistics on the impacts, including visual impacts, that data centres have on their communities. It is worrying that there are people lobbying governments who are backed by trillionaires who are putting vast amounts of money into lobbying. I see that Digital Infrastructure Ireland, which is partnered with a number of data centre firms, says it lobbies to promote Ireland as the best location to host data. It also wants to expand digital infrastructure here so as to host more data centres, having previously lobbied Government Ministers in the Cabinet about connections policy for data centres to the electricity grid. We should also bear in mind that we already have triple the number of data centres as our nearest competitor in the EU and ten times the EU average."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon Again, I am not going to get into a running commentary on comments made by individuals but I will say that while people are entitled to participate in public debate. Planning decisions are made independently on the basis of evidence and law and not public commentary. Communities have an absolute right to engage in the planning process and to have their views heard but the Government has a responsibility to ensure that Ireland can provide the infrastructure necessary for jobs, investment, digital connectivity and public services. That is very much our process and foundation. The Government is very clear that all developments must proceed through an independent, transparent and robust planning and regulatory process. Public participation is at the heart of that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Donnelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-Donnelly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Donnelly Policy is made by Government. Legislation is made here in this Chamber and planning follows that policy and legislation. We say they are independent but they are making decisions based on policy and legislation made here by the Minister and the Government, following lobbying, which is quite legitimate. The worrying part of Mr. Kelly's statement was where he stated, \"It just moves to the next country, because the investors have the barrel of the gun pointed at all the CEOs and are saying, 'Just get it built', and they\u2019ll go to another country soon enough if they can\u2019t do it here.\" Do billionaires and trillionaires have a gun to the head the Irish Government around policy and legislation in relation to data centres? This country has ten times the European average of data centres."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon The Government has a responsibility to look at both the opportunities and challenges. As I said earlier, data centres are a significant part of our digital economy. The Deputy has not referenced the 180,000 jobs that underpin our digital and services ICT sector. They are closely linked with investment, employment and the wider technological sector. That is crucially important. However, we have been very clear that future development must be sustainable and plan-led. That is the approach we have taken. We have introduced the large-energy user action plan and strengthened the Commission for Regulatory Utilities connection requirements for large-energy users. That approach is not unrestricted growth; our approach is very much managed-led. We want to continue our investment in renewable energy projects. There are strict requirements for large-energy users, these energy-intensive users, to use up to 80% renewable energy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 9 taken with Written Answers."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Data Centres"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_12","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Energy Prices","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_9","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_12","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_12.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Keira Keogh What are the measures being taken to reduce energy costs for households across County Mayo and other rural counties and what are the steps being taken to tackle energy poverty in rural communities, particularly among older people and low-income households?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I propose to take Questions Nos.10, 18, and 21 together. I thank the Deputy for her question. The conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have caused significant disruption to international energy markets. This has resulted in high energy prices for households and businesses throughout Europe, including in Ireland. In response, the Government has taken a range of measures to help support consumers across the country with energy costs. The Government has established the national energy affordability task force to examine energy affordability challenges and identify practical measures to support households and businesses. The work of the task force helped to inform key aspects of budget 2027 with a particular focus on the most vulnerable to high-energy costs. A central element of the Government's approach is reducing energy bills through improved energy efficiency and increased deployment of solar PV. Budget 2027 provided a record \u20ac654 million for residential and community project upgrades. This investment will support more households in improving their energy performance and lowering energy consumption, reducing bills and improving comfort while decreasing reliance on imported fossil fuels. The Government continues to support fully-funded energy upgrades for eligible low-income households. Just before the budget, the Minister, Deputy O\u2019Brien, announced a package of measures developed through the work of the national energy affordability task force which will ensure the energy efficiency and renewable supports available through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, SEAI. For households, this package includes a new boiler scrappage scheme and for businesses it includes a temporary increase in the grant support for solar PV installation under the non-domestic microgen grant as well as increased grants for heat pumps and solar thermal installation under the business energy upgrades scheme. These measures will help to build on the progress in retrofitting seen in recent years and support further permanent reductions in household bills. Since 2019, SEAI schemes have provided more than \u20ac2 billion and delivered more than 300,000 home-energy upgrades, including more than 40,800 fully-funded upgrades at risk of energy poverty. Homeowners can save up to \u20ac1,120 per year when they carry out whole-home upgrades. The income tax disregard on microgeneration income received by households who sell electricity back to the grid was also increased by \u20ac200 from \u20ac400 to \u20ac600. Social protection supports are another important component of the Government\u2019s response and budget 2027 increased the weekly rate of the fuel allowance by \u20ac5 to \u20ac43 a week from January 2027. This equates to an additional \u20ac140 in the fuel season and brings the total support provided in a fuel-allowance season to \u20ac2,204. Over the past 12 months, the weekly rate of fuel allowance payable has increased by 30%. Eligibility for the scheme was also extended and from January 2027, the weekly allowance means of a single person aged 66 years or over will be increased. This will allow more single people aged 66 years or over to qualify for the fuel allowance payment. Regarding single adult households and particularly those vulnerable to energy poverty, this measure is expected to build up the 10,000 single pension households. Currently, 463,910 households are eligible for the fuel allowance scheme, representing approximately 26% of all households nationwide. In addition, increases were provided to the living alone allowance and children support scheme, while a new cost-of-disability payment was introduced. These targeted measures will particularly benefit groups at greater risk of energy poverty, including older people, people with disabilities and all low-income households. The Government has also introduced wider measures to help with living costs, including extending the temporary excise reduction into 2027 and reducing carbon tax on home-heating oil and natural gas. This package of temporary fuel supports have cost more than \u20ac1.4 billion to date. In addition, the enhanced rebate scheme will continue until the end of December. That will help to alleviate cost pressures for transport operators and businesses. These decisions will continue to lower inflation, reduce the cost of doing business and support households with their energy bills. A range of protections are in place for consumers experiencing difficulty paying their energy bills. Consumers are encouraged to continue to engage with their suppliers at the earliest opportunity as suppliers offering hardship support and payment arrangements will not disconnect consumers while they are actively engaging with them. The national energy task force is also finalising the energy affordability action plan, which will be submitted to the Government in the coming weeks. This plan will set out a co-ordinated programme of short-, medium- and long-term measures to improve energy affordability, reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices and support households and businesses in managing their energy costs."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Keira Keogh I thank the Minister of State for that comprehensive answer. I know he is as concerned as I am about our constituents in Mayo who are struggling. I welcome the substantial investment in retrofitting, the new grants announced in September and the additional supports through the fuel allowance. However, yesterday's CSO figures show that energy prices have risen by 4.5% in the past month and by 18.3% since last October. In Mayo, especially in rural areas, the housing stock is older. There is also a dispersed population. Those people depend on private transport, notwithstanding the outstanding Local Link service. We also have TFI Anseo in Achill, which is amazing. For families in Mayo, these are not discretionary expenses. They need to heat their homes and they need their cars to get to work, bring children to school and access essential services. Will the Minister of State outline what more we can do? The grants are obviously welcome but upfront costs are prohibitive and the over 22-month wait from application to completed works is a disadvantage."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I thank the Deputy for reporting the concerns raised by many of her constituents to whom I have also listened intensively. Through the measures in budget 2027, we have delivered a package of measures to help households and businesses with the cost of energy, with a particular focus for those who are at risk of energy property, the most vulnerable and those who are exposed to volatile prices, especially those who are reliant on imported fossil fuels. As I said earlier, we allocated a record \u20ac654 million to the residential and community energy upgrade scheme. That has been a considerable success. It has provided fully funded energy upgrades under the warmer homes scheme. I know that many who have got the work done and have waited patiently as part of the scheme have seen significant benefits in reductions to their household bills while also improving their comfort and well-being. We want that to continue and that is why the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, brought forward a number of additional measures, such as the home boiler scrappage scheme and the grants for battery storage for solar energy. We will continue to work with the SEAI to try to improve the times for delivery and to try to get more contractors into the one-stop shop. I know it is a concern that the Deputy and I have heard. We will continue to work on it. We have also expanded the fuel allowance, which is critical. Many people rely on additional support during the winter period. That is a substantial support to the tune of over \u20ac1,200. That has been increased again by the Government this year, which is welcome. One in four households receives the fuel allowance. It is a targeted measure to support those people on an ongoing basis. In budget 2026, we committed to reducing the VAT rate on gas and electricity to 9%. We have extended that reduction to December 2030. There are challenges. Ireland is a price-taker on the international energy market. It is a difficult situation. We monitor it intensively. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, will bring forward the action plan from the national energy affordability task force in the coming weeks. He hopes to publish it before the end of the year. Many of those measures formed part of the budget considerations and additional measures will be included."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Keira Keogh I welcome the incoming publication of the recommendations of the national energy affordability task force. I am wondering about the phrase \" in the coming weeks\". A reply to a parliamentary question in September stated that the recommendations would be published in a couple of weeks. It is only five weeks later but we are hearing that it will be another couple of weeks. I would like a firm commitment that the action plan will be published by the end of the year. I, too, have seen the benefits of the warmer homes scheme, as have many of my constituents, especially when they get new windows or doors, or replace their boilers with pumps. Do we need a priority system? Perhaps older adults or younger families in isolated areas, or people living on their own, should get an expedited process. If somebody who in his or her 90th year is waiting for 22 months, it might be too long. I welcome the increase to the fuel allowance. A \u20ac5 increase is substantial but the many people who are just over the threshold for those targeted supports are still struggling."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I again thank the Deputy for raising this important question. We need to continue to work with SEAI to enhance the programme and the delivery timelines. It is one of the biggest issues that is raised by many Deputies. The Minister, Deputy O'Brien, has convened a working group to see what can be done in that regard. I will come back to the Deputy on the matters she has raised. As a Government, we look forward to bringing forward the measures in the national energy affordability task force. The Minister mentioned earlier to Opposition Deputies what will be contained in those recommendations and how we can continue to enhance energy affordability for households and businesses. That task force is working intensively on the action plan. As I said earlier, it will be delivered by the end of the year. The focus will be on price, energy poverty, customer protections, energy affordability for businesses, sustainable demand and flexibility. As the Minister said earlier, plug-in solar PV is another opportunity to support households. The expectation is that we would continue the regulatory review and look at further implementation of it in early 2027. That will be another opportunity for households to use a renewable source for electricity generation. That is where we should be going in using innovative technology to broaden households' ability to drive down energy costs, along with the SEAI home upgrades."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Energy Prices"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_13","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"North-South Interconnector","counts":{"speechCount":8,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_9","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_13","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Maxwell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_13.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Maxwell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Maxwell I would like an update on the North-South interconnector. I am seeking an update on the current status of the project, particularly regarding the Government's position on the proposed overhead route. This has been an ongoing issue for the past 20 years in counties Monaghan and Meath. There is a lot of anxiety in the counties concerned. I would like the Minister of State to make a statement on the matter."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 14 together. The North-South interconnector is one of the most important electricity transmission projects under way in the State. The Government fully supports its delivery. It will link the electricity networks of Ireland and Northern Ireland, leading to more secure, affordable and sustainable supply of electricity across the island. The European network of transmission system operators currently estimates that the project will deliver a cost saving of \u20ac120 million per annum to households and businesses across the island of Ireland by 2040. The North-South interconnector is an excellent example of the critical infrastructure that the Government is determined to accelerate. In July, the Government designated the North-South interconnector, along with Moneypoint's 400 kV series capacitor and the Letterkenny 110 kV station redevelopment as critical infrastructure under the Critical Infrastructure Act. Since their designations, the Moneypoint and Letterkenny projects have both received grants of planning and are progressing towards delivery. The North-South interconnector is awaiting a decision from the relevant local authorities in respect of the discharge of planning conditions. Having engaged directly with the council on the criticality of the project, I am aware that acceleration efforts are under way to include the appointment of a project co-ordinator. I look forward to the start of construction of this project once the planning condition has been discharged. Regarding community engagement, the North-South interconnector is being undertaken by EirGrid, including design and operations of the transmission system. As the project developer, it has been engaging and continues to engage with the affected landowners and communities along the route. This is in line with what the Government expects of EirGrid and is aligned with the 2012 Government policy statement on the strategic importance of transmission and other energy infrastructure. The Deputies will be aware, as I am, that there is some local opposition to the project and in particular to the fact it is being delivered as an overhead line. EirGrid, as the project developer, has determined the project must be delivered as an overhead line and the Government has accepted the expert opinion. The notion of undergrounding the project has been comprehensively assessed on several occasions dating back to 2008, with corresponding independent reports published finding an overhead line is the most appropriate means of delivery. Most recently, in March 2023 the Government noted and published an independent report into the project that concluded it was not feasible to run the North-South interconnector underground, thereby confirming the 2018 report remains valid. However, public support is key in enabling delivery of the project and this is why it plays such a crucial role in EirGrid's plan. In March EirGrid wrote to affected landowners to update them on the project and outlining that ESB, as owner of the electricity grid, had decided to progress the project using its statutory wayleave powers for the placement of cables and pylons on the required land. EirGrid again updated landowners in October and funding for the project has been provided by the CRU's price review 6. Decisions will be made in regard to recouping that cost through network tariffs."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Maxwell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Maxwell In recent weeks I, along with other Oireachtas Members, met with the councillors and the executive of Monaghan County Council to discuss this project and the significant concerns being raised locally. There are serious objections from the communities who will be directly affected by the proposed overgrounding of the interconnector. These concerns cannot be ignored. I served on Monaghan County Council and councillors from all political parties and none were united in the position that the interconnector should be underground. There has always been a strong belief locally that this is the fairest and most appropriate solution. I also emphasise the importance of meaningful and proper consultation between EirGrid and the communities affected. People deserve to be listened to, have their concerns taken seriously and be given clear answers. I thank the Minister of State for the update on where the project currently stands but we need to address the concerns of the communities in counties Monaghan and Meath."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darren O'Rourke I share those real concerns as a TD for Meath. The Minister of State's response has similarities to what we have been hearing for years. He said there was \"some local opposition\" but there is massive local opposition to this project. Fundamental to that is overgrounding versus undergrounding the project has not been appropriately assessed. The Minister of State pointed to the report from 2023 but it does not say it is not viable to go underground and it is very critical of EirGrid and how it has conducted its analysis over the years. Until we get that issue addressed, there will not be community support for this. If an adequate review is done it will show undergrounding is viable and this project can be delivered."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I thank Deputies Maxwell and O'Rourke for raising these concerns. I am aware of how sensitive it is in both their constituencies and will certainly relay those concerns to the Minister and the Department. In my initial reply, I said the option of undergrounding has been comprehensively assessed by means of independent reports and expert analysis and several independent reports on the project have been published going back to 2008. I think we are all in agreement on how critical this project is to Ireland's energy security. Regarding the themes that have emerged from the reports, one is that the undergrounding of the project would be up to three times more expensive than the overhead option and another is that the overhead line is the most appropriate option from a technical perspective. The project would benefit so many people in regard to Ireland's energy security. Undergrounding has not provided the system stability and reliability benefits overhead lines have provided. This has been referenced on many occasions but we are not going to solve it on the floor of the House. I am sure the Deputies have extensively assessed the many reports that have been published. EirGrid will continue to engage with the local authorities and the landowners as part of community engagement, which is key for an successful project to be delivered."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Maxwell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"David-Maxwell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Maxwell Over the last 20 years, we have assessed a number of reports but in September 2020, following the restoration of the power-sharing Executive, the then Minister for Infrastructure, Nichola Mallon, granted planning permission for the overground section. Construction has started, including tower work, etc., with final energisation expected around October 2031. Local campaign groups in Armagh and Tyrone continue legal challenges and raise concerns over the visual impact and pylon placement, with undergrounding being repeatedly rejected by independent reviews due to stability and reliability. In an answer to me, the then Minister, John O'Dowd of Sinn F\u00e9in, wrote that he could not undo the grant by Ms Mallon due to the possible monetary implications. This is before the courts in Northern Ireland and if they find in favour of the undergrounding of the Northern Ireland section, what will our position be for counties Monaghan and Meath? Could we have the Northern section underground and the southern section overground? Farmers and landowners are resolute in their opposition to the overgrounding of this line and that has been the case since 2006 when this project was first presented. At this late stage, I ask those concerns to be looked at again."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darren O'Rourke Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire St\u00e1it. My deep concern about this project is that Government is being led by EirGrid on it when EirGrid has an incredibly bad track record with this project in particular, and it is exceptional in its approach to this project. The idea we have extended powers now through the Critical Infrastructure Act is completely the wrong approach. This project will not be delivered by forcing it through, such is the level of local opposition. I have a request for the Minister of State. The 2023 report is 25 pages long. I ask him to read it because what he is saying from the Department's notes does not reflect what is in that report. There is a way forward here and it involves an independent assessment of overgrounding versus undergrounding. If that happens I believe it will point towards undergrounding and this project can be delivered. Otherwise we are on the road to nowhere."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon Again, I think we all appreciate the importance of this project. It is a critical infrastructure project which the Government is committed to delivering. The project has been highlighted as part of the Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan. That includes \u20ac100 million in savings electricity users on the island can expect to see once the project is delivered. It is expected to be energised by October 2031. It is progressing. It is going to happen. Engagement is ongoing between EirGrid, ESB Networks and the relevant local authorities in regard to their discharge with the required documentation. The planning conditions are commencing and construction is commencing. It is critical it be delivered and benefit all of Ireland in regard to our electrification process."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"North-South Interconnector"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_14","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Energy Policy","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_9","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_14","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_14.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly Chun an taifead a cheart\u00fa, bh\u00edomar ag caint n\u00edos luaithe mar gheall ar Tonn Nua agus d\u00faramar \u201cL\u00ed B\u00e1n\u201d. Just to correct the record, it is L\u00ed Ban, which is, of course, the name of a mermaid. Another myth, of course, has been that we were unable to tackle windfall profits of energy companies in this country. EU climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra recently said that member states are able to take measures to tackle energy companies and introduce a windfall tax. Will the Minister of State do that? Other countries have recognised this can be done. Will the Government take any action on it?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon The major disruption to global energy supply due to the situation in Iran and the Middle East is reflected in extremely volatile commodity prices over the past number of months. This has resulted in high energy prices for households and businesses across Europe, including Ireland. Officials in my Department and other relevant Departments continue to closely monitor developments to assess their impact on Ireland, as well as develop appropriate responses. There are a number of practical and administrative challenges in designing and introducing an effective windfall tax or market revenue cap, particularly in the absence of an EU-wide measure. When introducing any measure, particularly in the context of global crises, policymakers must strike a balance between addressing affordability and distributional concerns in the immediate term and safeguarding long-term objectives, such as energy security, investment certainty for our future energy system and the pace of decarbonisation. It is important to evaluate and consider the unintended consequences that may arise from the implementation of a windfall tax or market revenue cap, including long-term effects on investment, market behaviour and energy supply. The Government proactively established the national energy affordability task force to examine energy affordability changes and identify practical measures to support households and businesses. The work of the task force has helped inform key aspects of budget 2027, with a focus on those most vulnerable and at highest risk. Budget 2027 provided a record \u20ac654 million for residential and community home upgrades. The investment will support households to improve energy performance of their homes, lower energy consumption and reduce bills. The task force is finalising this action plan and it is due for publication."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly To allow my colleague, Deputy Ward, to get in, I will put a very short question. The cap on market revenues measure was operational for about six months. There is \u20ac170 million of that money still lying in the coffers of the Government. Why has that not been spent? Are there any plans to spend it?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I do not have that detail on me but will certainly furnish the Deputy with it."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Energy Policy"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_15","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Data Centres","counts":{"speechCount":2,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_9","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_15","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Ward.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"Mark-Ward.D.2019-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_15.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Ward.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"Mark-Ward.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Ward I ask for an update on the use of data centres in Dublin. We are seeing electricity bills going up for ordinary families while companies which make billions in profits every year pay a lower rate. We also see environmental factors like noise pollution in our communities. Will the Minister of State say a few words on that?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I thank the Deputy for his question. The Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, is responsible for the regulation of security of electricity supply, including ensuring electricity systems can meet growing demand and manage impacts on consumer and system costs. The electricity network tariff set out by the CRU to recover the cost of developing, operating and maintaining the electricity grid funds a grid that is more resilient to storms and can supply electricity to a growing population, new houses and expanding businesses. The CRU advises that extra-large energy users like data centres have in recent years increased network costs, with average increases of 175% compared with a 45% increase in domestic customers from 2020 to 2026. The CRU is progressing a multi-annual energy network tariff review project to reform network charges to ensure costs are fairly distributed across different consumers. Our digital economy is our core energy-intensive sector and makes a significant contribution to our direct economy, including tax revenue and jobs. Data centres are fundamental to this and to Ireland's position as a leading global hub for digital and technological enterprise. They form a core part of the State's digital infrastructure, supporting critical activities and services. CSO analysis indicates data centres accounted for around 23% of Ireland's electricity demand in 2025. They account for roughly half of metered consumption in the Dublin-Meath region, according to the CRU, given the concentration of data centres in that area. The Government continues to work with the regulator and electricity system operators to assess and support expected demand on the systems, including economic and population growth, housing, electric vehicles and heat pump capacity."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Data Centres"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_16","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_17","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Childcare Services","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_16","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_17","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_17.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Claire Kerrane I had not copped this question was edited. The question was to explain the budget announcement as regards the reduction of childcare fees from \u20ac750 to \u20ac550. The reasons for any reduction are quite obvious - we need to reduce childcare costs - but will the Minister of State explain specifically the reduction announced on budget day of a reduction to \u20ac550 per month?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Children, Disability and Equality (Deputy Emer Higgins) I thank the Deputy for agreeing with the Minister, Deputy Foley, that it was okay for me to take this question on her behalf. Government is committed to reducing fees to a maximum of \u20ac200 per month over the lifetime of the Government. Several steps have been taken last year and this year to reduce costs for parents, with further measures announced in budget 2027. Measures that will come into effect in September 2027 include a lowering of fee caps for core funding partner services and increased national childcare scheme subsidies. As a result, many parents will see further reductions in the amount they pay for early learning and childcare. Later this year, the Minister will publish shaping the future, phase 2, which will set out the roadmap for how the \u20ac200 commitment will be achieved. From September 2027, the maximum fees that providers in receipt of core funding can charge will be reduced across all fee bands. All services with fees below the new caps will continue to be subject to existing fee controls. At the same time, the universal subsidy for children up to and including senior infants will rise to \u20ac2.50 per hour, or \u20ac112.50 for 45 hours per week, while changes will also be made to income-assessed subsidies. The universal rate of \u20ac2.14 per hour, or \u20ac96.30 for 45 hours per week, will continue to be available to all children from first class up to 15 years of age. It is worth noting that it would be highly unusual for a school-age child in first class or above to need more than 40 hours of early learning and childcare during term time, given they would already likely be in a school setting for 25 hours or more per week. As regards the figure of \u20ac550 per month, that will be the maximum fee for a child receiving the maximum 45 hours of State subsidy for a 45-hour place."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Claire Kerrane The first issue is that it was announced that childcare fees were going to fall to \u20ac550. Certainly, I heard from countless parents, \"Is this me? Am I now paying \u20ac550 from next September?\" The questions are obvious. What about those who are paying more than \u20ac750 a month, of which there are a considerable number? If this is how the Government is going to reduce childcare fees, and that is via core funding and limiting and capping fees that way, then we are not going to deliver \u20ac200 per month childcare for everybody because it will only be for people whose providers are in core funding. We have heard about this roadmap for almost two years. The general election was two years ago. The Minister of State's party leader committed to a roadmap within the first 100 days. We are well beyond that. We do not know how the Government is going to achieve \u20ac200 a month childcare. Based on this, it is really concerning as to how it is going to be achieved. When will that roadmap be published?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins That roadmap is currently being worked on and it will be published later this year. In the next six to eight weeks, the Minister, Deputy Foley, will publish that roadmap. As regards the figure of \u20ac550 per month, that is the maximum fee for a child receiving the maximum 45 hours of State subsidy for a 45-hour place. The maximum parental payment for a child up to the end of senior infants who is receiving 45 hours of universal subsidy per week will fall from \u20ac183.70 per week to \u20ac137.50, which is \u20ac550 over a four-week period. That amounts to a saving of more than \u20ac2,200 a year. The Deputy is correct that many families take more than 40 hours of childcare. For example, when it comes to the 50 hours per week or more, the maximum fee for a core funding partner will be lowered from \u20ac336 per week to \u20ac300 per week. When that is combined with the increase in the universal national childcare scheme change from \u20ac2.14 to \u20ac2.50 per hour, a family being charged the maximum fee for 50 or more hours - band B and F - will save more than \u20ac52 per week. That is \u20ac2,500 over a 48-week year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Claire Kerrane I hope the Minister and her Department will be able to provide a figure for how many parents will see this reduction of \u20ac750 to \u20ac550. The Department should have the data on the number of parents who will benefit. Again, I am really concerned, if we are looking at this through core funding, how we are ever going to achieve \u20ac200 a month universally. There are lots of parents where their providers are outside of core funding. They are paying \"sky's the limit\" in terms of the amount per month. My last point in relation to the roadmap when we eventually see it, which will hopefully be before the end of the year as the Minister of State said, is that roadmap cannot just be about cost and affordability for parents. We are wasting our time if that does not come with building capacity, building places and the workforce. Some counties have a workforce turnover of up to 30%, 40% and almost 50%. We need to respect and recognise the educated workforce and professional workforce that are there and we need to pay them properly. That is not happening. The roadmap needs to do all three."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins Too many parents are paying too much for childcare. For many parents and families, their childcare bill is additional pressure. The Government knows this, accepts this and wants to change this. That is why we have committed to reducing childcare fees to \u20ac200 per month over the lifetime of this Government. It is why the Minister, Deputy Foley, has tasked the Department with devising a roadmap that will be published in the coming weeks on how to achieve that. It is why childcare received such a huge investment in this year's budget. What that means for parents is a reduction in the fees that they pay. On top of this, the Government is also invested to ensure better access to childcare. That is why we are investing in both existing providers to help them expand so they can offer more places and why we are also supporting a new State-led facilities scheme. This year, \u20ac135 million was provided for what is a groundbreaking initiative to help acquire or fit out childcare as a State-led programme. So far, seven projects have been approved on that. We also have the building block extension grant scheme, which is in operation to provide existing childcare facilities the opportunity to build and expand places."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Childcare Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_18","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Early Childhood Care and Education","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_16","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_18","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Daniel Ennis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","memberCode":"Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_18.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Daniel Ennis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","memberCode":"Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Daniel Ennis The cost of childcare is affecting families across the country. For many, it is like paying their second mortgage. Parents in Ireland are paying the highest rates of childcare fees in Europe. It is putting huge pressure and strain on families. Particularly in my constituency of Dublin Central, I speak to so many and they are not seeing or feeling that reduction; they are feeling the strain. They will not see when it comes in the post next September. How many childcare providers will see a decrease in fees from additional allocations made in budget 2027?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I thank the Deputy very much. I am taking this on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Foley, who cannot be with us this morning. From September 2027, the maximum fees that early learning and childcare providers in receipt of core funding can charge will be reduced across all bands with the maximum fee cap for band B and E reducing from \u20ac280 to \u20ac250 per week and all other bands being proportionally reduced. The majority of services have fees below the new caps and will continue to be subject to existing fee management controls. Core funding is a supply-side grant to early learning and childcare providers towards their operating costs. It is designed to promote affordability for parents and sustainability for providers through increased funding to the sector paid on a consistent and equitable basis. A key condition of receiving the significant State funding that is available through the scheme requires that a partner service adheres to the core funding fee management system, which includes a freeze on fees at 2021 levels and fee caps. This is to ensure that the State\u2019s significant investment through the scheme is not absorbed by unnecessary fee increases. These fee management conditions of the core funding scheme apply exclusively to partner services who have signed a core funding agreement. These requirements are not applicable to services which remain outside of the core funding scheme. For the programme year 2026-27, the fee tables of all partner services will be subject to the review and approval of their childcare committees. This will help further with the simplification and standardisation of fee tables for all partner services. Additionally, all fee tables will be validated against their original fee tables, or fees charged if these differ, which have been in place since the fee freeze on 30 September 2021. This is to confirm adherence to the fee freeze as part of the core funding rules and will also ensure the Department has access to accurate data on the fees charged by all partner services, while verifying their adherence to the fee freeze. Following the review by county childcare committees, a comprehensive assessment using 2026 and 2027 service and fee information will be completed, providing a more accurate and complete assessment of the sector-wide impact of the 2027 fee caps. This work is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of next year, depending on data availability. Previous year four analysis was based on 2026 fee data and does not represent a complete picture of the services operating in the current 2026-27 core funding year that may be affected by the fee cap. However, the comprehensive assessment using 2026-27 service and fee information will provide the more detailed insights into the impact of the proposed fee caps."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Daniel Ennis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","memberCode":"Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Daniel Ennis The Minister of State mentioned core funding. If your childcare provider is not in core funding, the \u20ac550 per month cap will not apply. If your child is in childcare for more than 50 hours in one week, the \u20ac550 per month cap will not apply. If your child is in first class or above, the \u20ac550 per month cap will not apply. Again, in my own constituency, we have some of the highest levels in the country of providers not in core funding. It is some of the highest prices of anywhere in the country and anywhere in Europe. The Government said a key priority in this budget was making early learning and childcare more affordable for families, yet for so many families nothing is going to change from them. I am one of those families. In the playground beside the cr\u00e8che, I am talking to so many families who are scratching their heads and saying, \"We are not going to benefit from that.\" They are going to continue to pay astronomical fees for childcare and they will continue to struggle. A lot of them are keen to find a childcare space. I cannot help but use the phrase that the Minister of State is misleading us here. The \u20ac550 per month cap is misleading us. It is throwing money at a burning house."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins These reductions are for people availing of places subsidised through core funding. That means it applies to 4,700 services or to 92% of all eligible providers. They will receive an increase in core funding, which will also include support for potential increases in wages for early years and childcare professionals. I appreciate the Deputy said a high number of providers in his constituency do not avail of core funding. This year, eight childcare providers across the country withdrew from core funding, three of which rejoined the scheme. The trend of rejoining is consistent with previous years' trajectories. We want providers in the scheme because we want to be able to support them and reduce the cost for parents. From a parent's perspective, being in the scheme means lower fee limits and increased subsidies. That will help with childcare bills."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Daniel Ennis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","memberCode":"Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Daniel Ennis Again, I have to go back to the cap of \u20ac550 for 45 hours' service based on the most popular contract the Minister of State mentioned in her response. When we met providers after the budget, we were told such contracts will only impact 18% of the sector. What about the other 82%? What about the families who are struggling? For me and them, the budget is beyond disappointing. Childcare providers have said that the Government's announcement was intentionally misleading. Most people I have spoken to are of that thought. The Government has also chosen to focus on the 45-hour per week contract because after that the subsidies in the national childcare scheme no longer apply. That is all fairly obvious. The monthly cap for families in this band is over a third higher than the promised \u20ac550 per month. Families not affected by fee caps will see a reduction of only \u20ac16.20 in their bills each week. Everyone in the Chamber would agree that is simply not enough for many families. Again, we would all agree that the Government is not doing enough."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I agree that many parents are paying too much for childcare. This is something the Minister, Deputy Foley, who has responsibility for this, is determined to help change. That is why the Government has committed to reducing childcare fees to \u20ac200 per month over the lifetime of the Government. It is why the Minister has tasked the Department with devising a roadmap on how to achieve that,which will be published in the coming weeks. It is why childcare received such a huge injection of investment in this year's budget. We want to support parents by bringing down fees. The Deputy mentioned bands and the number of hours involved. I want to be clear. Parents who are availing of 40 to 50 hours of childcare will pay a maximum of \u20ac250 per month, which is a saving of \u20ac2,200 over the course of the year. Parents in receipt of 50 hours or more of childcare will pay a maximum of \u20ac300 per week, equating to \u20ac2,500 worth of savings over a year."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Early Childhood Care and Education"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_19","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Mother and Baby Homes","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_16","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_19","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_19.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Claire Kerrane I ask about the review that has commenced regarding the mother and baby institutions payment scheme. This long-awaited review appears to have commenced on 19 October, something we learned when the special advocate came before our committee last week. She had not been notified that the review was about to commence, nor was any Member of the House or Oireachtas committee members, something I find very unusual given this has been long-awaited and was part of the legislation. Will the Minister of State provide us with an update on the review?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I thank the Deputy. I will read out the update provided by the Minister, Deputy Foley. The mother and baby institutions payment scheme opened for applications in March 2024. As of 25 October 2026, over 7,800 applications had been received. To date, more than 6,800 notices of determination have issued and payments totalling some \u20ac84 million have been made to applicants. Over 2,900 applicants have qualified for health benefits, including either a medical card for life for those living in Ireland or health support payments for those living abroad. At the end of August, a new public information campaign commenced and I am pleased to report that this appears to have generated a substantial increase in applications over the last two months. Applications have increased from a monthly average of 56 in the first seven months of the year to a monthly average of 178 in September and October. In total, 417 new applications have been received since the campaign commenced. While the current 12-week campaign is scheduled to conclude later this month, we may look to extend this into 2027 in keeping with our commitment to raising awareness. Outreach and communication activities will also continue for the remainder of the scheme to maximise awareness and encourage eligible individuals to come forward and apply. The underpinning legislation for the scheme provides for a number of reports and reviews to be produced. Section 48 of the Mother and Baby Institutions Payment Scheme Act 2023 provides for two reviews of the operation of the scheme, the first of which is to take place around the scheme's midpoint. The scope of the review is prescribed in the Act. It will focus on administrative and operational aspects of the scheme. It will consider issues such as the level of uptake of the scheme, the experience of applicants, the extent to which payments have been made and if the scheme is achieving its purpose as set out by the Oireachtas. The Act does not provide for the review to consider the scheme's scope or eligibility criteria because those matters were already determined by the Oireachtas during the legislative process."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Claire Kerrane The Minister has repeatedly said eligibility will not be part of the review. It should be, given that the scheme is coming up to its third year and \u20ac800 million was the figure cited at the start of the process. A total of \u20ac84 million has been paid out and money has been returned at the end of every year. At the same time, survivors in other institutions are not included because of the name of the institution concerned. Others are impacted by the six-month rule. Some were boarded out and have received nothing apart from an apology on the floor of the D\u00e1il. That is not much use to them. They are not being recognised. The Government is handing back unspent money and excluding and splitting survivors into those who were in certain institutions who will receive redress and those who were in other institutions and suffered the same treatment, if not more, but do not matter and are left out. The review needs to examine eligibility because survivors will pass away having received no recognition or respect from the State. It is not acceptable or good enough. I again ask that the review examine eligibility."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I thank the Deputy for her feedback on the scope of the review, which I will pass on to the Minister, Deputy Foley. To update the House on the review, the initial steps in the process include the establishment of a working group to oversee the review. The Minister, Deputy Foley, was keen to appoint an independent external chair to this working group in order to support rigorous and objective oversight. To that end, the Minister recently secured a person with the expertise and experience needed to take on this role. This has enabled membership of the working group to be finalised. I understand this happened in the past day or so and the Minister will write to the Oireachtas committee to confirm the full membership of the working group. The review will include detailed statistical assessment, business processes analysis and a comprehensive survey of applicant experience overseen by the working group and also independently quality assured. When completed, the Minister will, of course, ensure the report will be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Claire Kerrane It would be helpful to know why the review has commenced so quietly. The special advocate, whose number one responsibility was to be the voice of survivors, was not informed that the review was about to commence; she was told after the fact. That makes no sense and needs to be rectified as quickly as possible. The same special advocate has completed her first report. Her number one recommendation was the urgent expansion of the scheme. The mother and baby institutions redress scheme should be about all survivors, not just some. I have cited Michael Grant, who spent the first year of his life in Temple Hill. According to the Department, it is deemed a hospital, yet his birth mother paid rent for him to remain there for the first year of his life. That is not a hospital. He had no medical issues. I cannot tell the Minister of State how hard it is to sit across from Michael Grant and try to tell him he will not receive redress due to the fact the institution concerned is not on the list. It is unacceptable and needs to be rectified. Survivors will pass away and money will not be spent when it should be. The scheme should include all survivors."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I thank the Deputy for her feedback on the scope. She referenced the special advocate. The Minister informs me that she met the special advocate on several occasions and greatly values her views and insights. Officials in the Department have monthly meetings with the special advocate to discuss operational, promotional and other aspects of the scheme, aiming always to improve the scheme operations and communications. I understand that the special advocate has agreed to be part of the working group overseeing the review. The Minister looks forward to her important contribution in that regard. As part of the preparatory work for the review, a survey questionnaire designed to assess applicants' experience of the payment scheme has been developed. An early draft of that questionnaire was shared with the special advocate for survivors for review. Her feedback and observations were valuable inputs and have been integrated into the questionnaire. Continued engagement with the special advocate is an important means of ensuring the voices of survivors continue to be central, as the Deputy said."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Mother and Baby Homes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_20","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Childcare Services","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_16","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_20","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_20.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall Given the recent announcement of seven new sites for public childcare, can the Minister provide an update on the public sites for pilot childcare schemes for Newbridge and Kilcullen in County Kildare?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins Improving access to high-quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a priority for the Government. Overall, early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the annual early years sector profile in 2025 shows that the estimated number of enrolments had increased by 25% in the previous three years. In Kildare specifically, there was a 31% increase in enrolments in that period. Earlier this year, the Minister announced \u20ac135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality, accessible State-led early learning and childcare up to 2030. This is a ground-breaking initiative for Government and it began this year. Capital funding will be used to acquire and-or fit out buildings, depending on requirements. On 30 September, the Minister announced the proposed locations for the first new early learning and childcare facilities to be developed and delivered under the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme. The Department has received project proposals from a number of sources since the programme was launched. These projects are in very different stages of development. Some relate to existing buildings ready to be occupied or fitted out, while others are longer term prospects for future years. Not all proposals align with the programme objectives. Some projects are proposed by an existing early learning and childcare service provider, while others relate to a building or property only, for which a separate process to identify an operator would be required. The Department has a long list of projects under consideration, which includes project proposals received through preliminary appraisal forms from city and county childcare committees. I am advised that no project has yet been brought forward from either Newbridge or Kilcullen and no formal proposal has been made from County Kildare via the submission of a preliminary appraisal form, which would be done through the Kildare County Childcare Committee. The Department is aware that the long list it maintains is not an exhaustive list of all projects that could form part of this programme of investment. It continues to invite proposals for projects and seek potential projects for consideration."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall I thank the Minister of State. The reason I have tabled this question again is that only 4% of providers in County Kildare are community run, the lowest rate in the whole country. When I raised this with the Minister previously I asked her how we should go about changing that, given that childcare is such an important issue throughout County Kildare, in particular, in Newbridge and Kilcullen. The Minister of State will be glad to learn that since that discussion with the Minister, we have worked with a number of community providers and next week, we will submit a new application for Newbridge which will, hopefully, secure the approval of the Department. Newbridge is one of the major towns with a population of over 25,000 people where there is a dearth of childcare providers and are places. That needs to be addressed. We are also working with another community provider in Kilcullen to try to get a facility over the line, given the lack of facilities in County Kildare."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I thank Deputy Wall for the update. It is very encouraging to hear. To be clear, local city and county childcare committees are supporting the development of projects. In the first instance, community early learning and childcare operators, local authorities, developers or anyone else who has suitable premises or projects should contact their local city and county childcare committee and submit a preliminary appraisal form. It is fantastic news that Deputy Wall is at an advanced stage with the operator in Newbridge. I suggest he go directly to the Kildare County Childcare Committee for support for the preliminary appraisal. It is also positive to hear he is having good discussions in Kilcullen. That project should go the same route. I know the Deputy is particularly interested in community childcare. Given the growing population in County Kildare, he should note that the Department provides capital funding under the building blocks extension grant scheme to support expansion of capacity by existing providers. That would, of course, include any providers in County Kildare."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall The other issue I raised with the Minister previously is that parents who contact me do not have the ability to do what we have been able to do with a community provider over the past couple of weeks. The answer the Minister gave me the previous day was that we go to the city and county childcare committees. Navigating that process is not an option for many hard-working parents who find it very difficult to secure childcare. I ask again that the Government work with those parents who are contacting me and every other public representative here, work with the childcare committees and reach out to areas where there is a lack of childcare. We all know where these areas are because the Minister has told me. Parents just do not have the time. The childcare committees need to engage with parents in those areas where there is a lack of childcare. We need to make it easier for parents, who are now travelling great distances, as I have said before. In one instance, I know of parents who travel from Kilcullen to Kilkenny every morning to access childcare. That is a journey of about an hour and a half each way. That is what is happening on the ground. We need to make it easier for parents to get more childcare places."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins Yes, we do. The Government is committed not only to reducing the cost of childcare, but also to increasing access to childcare. That is why we have invested in existing providers, to help them expand and offer more places, and in this new State-led facility. We provided \u20ac135 million this year to help State-led providers to acquire or fit out buildings. Seven projects have been approved under that scheme. We will continue to grow that list year on year. For this reason, it is important that the Kildare County Childcare Committee submit a form to us. In addition, we are also investing in the building blocks extension grant scheme to provide extra places. Two extension projects will be delivered in County Kildare under this scheme. When complete, these two projects will deliver 70 quality, affordable places in Kildare. That is another example of investing in childcare in Kildare."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Childcare Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_21","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Early Childhood Care and Education","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_16","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aisling Dempsey","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_21.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins The 2001 planning guidelines for local authorities on childcare facilities were issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The guidelines are intended to ensure a consistent approach to the treatment of planning applications in respect of the land use planning aspects of early learning and childcare provision. The programme for Government commits to reviewing the guidelines to ensure sufficient and appropriate early learning and childcare places are provided and operationalised. The Planning and Development Act 2024, the revised national planning framework and the ongoing work on Shaping the Future, the phase 2 action plan for the early learning and childcare sector, provide the foundation for this work. Successor guidance for local authorities and childcare facilities will take the form of a national planning statement to be made by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage under that Act. In order to progress the programme for Government commitment, an early learning and childcare planning matters working group was established in 2024 and has met a number of times since. It includes officials from the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Education and Youth. Members of the group have also met with local authority planning officials, nominated by the County and City Management Association planning and land use committee, to identify considerations for the review. These include ensuring that buildings required by the guidelines meet the needs of the local population and are fit for purpose and balancing the need to ensure sufficient provision for children and families, regardless of the size or housing type of the development, with ensuring that buildings are effectively operated as intended. They will inform part of a wider engagement with local authorities and other stakeholders, which is at planning stage."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aisling Dempsey","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aisling Dempsey I really welcome the Minister of State's update. It is very important that the Department of children should be a designated prescribed body in respect of planning applications by housing developers. I see in my area of Meath West how necessary and how positive is the delivery of childcare facilities in housing developments. Cookies Early Learning Centre in Athboy, which I visited shortly before it opened, is a great example of a developer-delivered high-quality childcare facility. Little Harvard is to open a facility in Effernock in Trim in the new year, which is more eagerly anticipated than Christmas by the residents there with young children. It is important to ensure developers are delivering childcare infrastructure in the way they should. Does the Department have access to fully up-to-date and accurate data on childcare needs in particular areas? Will the officials talk to the city and county childcare committees before they respond to planning applications?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has confirmed that the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality will be designated as a prescribed body to be notified by planning authorities of planning applications where it appears that the development would likely give rise to significant additional demand for early learning and childcare provision. That change will be given effect in regulations to be made by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the 2024 Act following the commencement of the relevant sections of the Act. The Department of housing recently advised that the process of commencement has, unfortunately, been deferred due to circumstances beyond its control. We are engaging very tightly with that Department on this matter. It is very important that our Department be made a prescribed body. As the Deputy rightly said, city and county childcare committees, local authorities and, indeed, my Department need access to information, which would include data on child benefit payments and births. There is a wealth of information out there that should be available to guide decisions relevant to demographic changes in different areas."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle I welcome the young students and their teachers in the Public Gallery. I hope they enjoy their day in Leinster House."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Early Childhood Care and Education"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_22","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_23","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Disability Services","counts":{"speechCount":7,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_22","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_23","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Roche","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_23.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Question No. 81 in the name of Deputy Brennan will be asked by Deputy Roche."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Roche","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peter Roche I thank Deputy Brennan for affording me the opportunity to ask the Minister of State about recruitment and retention in child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, the National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, and children's disability network teams, CDNTs, and of special educational needs organiser, SENOs. We seem to have a persistent problem with regard to getting posts filled and keeping them filled."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins The Deputy mentioned a number of issues not referenced in this question that are not the responsibility of my Department. CAMHS, for example, is under the Department of Health, while NEPS and SENOs are within the remit of the Department of Education and Youth. However, I certainly can provide an update on recruitment and retention of therapists working with children with disabilities within the CDNTs. Most children with disabilities can have their needs met through primary care and mainstream services across a range of Departments and agencies. However, children with complex needs may require access to the health and social care supports and services delivered by the 93 CDNTs across the country. The most recent HSE data provided to the Department reports that CDNTs are providing supports to more than 46,000 children and young people with complex needs nationwide. Challenges remain, with preliminary data for June showing there are waiting lists to access those services. Despite sustained pressure, waiting lists were reduced by 28% in 2025. In the national service plan for this year, the HSE has committed to a further reduction of 25%. I am pleased to report that there has been a lot of progress again this year. However, it is clear that more needs to be done to address waiting times and improve access to services. The Government has provided funding for additional posts to enhance the capacity of the CDNTs. This includes \u20ac8 million this year to fund 150 posts to support children with disabilities. A total of 80 of those posts have been filled and recruitment is ongoing for the remaining vacancies. The HSE has informed me it is confident of hitting the target of 150 by the end of the year. Budget 2027 increases the investment in this area, with \u20ac6.3 million allocated to recruit a further 150 posts for children's services. Recruitment and retention of staff remain a challenge in the sector. I will talk about what we are doing to address that at my next turn."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Roche","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peter Roche I am glad the Minister of State referenced the crossover between education and health. One of the issues that arises constantly is the question of what category applies when a child needs an assessment. There is sometimes ambiguity in that regard. In the context of children progressing in school, it is paramount that there be a co-ordinated approach to resolving these issues. All too often, we hear about parents being left in limbo as they wait for a clear roadmap to help them do what is best for their child. I was bewildered to hear the Ombudsman for Children tell us at the education committee the week before last that because the 70 national CAMHS teams are not populated properly, we really only have, in effect, 40 teams. I realise this may not be the Minister of State's area but my point is that we have a massive issue with recruitment and retention."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins To be clear, my Department works with the HSE on the CDNTs. I will provide an update on recruitment and retention for those teams, after which I will deal with the Deputy's point regarding the confusion and difficulty for parents in navigating what is a very large and sprawling system. The HSE continues to drive intensive domestic and international recruitment efforts as well as workforce initiatives. Progress is being made, with the HSE reporting a 31% increase in staffing levels nationwide from October 2022 to June 2026. This equates to an additional 480 whole-time equivalent staff, including approximately 350 health and social care professionals. That is really important because they are often the people on the front line dealing with children and, indeed, adults. Clinical placement opportunities are strongly associated with future employment decisions by students. I am pleased to say that placement activity within CDNTs has expanded significantly. There were 472 placements last year, with further expansion this year a major focus for the Department. Other measures include a CDNT graduate sponsorship scheme, student engagement and career promotion initiatives, expansion of apprenticeship pathways and development of alternative entry routes into disability services."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Roche","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-Roche.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peter Roche I regret if I put the Minister of State on the spot this morning with my questions but they are very relevant in the context of the debates we had this week and the week before last on childcare, mental health provision in schools, assessments of need and the provision of clear roadmaps to supports for children with disabilities. I really would like to see some analysis and reporting on what we are good at and where we are failing in terms of recruiting appropriate numbers of staff to deal with these issues. Children need early intervention and easy access to supports at their critical stage of life."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I absolutely agree. I hope the Deputy will be pleased to hear that the HSE has commenced a national CDNT retention research programme, which aims to better understand the factors influencing attraction to work and likelihood to remain in the industry. A dedicated disability workforce strategy is being developed, which will be published by the HSE this year. Its findings will inform future workforce policy and workforce planning decisions. The Deputy mentioned how difficult it can be for families to know which door to go through and which service to access. We have CDNTs, primary care services and CAMHS. I take this opportunity to update him on the HSE's single point of access initiative, which seeks to ensure there will in future be no wrong door. I often hear from parents who wait a long time to get to the top of a list only to be told, when they finally get to speak to a healthcare professional, that they are in the wrong queue and must go to the bottom of another list. That should not and cannot be allowed to happen and we are working to change it. That is what the single point of access reforms will do right across every level of the HSE."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Disability Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_24","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Family Resource Centres","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_22","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_24","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"S\u00e9amus McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_24.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"S\u00e9amus McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy S\u00e9amus McGrath Will the Minister of State consider designating the Carrigaline family support centre as a family resource centre?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I thank Deputy McGrath for the question, which I am taking on behalf of his colleague, the Minister, Deputy Norma Foley. The programme for Government commits to work to increase funding and expand the capacity and network of family resource centres. Budget 2027 honours this commitment and I was delighted that the Minister secured funding as part of the budget for a further ten family resource centres. This will bring the family resource centre programme membership up to 146 members next year. This further expansion of the programme is the latest in several very positive developments for the programme over the last number of years. It follows an increase in the membership of the programme in 2025 by five members and in this year 2026 by a further ten members, bringing overall membership to its current 136 members. Next year we will establish ten new centres, which will be very welcome for the communities that will be served by them. The most recent national application and assessment process for the programme was undertaken in 2025. It was led by Tusla and it was independently chaired by a representative of the University of Limerick. This followed an open call for applications, with applications reviewed and scored against clearly defined and published criteria, including population need, the level of deprivation, child population data, existing service provision and existing service gaps. Decisions on the successful services were then made by an assessment panel. There continues to be a strong level of interest in communities around the country in having family resource centres as part of their community infrastructure. This is borne out in the 49 applications that were received in response to the 2025 call. The securing of the funding for next year's budget will now result in a new call for applications which will open in early 2027. The process for the forthcoming call, including the assessment arrangements and the applicable criteria, remains to be confirmed. Details of the process and how to apply will be published and publicised widely once they are available. The location of the ten new family resource centres will be determined through that process."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"S\u00e9amus McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy S\u00e9amus McGrath I thank the Minister of State for the update. The Carrigaline Family Support Centre is an organisation that was started in 2008 by community activists. It has grown to be a fantastic local service provided to all generations, young and old. For older people, it provides a care and repair service, a senior alert service and social networking such as day trips. For children, it provides art therapy, play therapy, counselling and wider family supports. We know families go through very difficult times, whether through relationship breakdown, financial stress, mental health issues or abuse issues. It has to be noted that this family centre in Carrigaline provides services to the wider surrounding areas as well, which are developing and growing with an increasing population. It is important, therefore, that this family support centre is designated as a resource centre so that it gets additional resources and is able to provide even more services to the local area. I understand what the Minister of State has said about a new call in 2027, and I very much welcome that. I understand there are criteria that have to be met but it is important that I make the case this morning for the Carrigaline Family Support Centre and that it be strongly considered in that new process next year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins The Deputy has made the case very well. Ultimately, however, it would be premature to identify specific locations or confirm a timeline at this stage. I understand that the Carrigaline Family Support Centre applied before under one of the processes. While it was not one of the 15 organisations granted membership, it still can reapply. Tusla has advised me that there is a service level agreement in place between it and the Carrigaline Family Support Centre, and that the centre works very closely with Tusla's social work department in particular. I believe the centre is active in the south west region child and family support network and the parent champions fora initiative and that it engages in child, youth and parental participation events. That all certainly sounds very positive. The centre also offers programmes for over 60s, family support, low-cost counselling, play therapy and art therapy. It is home to the Carrigaline women's circle and partner services, such as Age Action, For\u00f3ige and employment services. It certainly sounds like a fantastic centre in the Deputy's community."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"S\u00e9amus McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy S\u00e9amus McGrath I thank the Minister of State for outlining the great work done by the Carrigaline Family Support Centre. It is certainly welcome that in budget 2027 funding has been provided for ten additional resource centres across the country, bringing the total to 146. That there will be a new call in 2027 is also very positive. I understand it is a very transparent process in terms of the criteria being outlined and so on. From a socio-economic point of view, this area probably does quite well and would be regarded as reasonably affluent. With regard to the measurement of deprivation, while I understand it needs to be done, it is also important to point out that there are issues in families in all areas and all socio-economic areas, and we need to be very cognisant of that. There are relationship breakdowns, instances of abuse, issues with mental health and strains within families, for which services are needed. We need to be careful not to place too much emphasis on the issue of deprivation. While I understand it has to be a part of this, it is worth making the point that we should not overrate that either. These issues are across the board from a socio-economic point of view."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins On the criteria for the applications for the previous round, while this was led by Tusla, it was independently chaired by a representative of the University of Limerick. That is the level of transparency, fairness and equity that is afforded to all applicants. Tusla has been very clear that any organisation that has applied before is not automatically readmitted to the process. Organisations must submit a new application so it would certainly be timely for the Deputy to engage with the Carrigaline centre and suggest that it prepare for the opening of applications. The last time around the application looked at things like willingness to engage with Tusla on funding for children and family services, which the centre is clearly doing already. It is also desirable for a board of management to be in place, so if that is not in place currently, perhaps it is something the centre could do as preparatory work. It should also have existing facilities suitable to deliver the programme and be able to demonstrate the ability to deliver outcome-driven services. These are the kinds of things that the board could focus on in advance of the next call."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 83 taken with Written Answers."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Family Resource Centres"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_25","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Disability Services","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_22","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_25","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paula Butterly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_25.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins Our children's disability network teams provide services to children and young people with complex disability needs through a child and family-centred needs-led model. Supports are determined by the individual needs, strengths, circumstances and the agreed goals of the child and the family. The delivery of the children's disability network team services is underpinned by the HSE's policy framework for service delivery of the CDNTs by national guidance on individual family support plans, IFSPs. These place family-centred practice at the very core of service provision. An individual family support plan sets out the goal for each child and how they, their family and the CDNT are going to work towards those goals. As set out in the national guidance for those plans. it must be an ongoing and living plan, reviewed as priorities and goals change. All supports offered by the team must relate to the plan and to the agreed goals. Each plan is developed collaboratively with the child or the young person and his or her family. A plan with initial goals should be formed as soon as possible after services commence with the child and family. These plans set out the agreed goals, the interventions required to achieve those goals, the professionals involved in delivering supports and the arrangements for monitoring and review. Family-centred practice is a fundamental principle of our CDNT model of service. An IFSP is the cornerstone of family-centric practice. The plan does not necessarily require a formal meeting between the family and the whole team. It can be developed and can be revised by the family and one or two team members during a centre appointment, during a home visit, during an online meeting or over the phone. Responsibility for ensuring that all national policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines relevant to the delivery of CDNT services rests with the local management in clinical governance structures in the HSE. All health regions have appropriate structures in place to provide robust governance of the CDNTs."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paula Butterly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paula Butterly The reason I brought this question to the Minister of State this morning is that a family in County Louth has repeatedly sought an individual family support plan. While meetings have taken place involving a number of professionals, the family have not got an agreed plan yet. Such a plan is not clearly going to set out the measurable goals, the interventions and who is responsible for delivering them. The concern here is not simply one of resources; it is also about ensuring that the resources that are available are being used effectively and that the families receive the structured and co-ordinated supports as envisaged under the progressing disability services framework. If the child's needs, goals and interventions are not clearly documented and agreed, it becomes very difficult for the families to understand what supports they can expect and how progress will be measured. What oversight mechanisms are in place to ensure that IFSPs are being developed by CDNTs and that they comply with the national framework?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I am sorry to hear that about the family in Louth. If I can support the Deputy by putting her in contact with local management there, who are responsible for this, I absolutely will. The number of children attending a CDNT who have a current individualised family support plan is reported to my Department by the HSE. A plan is deemed to be current when it has had input within the last 12 months; otherwise, it is deemed lapsed. The total number of children with a current individual family support plan in Deputy Butterly's region, HSE Dublin and North East, is 6,050. Nationally, that figure is 29,275. As I said, responsibility for ensuring that all national policies and procedures are inputted rests with local management and the clinical governance structures. I am happy to work with the Deputy on the case if she would like."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paula Butterly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paula Butterly I thank the Minister of State. This family also raised concerns regarding the distinction between administrative contact and therapeutic intervention when service activity is being recorded. Will the Minister of State clarify how the HSE ensures that activity reporting provides an accurate picture of the services being delivered to children and families? Would she consider asking the HSE to undertake a review or audit of a sample of IFSPs and service statements nationally to ensure that they contain the goals, interventions, responsibilities and timelines required under policy and legislation? Families are less concerned with the number of meetings that are taking place than with understanding what services their child will actually receive and when they can expect them. I understand this family experienced significant difficulty in obtaining a statutory services statement, and when it was received, they felt it did not provide sufficient clarity regarding the services to be delivered and the timeframe for delivery."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins In that case, the Deputy might advise the family that the Act provides for an application to raise a complaint if the HSE fails to provide, or fully provide, a service specified in the service statement, or if the service statement is inaccurate or incorrect. They may also subsequently appeal to the appeals officer if the recommendation of the complaint officer is then not implemented. There are appeals mechanisms and safeguards to ensure that if an appeal is won, it is implemented locally. In response to the Deputy's other question regarding therapeutic interventions and consultations, we have a system called the CDNT-IMS, which categorises different forms of engagement and responses. The Deputy is right that it is really important to recognise that supports may come in forms other than direct therapeutic interventions in a family-centred practice model. It is important that supports are captured, but in a specific way. Administrative tasks need to be recorded separately from interventions and we are working on ensuring that happens."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Disability Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_26","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Childcare Services","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_22","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_26","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_26.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley On plans for the further roll-out of early learning and childcare facilities, will one be located in County Laois? I understand seven have been announced. The Minister of State might give an update on the seven that have been announced. What plans are there for another round?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins Improving access to high-quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a priority for the Government. Overall, early learning and childcare capacity is increasing. Data from the annual early years sector profile in 2025 shows that the estimated number of enrolments increased by 25% over the previous three years. In Laois specifically, there was a 21% increase in enrolments in that period. Earlier this year, the Minister, Deputy Foley, announced \u20ac135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality, accessible, State-led early learning and childcare up to 2030. This is a groundbreaking initiative for the Government, which begins this year. Capital funding will be used to acquire or fit out the buildings, depending on requirements. On 30 September, the Minister announced the proposed locations for the first tranche of the new early learning and childcare facilities to be delivered under the State-led early learning and childcare capital programme. The Department has received project proposals from a number of sources since the programme was launched. These projects are in very different stages of development. Some relate to existing buildings that are ready to be occupied or fitted out, while others are longer term prospects for future years. Not all proposals align with the programme objectives. Some projects are proposed by an existing early learning and childcare service provider, while others relate to a building or property only and a separate process to identify an operator would be required. The Department has a long list of projects under consideration, which includes project proposals received through preliminary appraisal forms from city and county childcare committees. I am advised that no project has yet been brought forward from County Laois via the submission of a preliminary appraisal form. The Department is aware that while it does have a long list, it is not an exhaustive list of all projects that could form part of this programme of investment. That is why we continue to invite proposals for projects and seek potential projects for consideration."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley I thank the Minister of State. I acknowledge there has been some expansion of childcare facilities in the county but there has also been rapid population expansion from under 60,000 to almost 100,000. This is in the context of Department of local government plans for a further 33% increase in population over the next seven years, with an additional 11,200-plus new households. There is a critical shortage of childcare facilities in all parts of the county, including Portarlington, Graiguecullen, Rathdowney, Mountrath, Mountmellick and Portlaoise. I am regularly contacted by parents in those areas seeking to get their children into childcare. It is putting huge pressure, particularly, on single parents and couples who are balancing work and parenting and trying to pay mortgages and absolutely sky-high rents, which have gone up 12% in the last year. The provision of childcare is essential in the county. I welcome the Minister of State's reference to \"State-led\". She might outline what that means. Who will run that childcare centre? If the Government acquires the building, how is that going to be done?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins The Government absolutely agrees that childcare is a priority. That is why we are investing to reduce the cost of childcare and to ensure the expansion of existing providers across the country. For example, on the expansions, we have the building blocks grant scheme, which will support expansion of capacity by existing providers. Under the 2024 strand of the scheme, one service from Laois was funded and is delivering 13 quality, affordable childcare places on top of what it was already doing. Under the current strand of the scheme, a separate construction project will be delivered in Laois. When complete, it will deliver 64 quality, affordable places. Those are examples of where we are investing in existing providers. The State-led scheme is a brand new scheme where we are looking at new community-led initiatives. Local city and county childcare committees are supporting the development of those projects. If the Deputy is aware of such a project in Laois, I highly recommend he encourage whoever he is working with to get in touch with the Laois childcare committee, which can help them with that form."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley I thank the Minister of State. I take it that the local partnerships, for example, could be the body that would kick-start it at local level. In terms of infrastructure, the Government has to look at acquiring premises in the areas of most rapid population growth. I have mentioned some of the towns where there has been massive development in recent years with further development planned. People are moving into the area, buying affordable or private homes or moving into social housing or whatever. It is as critical for them to get their children into childcare as into primary school if there are two parents in the household and both of them are working, trying to pay the rent or mortgage. Is another round of funding due? Initially, there are seven, which I warmly welcome, but is another round of funding due? Could Laois be considered and looked at, given the rapid expansion of the population in the area?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins The answer is \u201cYes\u201d. The process for approving projects is ongoing. Much work has been carried out already but we are continuing with that work. This will be a rolling programme. We are continuing to look at applications and those pre-appraisal forms that come through the local childcare committee. That is the first point of contact. I will outline the process so that the Deputy and the partners with which he is working are aware of it. In the first instance, all projects below 300 sq. m are eliminated. The reason for that is the State-led capital programme aims to deliver services that will, on average, provide 100 early learning and childcare places. Therefore, they have to be over 300 sq. m. That is the first thing to bear in mind. Second, given the importance of delivery at the early stage of the project, we are looking at prioritising projects that can be developed rapidly. To that end, the unit selected projects where funding could be released this year to deliver some or all of the project, either through acquisition or fit-out costs, or both. First, it needs to be big enough. Second, it needs to be fast enough. The third element is the need for local demand, effectively, which the Deputy outlined is the case in Laois."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Childcare Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_27","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Childcare Services","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_22","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_27","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brendan Smith","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","memberCode":"Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_27.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brendan Smith","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","memberCode":"Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brendan Smith I welcome the introduction of the building block grant scheme in 2024. It is important. It gives some financial assistance to both private providers and community-provided services to develop new accommodation or upgrade existing accommodation and expand. One query I have from a number of existing providers in my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan is when the next round of building block grant applications will be put in place. When is the application process likely to be opened with an invitation for applications? What is the likely timescale for the processing and approval of applications?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins Improving access to quality and affordable early learning and childcare is a key priority of the Government. Capital funding has been allocated to the early learning and childcare sector under the national development plan, NDP. The NDP was revised last year, as the Deputy will be aware. This will enable significant investment in the expansion of early learning and childcare up to 2030, including through the building blocks capital grant scheme. The building blocks capital grant schemes is open to core funding partner services only. The primary focus of these schemes is to increase capacity in the one-to-three age range for full day care. The building blocks expansion scheme operated in 2024. Under that scheme, funding was made available to applicants to fund renovations or reconfigurations of existing facilities in order to create additional places in areas of the country with identified undersupply. Almost 300 quality, affordable, full-time early learning and childcare places were delivered under this scheme. The first building blocks extension grant scheme closed for applications in January 2025 and is currently in operation. It provides funding to existing services to extend their existing premises or, in the case of community services, to construct or purchase new premises. Projects are now actively under way across the country. The first building blocks extension grant scheme was split into four strands. Private providers could apply for grants of between \u20ac50,000 and \u20ac250,000 to physically extend their premises, with a matching funding requirement. Community providers could apply for grants of between \u20ac100,000 and \u20ac500,000 to physically extend their premises. In addition, community providers could also apply for funding of between \u20ac300,000 and \u20ac750,000 to purchase an early learning and childcare facility or a premises that could be easily adapted for this purpose, or towards the cost of constructing a new premises or installation of a modular building. This scheme is anticipated to deliver up to 1,250 additional quality, affordable, full-time early learning and childcare places over the next year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brendan Smith","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","memberCode":"Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brendan Smith I thank the Minister of State for her reply. As the Leas-Cheann Comhairle may recall, in 1998, the equal opportunities childcare programme was introduced. At the time, it was the first major investment in childcare accommodation facilities throughout the country, both assisting private providers and community-led providers, which was a new sector at that time. As the Minister of State is aware, many of the facilities developed from that period onwards are in need of an upgrade now. Many need additional accommodation because of the demand for places. The Minister of State\u2019s Department colleague, the Minister, Deputy Foley, visited Cavan at my request some months ago. She met some of the providers that need to expand because of the demand for places. As the Minister of State said in her initial reply, there is a particular undersupply of childcare places for pre-ECCE children aged up to three. It is important that those providers that are providing the full service are given priority in developing new accommodation or upgrading existing accommodation. More and more investment is needed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins It is absolutely needed, and more and more investment came in this year\u2019s budget for that exact reason. The second building blocks extension scheme will fund projects in 2027 to deliver additional capacity. It recently closed for applications. Under the scheme, community providers could apply for a grant of between \u20ac100,000 and \u20ac530,000 to extend their existing premises, while private providers could apply for a capital grant of between \u20ac50,000 and \u20ac265,000. Again, matching funding was a requirement for private providers. Applications for this second building blocks scheme were recently appraised by the Department, with input from the Office of Public Works, OPW. I am anticipating an update on the outcome of this process imminently. The Minister, Deputy Foley, assures me that services will be notified of the outcome of this appraisal process in the coming weeks."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brendan Smith","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","memberCode":"Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brendan Smith I thank the Minister of State for her further reply. I wish to express the strong interest of childcare providers for the next round of applications to be opened as soon as possible. At one stage, there was an undersupply in our larger, urban centres. Now, there is an undersupply in our rural communities, which is a good thing because there are job opportunities throughout the country, both in rural and urban Ireland. People should not be denied the opportunity to remain in the workforce due to a lack of childcare. It is particularly important as well that we have a good spread of childcare facilities throughout urban and rural Ireland. We have had a good balance in this country between private providers and community-led services. We need to ensure that support continues for both types of providers. In many instances, the community service has been essential because no private provider would have provided childcare services in some of those communities. The community-led service has been of extreme importance and remains so."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I and the Government fully agree. That is why we are investing to both reduce the cost of childcare and ensure greater access to it. As the Deputy rightly pointed out, we need to have balance between community childcare providers and providers under our core funding scheme. This year, for example, not only are we investing in existing providers to help them expand so that they can offer more places to people across the country but we are also investing for the first time in State-led facilities. Earlier this year, \u20ac135 million was provided for a ground-breaking initiative to help acquire or fit out childcare as a State-led programme. So far, we have approved seven projects and we will continue to grow that number year on year. The building blocks extension grant scheme, which the Deputy is particularly interested in, has funded 139 extensions throughout the country. We will be making decisions on this new round in the coming weeks."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Childcare Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_28","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Childcare Services","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_22","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_28","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Currie","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_28.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Currie","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Currie I am seeking an update on the review of the 2001 planning guidelines for childcare facilities. They are now 25 years old. We need a date by which they will be replaced and a system put in place that ensures childcare spaces are provided and put to use. Will the Minister of State update the House on the plans for the review?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins The 2001 planning guidelines for local authorities on childcare facilities were, as the Deputy will be aware, issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. The guidelines are intended to ensure a consistent approach to the treatment of planning applications in respect of the land use planning aspects of early learning and childcare provision. The programme for Government commits to reviewing these guidelines to ensure sufficient and appropriate early learning and childcare spaces are provided and operationalised. The Planning and Development Act 2024, the new revised national planning framework and the ongoing work on phase 2 of the action plan for the early learning and childcare sector, Shaping the Future, will provide a foundation for this work. Successor guidance for local authorities and childcare facilities will take the form of a national planning statement to be made by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage under the Planning and Development Act 2024. To progress the programme for Government commitment, an early learning and childcare planning matters working group was established in 2024 and has met a number of times. It includes officials from our Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and the Department of Education and Youth. Members of the group have also met local authority planning officials, who were nominated by the County and City Management Association, CCMA, in particular in its planning and land use committee, to identify considerations for the review. These include ensuring that buildings required by the guidelines meet the needs of the local population, are fit for purpose and balance the need to ensure sufficient provision for children and families regardless of the size or housing type of the development with ensuring that buildings are effectively operating as intended. These issues will inform wider engagement with local authorities and other stakeholders, which is at a planning stage, but the timing of a national planning statement to replace the 2001 guidelines will be determined by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Our Department will continue to engage extensively with the Minister to discuss how best to support the implementation of existing guidelines and inform the drafting of revised ones."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Currie","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Currie I am seeking clarity as to whether the new approach is going to be outlined in the phase 2 action plan or if it will come separately from the Minister for housing. It is positive that the Government has ring-fenced \u20ac135 million for State-led provision of childcare facilities. That is one pipeline, but this is a pipeline that is connected to the delivery of housing and we are seeing the delivery of housing. The longer we wait, the more opportunities we lose. As for what that looks like, it might mean developments under 75 homes not being taken into consideration for the need for childcare. In my area, it might mean cr\u00e8ches that were supposed to be built not being built, or empty units in areas where people are crying out for childcare."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I thank the Deputy for her advocacy on this issue. I understand she has a Private Members' Bill on a similar matter. She is doing much work in this area for families not just in her community but in growing communities like my own. I thank her for that. To be clear, the new approach will be given effect through the new planning statement. That is up to the Minister for housing and local government to deliver. Separately, I think the Deputy would be interested to hear that the Department has been liaising with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage about the planning process in general, as set out under the Planning and Development Act. We have confirmation that the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality will be designated as a prescribed body to be notified by planning authorities of planning applications where it appears that the development will give rise to significant additional demand for early learning and childcare provision. Deputy Currie has described to us what happens when new estates are being built, new families are moving into an area and when new families are growing and new babies are being born in new estates. This will ensure that our Department has visibility on that and can act accordingly."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Currie","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Emer-Currie.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Currie I got that update through a written parliamentary question reply and I welcome it. Has it become operational? To give an example, in my area, Castlefield Hall, a cr\u00e8che was to be built in an estate with more than 100 homes. People in that estate and other estates were excited about having a cr\u00e8che but then somebody else bought that land, put in a planning application that reduced the size of the cr\u00e8che and put in housing with it. These are the kinds of planning interventions that are required by the Minister because we are now losing childcare places where there was an established need that had already been granted but was not delivered. The children in that estate are missing out and will not get that time back. These are the practical issues that need to be addressed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins The Deputy is right that these practical issues do need to be addressed. That is what the collaboration between our Department and the Department of housing and local government is about addressing. We need to break down those silos and ensure that any decisions made from a planning perspective have cognisance of where we are coming from in wanting to support children, childcare and parents. The Deputy asked whether that change has happened yet. It has not. That change will be given effect through regulation. That regulation needs to be made by the Minister for housing and local government. We are engaging extensively with him to ensure that when that regulation comes in, it will be watertight and give us exactly the opportunity we need to deliver the change the Deputy is asking for."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Childcare Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_29","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Childcare Services","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_22","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_29","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Neville","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_29.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I am taking this question on behalf of the Minister, Norma Foley, who earlier this year announced \u20ac135 million in capital investment in buildings for high-quality, accessible, State-led early learning and childcare up to 2030. This is a groundbreaking initiative for the Government that is beginning this year. Capital funding will be used to acquire or fit out the buildings, depending on requirements. The Department has received project proposals from a number of sources since the programme was launched, and these projects are in different stages of development. Some relate to existing buildings ready to occupy or fit out, while others are long-term prospects for future years. Not all proposals align with the programme objectives. Some proposals are proposed by an existing learning and childcare service provider, while others relate to a building or a property only, and a separate process to identify an operator would therefore be required. The Department is aware that this is not an exhaustive list of projects, but it will form part of the programme of investment and the Department will continue to seek potential projects for consideration to add to that list. The Department is now assigning project options to identify which are best placed to deliver on the goals of the programme. The Minister recently announced the locations of seven proposed early learning and childcare projects under the State-led early learning and childcare capital scheme. Across the seven proposed locations, there is the potential to provide around 600 places to support the Department of Children, Disability and Equality's policy of improving access to high-quality, affordable early learning and childcare under the action plan for early learning. Negotiation processes are ongoing in relation to the acquisition of two other sites in Leinster and Munster under the first phase of the State-led initiative. Further projects are also being developed by the Department and information on future projects will be provided as it becomes available. After approval in principle, a final business case is developed for the project, which includes the selection of an eligible operator, agreement of investment, purchasing of buildings and detailed building design and costings. The final business case is then considered by a capital steering group prior to being submitted for approval."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Neville","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joe Neville I thank the Minister of State, but I will highlight the issues that we face in north Kildare. I was disappointed that no town in north Kildare was on that list. North Kildare, as the Minister of State knows, has a significantly growing population. Not only that, but Naas is the seventh largest town in the country. In Maynooth and Kilcock, we have two of the areas with the youngest populations in the country, yet we do not have locations identified for them. We also have Leixlip, Celbridge and many other towns where we see significant need. It is important that we use one of those locations as a pilot. There are many buildings in the town centres that we can use. I know there has been much conversation about those locations being used for emergency accommodation. It would be more important to focus on delivering pilot programmes in some of these locations rather than let them be bought out by third parties for emergency accommodation provided by Dublin City Council."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins That is fair, but we can only deal with the applications that come in to us. Kildare County Childcare Committee has not made a proposal through the submission of preliminary appraisal forms, so I ask that the Deputy engage with it on this. A number of city and county childcare committees made appraisals and forms, and on that basis the applications were generated, and as I outlined, they went through quite a rigorous process. Once a final business case is then presented, it provides full details of the projects that have been developed. Only at that point can final approval for funding be sought. It is quite a lengthy process. They need to first do the appraisal forms. They then need to put forward a full application, and then there is a round of a final business case. That initial step has to be taken by Kildare or a provider in Kildare. We would certainly welcome any pre-appraisal or preliminary appraisal application forms from Kildare on this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Neville","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Neville.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joe Neville Many providers in Kildare have difficulty finding a location because of the cost. That has to be indicated here. We see that a lot of the locations identified are in largely rural towns where locations in-hand might have been bought out in a previous era. They might have been in the hands of local authorities. We are seeing difficulty in newer and growth areas where land that costs a significant amount of money has been bought up by developers over the past number of years, which is perfectly fine, and is zoned for housing. We do not have old buildings. We do not have buildings we can develop. What we really need is Government intervention at an earlier point to identify these sites. This is something where even Kildare County Council has had difficulty availing of and purchasing land because everybody knows that towns like Kildare are growth areas. It is easier to go into a smaller rural town where there might be sites and there is not the same competition with the large developers we need for housing. However, we also need the Government to get involved to deliver childcare in those locations. It is not enough to say that this has to come from the area itself."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I understand discussions are happening in Newbridge and Kilcullen about where these applications could come from. We are hopeful we will have two applications from Kildare childcare committee through that mechanism. It is good to see it will hopefully be able to overcome some of the challenges the Deputy has outlined. One criterion is that we would like these projects to be 300 sq. m or above. The reason for that is so they can provide up to 100 early learning and childcare places. The second criterion is that we want to them to be delivered quickly. I appreciate the challenge when you do not have a building and have to acquire a building, but there is funding for acquisitions as well. If you have a determination from a local authority for land or a building that is being provided, that is also helpful. The third criterion relates to the local need, which the Deputy has identified in County Kildare. I encourage him to work with the local childcare committee and any potential providers that are interested in this scheme."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Childcare Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_30","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Disabilities Assessments","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_22","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_30","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aisling Dempsey","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_30.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aisling Dempsey","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aisling Dempsey I ask the Minister of State if she is satisfied with the robustness, consistency and appropriateness of the assessment processes used currently and historically to diagnose disabilities and developmental conditions in children. Have these processes been reviewed to ensure that diagnoses are solely based on appropriate clinical criteria and the individual needs of the child?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins I thank the Deputy. The Government has always recognised the importance of ensuring that assessment and diagnostic processes for children with disabilities are clinically appropriate, evidence-based and respond to the individual needs of the child. It is important to note that a diagnosis is not required for access to children\u2019s disability services. That includes primary care, children\u2019s disability network teams, CDNTs, and child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS. Under the HSE national policy on access to services for children and young people with disability and developmental delay, access to services is determined by the child\u2019s needs rather than diagnosis. The Government remains committed to ensuring that children receive the right supports based on their assessed needs and it is working on a suite of legislation and operational reforms to improve delivery of children\u2019s disability services. Clinical judgment is central to determining the type, scope and nature of a clinical assessment. These decisions are informed by the child\u2019s developmental history, age, presenting needs, family context, the specific question being considered or the purpose of the assessment. A clinical assessment may be undertaken for a range of purposes and may comprise formal or informal methods, depending on the circumstances. Clinical assessment and diagnostic practice are underpinned by national and international evidence, professional standards and established clinical governance arrangements. These include professional regulation, continuing professional development, clinical supervision and quality assurance processes, which support safe, consistent and evidence-informed decision-making across services. A diagnosis is the process of identifying and determining the nature of a disease or disorder by its signs and symptoms through the use of assessment techniques such as tests, examinations and other available evidence. These diagnoses are informed by internationally recognised diagnostic classification systems alongside professional standards and evidence-based clinical practice. These frameworks support consistency and allow for clinical judgment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aisling Dempsey","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aisling Dempsey I thank the Minister for that update. Will she talk a little more about the AON process and what the Department is doing to streamline that? Families are locked in a cycle of waiting. They are waiting for assessment and waiting for reports. It has proven for many years to be a blocker to things like educational places. I appreciate that is interdepartmental work between the Minister of State\u2019s Department and education, but will she give me an update?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins The Deputy is right. Many families are waiting too long for assessments of need for their children and it is not good enough. What got us here are increased demand, changing demographics and more awareness. All of those are good things but they have contributed to a quadrupling of assessments of need received since 2019. The reality is that the service has not kept pace. Ultimately, parents do not want to know why; they want to know what we are doing about it. The only way to fix it is to change things and that means reform. We are making three significant reforms. One is from a legislative perspective, one is from a policy perspective and one is from a budgetary perspective. We are updating the assessment of need legislation section of the Act to make it more efficient and effective, and most importantly to give a standardised approach so no matter where you are in the country you will get the same approach from a policy perspective. There are a number of changes the HSE is beginning to roll out. Single point of access is one. That relates to ensuring there is no wrong door. The autism protocol and pathways are another."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aisling Dempsey","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aisling-Dempsey.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aisling Dempsey I welcome the changes coming under the Disability (Amendment) Bill 2026 and the Minister of State's and the Minister's continued commitment to maintaining the statutory entitlement to the AON. That remains there, but it is proving to be a blocker. I ask the Minister of State to continue her point and to speak more about the single point of access. How does that work practically? Is it through a GP or is it through any healthcare professional? How can we ensure that all those healthcare practitioners are informed?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Emer Higgins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Emer-Higgins.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Emer Higgins The policy changes coming in include the introduction of the autism pathway and protocol, which will be there specifically for children presenting as potentially autistic. That will be a help in that regard. The single point of access, which the Deputy asked about, is the HSE initiative to ensure there will be no wrong door. I often meet with families who say their child was on a waiting list for a long time. They got to the top of the waiting list and were told they were in the wrong queue. That should not happen, cannot happen and will not happen. Going forward that is what the HSE's single point of access will be about. That will be for the whole of the health service, including CDNTs, CAMHS and primary care. The third element we are introducing is budgetary reform. We are investing in this section. We are building capacity. We are investing in our CDNTs. For example, this year we will have 150 additional posts in our CDNTs. We have secured a budget for another 150 posts next year. We have also introduced funding for a targeted wait list initiative, which supplements the work ongoing within our CDNTs by outsourcing to private providers. To be frank, the legislation, policy changes and budgetary changes are important and are all going to have an impact, but they will not have an impact overnight. I know that is frustrating for families to hear, but we need to make these changes because we need to make it easier and better for families to access these services."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Is f\u00e9idir teacht ar Cheisteanna Scr\u00edofa ar www.oireachtas.ie."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Written Answers are published on the Oireachtas website."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Disabilities Assessments"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_31","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 Cheannair\u00ed - Leaders' Questions","counts":{"speechCount":26,"speakerCount":9},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_31","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pearse Doherty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jen Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charles Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle I welcome the Birr Historical Society to the Public Gallery. They are welcome and are here at the invitation of Deputy Nolan. I hope they enjoy their day in D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pearse Doherty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pearse Doherty T\u00e1 m\u00e9 tar \u00e9is labhairt le seanathair a bhfuil garmhac tr\u00ed bliana d\u2019aois aige at\u00e1 neamhbhriathartha agus ag fanacht le teiripe urlabhra. T\u00e1 an seanathair seo 52 bliain d\u2019aois agus ag f\u00e1il scagdhealaithe \u2013 dialysis \u2013 tr\u00ed huaire in aghaidh na seachtaine. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 i ndiaidh ofr\u00e1il deireadh a chur lena ch\u00faram leighis ionas go mbeadh a gharmhac \u00e1balta an cuidi\u00fa a bhfuil de dh\u00edth air a fh\u00e1il. N\u00ed f\u00e9idir an gr\u00e1 n\u00f3 an cr\u00e1 cro\u00ed a sh\u00e9anadh. T\u00e1 na m\u00edlte leana\u00ed ag fanacht le teiripe urlabhra agus teanga. An nd\u00e9anfaidh An T\u00e1naiste idirghabh\u00e1il i gc\u00e1s an linbh seo chun cinnti\u00fa go bhfaighidh s\u00e9 an teiripe? An nd\u00e9anfaidh s\u00e9 gn\u00edomh a chuirfidh deireadh leis an mhoill seo? I received an email during the week from a grandfather, who also contacted the T\u00e1naiste. It stopped me in my tracks. I want to read it to the T\u00e1naiste. It is very brief. He states that he is getting in touch regarding his only grandchild, who is three and is non-verbal but is a beautiful, happy, funny boy, and that his heart breaks for the child as he cannot talk and gets so frustrated. This grandfather states that his daughter has the child on a waiting list to be seen and he feels he is being left behind. He states that he himself is not well, he is on dialysis three times weekly and he is sure a lot of problems boil down to money. He states that he will do a trade-off; he will cease his treatment, saving the State a lot of money, if his grandson can get speech therapy. He further states that he knows what his outcome will be but he would give anything to hear his grandson's little voice. He asks the T\u00e1naiste to treat his email seriously as he is 100% certain of his choices, and that he is still young at 52 but is at peace with his decision. I have spoken to this man since and I have told him to continue his treatment. He gets that, but he is desperate. His love for his grandson is unmistakable and his heart is broken. He is 52 years of age, as he said. He is on dialysis three times a week and he was prepared to stop that treatment in order for that young, three-year-old grandchild to get the therapy he needs. What he needs is a direct, compassionate response and his grandson needs the help. This is part of a wider failure in community care which gets far less attention than hospital waiting lists. HSE figures at the end of August show that there were 6,170 children waiting to begin their initial speech and language therapy. Across the Clare and County Limerick service area, 305 children are waiting on speech and language therapy. The longest waiting for assessment in that area of County Clare is 91 weeks. In my own county of Donegal, for children waiting for initial therapy the longest assessment was 44 weeks and families who cannot afford private therapy have no alternative but to wait. Sinn F\u00e9in have told the T\u00e1naiste time and time again. We have called for more therapists. We have called for clear waiting times. We have called for targets. We have called for monthly publication of community care waiting lists. We have proposed legislation requiring the National Treatment Purchase Fund to publish those lists. I am sure that when the T\u00e1naiste stands up, he will say that 24,000 people were removed from the waiting list for therapy by the end of July, but the real question is how many of those children received treatment because removal from a list is not the same as care being delivered. Will the T\u00e1naiste publish the results? Today, I want to make a plea for that grandfather - that grandfather whose heart is broken. When I spoke to him, all I could hear from every syllable that he uttered was love, desperation and care for his grandchild. I am asking the T\u00e1naiste to intervene in this particular case. I am asking the T\u00e1naiste that this child's needs are reviewed and to ensure that he gets the speech and language therapy. This man's grandson cannot wait for another acknowledgement. I am asking the T\u00e1naiste to intervene for this family now, but crucially to get this system fixed for the thousands of families like his who are just as desperate as he was and need the support for their children also."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste I thank Deputy Doherty for raising this issue. I also thank that gentleman for emailing the Deputy and me in relation to his little grandchild. I share the Deputy's view, at the outset, that it shows the love and the bond that exists between a grandparent and their grandchild, and every grandparent or every parent wanting the very best for their grandchild or child and all of us wanting to see the very best done for children in this country as well. It should never be, and indeed never is, a choice between that man receiving the treatment he so desperately requires and wanting and expecting his young grandchild to also receive the speech and language therapy that he so badly needs and requires. I am sorry to hear, in the first instance, of the clear stress and anxiety that man is feeling. The Deputy said I received an email, which I will check now. I will certainly raise it with the Ministers and pass that email on to the HSE. The Government recognises that primary care waiting list and therapy waiting lists are still too long and a number of initiatives are being taken to try to reduce the primary care waiting list. I am always conscious when I stand up and say these things that it matters little to the person who is wondering when their three-year-old grandchild is going to get the therapy. I take that point, but I want that grandfather to know, and I want all grandparents or parents who have their children waiting to know, that this is an area we are working on very intensively. In September 2025, the Minster, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, provided funding for a long waiters initiative, with a specific focus on physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech and language therapy waiting lists. There has been progress made through that. The important aim there is not only to reduce the numbers on the waiting lists in the short term, but to try to build a system that can stay on top of it in the longer term, and to have a lasting impact in addressing those backlogs and building capacity for the future. We expect further progress to be made on that through the next HSE service plan too. The Minister of State, Deputy Higgins, also here today, has pointed out to me the progress that is being made in terms of our children's disability network teams. What I would say to that gentleman is that we have funding in place to hire more therapists, specifically to work in those teams. These are the network teams we all know in our constituency and in our community that work with children with disability needs. We have seen progress being made in reducing CDNT waiting lists. In fact, waiting lists were reduced by around 28% in 2025, with a commitment to build on that reduction during this year too. People will know - those opposite will know this as constituency TDs - that funding can be allocated to hire more people. We also need to build up the pipeline of therapists that we have available to hire in the system. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, is increasing the number of student places. Indeed, the programme for Government commits to doubling the number of college places for speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, psychologists and social workers, providing up to 461 additional student places by 2028. For the three-year-old child today, I know that is not the answer, but it is the answer for building up the capacity of the system to make sure we do not find ourselves in a situation where any grandparent is worrying whether their grandchild will get access to the treatment they so very much require. I thank that gentleman for bringing this issue in relation to his grandchild to my attention. I want to assure him that I will make sure the HSE has access to that information but I also want him, more importantly, to know that we are working on this as a priority issue. We are expanding our children's disability network teams right across the country, we are increasing the number of therapists working on them, we are increasing the number of training places to make sure we have an even further pipeline and we have, thankfully, seen waiting lists for CDNTs falling as a result of that investment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pearse Doherty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pearse Doherty We all deal with people but there has rarely been a time in my life that I was as taken aback as I was by this email. It was the lengths this person was willing to go to and the idea that he was trying to help the State provide speech and language therapy for his young grandson of three years of age, as he says. He would do anything just to hear his little voice. He was willing to give up his own treatment, knowing that would have an adverse impact on his own life and thinking that by saving the State a few pound, his young grandson would get treatment. That is the desperation that families feel. The T\u00e1naiste is talking about what the Government is doing. I could roll back the clock, with respect, and the T\u00e1naiste would give the same speech last year and the year before. There are hundreds of children who are waiting for speech and language therapy for more than two years - not weeks and not months but two years. Seven hundred children are waiting on speech and language therapy for two years. The waiting time is 204 weeks in parts of Dublin for initial assessment. What comfort is the T\u00e1naiste going to give to the thousands of parents out there whose children are non-verbal and who know that with the support of the State they can speak and talk, yet the system and the Government is failing them over and over again? I ask the T\u00e1naiste to look at the crisis the Government is causing in relation to this and what measures he will put in place to adequately address it in the coming months."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste What I would say to that individual, and to anybody whose child is awaiting therapies, is that the number of people working in our CDNTs is increasing as is the amount of funding going into them and that the wait times are now decreasing. The HSE preliminary data shows that the national CDNT waiting list has reduced by 62% from 16,522 children awaiting contact with a team in 2023 to 6,217 at the end of June 2026. Of course, that number is still too high but it is important that, as a Government, we give parents both hope and a way forward or direction of travel. That, by any measure, is a significant reduction in waiting times for CDNTs. We will and we must go further but we also have to tell people that we have to build the entire system here as well. We have to make sure we have enough people available to hire because, as the Deputy knows, we often put funding in place and run recruitment campaigns and find we cannot fill the necessary posts. That is why the Minister, Deputy Lawless, is significantly increasing the number of therapy places. This is a priority for Government, progress has been made and we will build on that progress in the time ahead."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle Before I call Deputy Cummins, I welcome the students from Grennan College in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, who are here as the guests of Deputy Newsome Drennan. I hope they enjoy their day in Leinster House. All of those in the Public Gallery are very welcome. It is good to see the public taking a keen interest in our debate and business."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jen Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jen Cummins I, too, welcome all of the young people in the Gallery. It is great to see them here. An internal Fine Gael report has found that many people are confused about what the party stands for. Can I be so bold as to suggest a reason for the confusion? It is the party's repeated failure, after nearly 16 years in government, to deliver on promised commitments because it prefers to narrate the problems of this country rather than doing anything about them. We have seen that with the housing and cost-of-living crises but nowhere is it more evident than in the Government\u2019s shameful treatment of children with additional needs and their families. They have known nothing but failure from this Government and every other Government Fine Gael has been involved in since 2011. For those families talk is cheap and the T\u00e1naiste's commitments are not credible because despite promise after promise, nothing gets better. Parents listen to Members of this Government insist that disability services and special education are a priority while watching their children being denied basic services and supports every single day. It is exhausting, demoralising and heartbreaking. It should be no surprise that these families have so little faith in this Government and its plans to overhaul access to special education. It is now nearly a year since the Government announced it wanted to remove the requirement for children to have a diagnosis to access special classes and supports. There was very little information about this proposal until this week and the response has been very clear. All of the teacher unions have written to the Department to express universal opposition to these plans and I agree with their concerns. It seems that this plan is not being driven by the needs of children or their best interests but it is being introduced because the State has failed to provide them with timely access to diagnosis through the assessment of need process. Diagnoses are being presented as some kind of optional extra when the reality is that professional assessments and diagnoses are critical because they outline what the child needs to survive and thrive. Teachers are not qualified to do this functional, clinical work. They are not psychologists. Principals are not clinicians and schools are not diagnostic centres; they are places of teaching and learning. This proposal, as outlined in documents from the Department, will mean that a child will have to display behaviours that persistently impact on attendance, achievement, participation and well-being before they receive specialist supports. Does the Government want a child to underachieve or fail before he or she gets the appropriate supports? In what world is that appropriate? Where is the care and humanity in that? It is cruel and it is a throwback to a time when this country treated the most vulnerable people with the most contempt. Does the T\u00e1naiste accept this new proposal is more about Government convenience rather than the best interests of the child?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste No. Quite frankly, I accept that if every time we tried to consult and engage on how we reform a system and we tried to shut down the debate before having the engagement, that would not be in the interests of the child. The Deputy provoked me in relation to my party report. If it was a secret report, we would not have emailed it to thousands of people-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste ------and be handing out hard copies at the Ard-Fheis and having a discussion in the full glare of the media. Sometimes it is good for parties to actually look at how they can best serve this country and not be complacent about the centre holding and populism not taking hold. I look forward to that discussion. I will debate my party's record with anyone. We will do that at the Ard-Fheis. My party\u2019s record since I came into this House is going from a position of 15% unemployment and the IMF being in town to seeing 145 homes completed every single working day. There are 300 people getting keys to their new home every working day. We have full employment. We are reducing tax and childcare costs, we have a record number of special classes-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rory Hearne There is record homelessness."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste Sorry, the way this works is that a Deputy does not just get to make a charge and I roll over and they tickle my belly. If somebody says something, I actually have a right to respond to it in this House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste Do not try to shout me down. That is the first point. The second point is in relation to special education. It always worries me when the starting point is that the unions said it is a bad idea. Quite frankly, sometimes it is not about the unions or the politicians-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Gary Gannon It was not."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jen Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jen Cummins That was not the starting point."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste Hang on a second, please. I fully respect Deputy Cummins and her sincerity, bona fides, and knowledge on and interest in this issue but I also know the current system is not working and it is not serving children. I think we can agree on that. I know what I am meant to do. I meant to stand up here and trot out a load of figures,say we are spending more money than ever before and we have more special classes than ever before. All of that is true but the system is still not working. Are we going to continue pumping money into a system that is letting children down or are we going to ask what inclusive education looks like? I want to assure parents and teachers that nothing is decided here, and I am not suggesting the Deputy is not, but let us make sure there is an honesty in relation to this. Nothing is decided. We want to consult extensively with all stakeholders. That is simply where we are at. We need to ask ourselves whether there are too many hoops and hurdles and too much bureaucracy that a child has to jump through before getting a place in a special school, and I contend there absolutely is. I would look at it the other way. The Deputy said we want the child to fail but she does not believe that. Nobody wants a child to fail. However, what we are doing now is saying a child has to have this or that piece of paper and has to tick a box. If the family is fortunate enough to be able to pay for the piece of paper, that is not on either. We have to see whether the system has become overly bureaucratic because I do not believe we are getting the return on investment families expect. Quite rightly, the figures we are spending on special education are extraordinarily large - it is good we are spending lots of money on special education - but they should not be that large with so many people still dissatisfied. What the Minister, Deputy Naughton, is doing with the Minister of State, Deputy Moynihan, is trying to have a conversation about reform alongside investment and how we get this model right. As part of that, we will have this inclusive education forum, which I think the Deputy is in favour of, which will kick off on 12 November. Let us have a discussion about what the model looks like. In relation to this, any future proposals will involve lots of engagement with advocacy organisations, disabled persons organisations, and educational stakeholders. Of course, they will. However, we should be willing to have the conversation because the current system is not best serving children."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste I am very conscious of the point the Deputy makes about kite-flying and the anxiety it can cause but I say, respectfully, that it is not kite-flying which is when you begin consultation, start to engage and somebody somewhere in the system says, \"This is what we are doing.\" No decision has been made nor is there any plan for an immediate change. I say that genuinely. Any changes that come about might happen in September 2028, and not this coming September. The second exchange we are having is more productive. The Deputy should be putting us under pressure. We, collectively, need to put ourselves under pressure to do more and do better rather than just rhyming off the statistics. We have all seen the benefits of the new classes in schools. Those are real benefits but it is still not enough. I and the Government believe there is a rigidity here. I was just asked about a grandfather who is wondering whether his three-year-old grandchild will get speech and language therapy. Part of the answer to speeding up access in general will be to free up therapists to do less report writing and more provision of therapy. We have to look at how we get this right. We have to drive reform. We in this country have an addiction to spending. The answer is to spend more, spend more and spend more. We must have a similar level of obsession with the impact of that spending and the difference it is making. Let us work, whether through the education committee of these Houses or the inclusive forum, to get the model right. The Deputy should be keeping us under pressure to go faster but we should have a shared destination for where we want to get to. It has to be a better place than we are in now."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly Yesterday, the current and previous Ministers for justice, Deputies Jim O'Callaghan and McEntee, confirmed to this House that they acted without legal authority in the handling of Superintendent Brian O'Reilly's protected disclosures. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, admitted she interfered in the protected disclosure process when she should not have. She also admitted that Superintendent O'Reilly's correspondence to her was a protected disclosure in its own right but she sent it to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. In doing so, she acted without legal authority. She did so using previous protected disclosures as some form of precedent for the handling of his case. That is ridiculous. She also tried to downgrade this protected disclosure by him \"as a complaint rather than as a protected disclosure\" and that it would be sent to GSOC, now Fiosr\u00fa. The current Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, then came into office and actioned this by sending it as a complaint on 7 February 2025. In doing so, he also acted without legal authority. Those two Ministers acted without legal authority. That is very dangerous territory for this Government, and potentially fatal. Why? Because once the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner made its statutory appointment of the then-Secretary General of the Department of Justice on 2 October 2023 to deal with this protected disclosure, it was locked in time. That is it. Brian O'Reilly has been treated like dirt by An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and the Department of justice. His protected disclosures were left in abeyance for three years. More important is the Horkan family, whom the T\u00e1naiste knows. They have good time for him. Yesterday, they dismissed as \"nonsense\" the idea that the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, would ask Fiosr\u00fa to investigate their concerns regarding what happened to their son and brother on the night he was murdered. They feel let down and will not be co-operating with any such investigation. GSOC was tasked with investigating this very issue in relation to these holsters, which I hold in my hand, in 2019, 11 months before Colm Horkan was murdered. It could not do it because it could not get the co-operation of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. How is the family meant to have confidence in the same organisation, newly re-established, to do an investigation that it could not do back then? This is unprecedented. A family is fighting the State to get an investigation into the circumstances of the capital murder of their loved one because of these holsters. The Government needs to change course. I am going to say out straight that this is not going to go away. The Government needs to stand up for this family. They are watching as I speak. I must say directly to the T\u00e1naiste, whose party is meant to stand for law and order, that they are depending on him and his response."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste I thank the Deputy. I say at the outset that I know the Ministers, Deputies McEntee and O'Callaghan, would always discharge their duties in line with the best possible advice available to them and with respect to the law. I know the Deputy has raised a range of broader issues there but I want to be clear in my view in relation to that. I, like the Deputy, want today to focus my remarks on the specific point he made about the Horkan family and Detective Garda Colm Horkan. I reiterate that Colm's murder in 2020 shocked people right across this country. It stole a good, decent, honourable member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na from his family and friends. He was a man who was beloved and kind, and served his country and community with duty and distinction. The Colm that his family and friends knew and loved so much became a personal loss for the Garda family but also for this country. I know he was a proud Mayo man and GAA man. Indeed, I was honoured, as Taoiseach, to meet his family, including his dad, and to open a pitch in his honour and memory. I could feel that day the love and respect that all of Colm's colleagues and community held for him. His murder reminds us of the risks that garda\u00ed take every day to protect all of us and the burden that all Garda families carry in supporting them. I want to say on the record of this House that Colm Horkan exemplified courage and dedication. Thinking of his family, imagine how any of us would feel. I do not know how any of us would feel, as a family, if our loved one was taken from us in such brutal circumstances. Of course we would want answers. I understand that fully. The Deputy knows that the individual responsible for the murder of Detective Garda Horkan has been tried and convicted by a jury in a public hearing before the Central Criminal Court. There has been an appeal of that conviction. There is a reserve judgment from the Court of Appeal and neither I nor the Deputy are attempting to cut across that, nor should we. The Minister for justice met the Horkan family on 29 October to listen to their concerns. The Minister this week made the decision that the Deputy outlined, which was to request Fiosr\u00fa, under section 205(2) of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, to conduct an investigation into matters concerning the safety and suitability of the holster used by Colm at the time of the incident at which he was murdered. My understanding is that Fiosr\u00fa has now agreed to conduct an independent investigation of these matters. It is also hoped that the criminal proceedings will conclude shortly and, thereafter, there will be a coroner's inquest to be held in public. I know the Horkan family deserves answers. The Government will need to reflect further on yesterday's comments from the family. There will need to be further engagement with the family. We need to find a mechanism that works for them in terms of trying to get those answers. The Minister has said very clearly that he retains an open mind on a public inquiry. I reiterate that today. We need further engagement with the family and to work out how best to put a mechanism in place to address their sincerely held concerns about the brutal murder and loss of their loved one."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly I thank the T\u00e1naiste. I hope he has moved the dial on this. With all his colleagues beside him, I say, in all sincerity, that the D\u00e1il has to move. It was not good that the Minister for justice met the family a week ago and then said that he was referring the matter to Fiosr\u00fa without them knowing and telling them it was happening. They were never going to co-operate with this. They feel let down and call it an absolute \"nonsense\" for the reasons I have outlined. I hope what the T\u00e1naiste is saying here today is going to be reflected in the coming weeks with a change whereby this family will be engaged with because they need to be met, perhaps by the T\u00e1naiste and the Taoiseach, and that there will be a form of inquiry or process found - I am not hung up about what it will be - to absolutely meet their needs and questions. Will the T\u00e1naiste please commit to that?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste I thank the Deputy. A number of broader issues have been raised in this House in recent times and there have been responses from the Government and processes are ongoing. I note that. My comments are separate from and distinct to that. Alongside and parallel to that, there is a grieving family who lost their son and brother, a serving member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. It is, in and of itself, rare to lose a member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na in active service. They have concerns and questions. The Minister for justice met them in recognition of that and he brought forward what he believed to be a mechanism to try to provide answers. The family has now clearly given a view in relation to that and the Government needs to reflect further on that and engage further. I appreciate what the Deputy says in terms of, to quote him back constructively, not being \"hung up\" on the format. It is about trying to establish the information and answers the family want about the loss of their son and brother, Detective Garda Colm Horkan. That is the way in which Government should and will engage on this matter and there will be further engagement with the family."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charles Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charles Ward I raise serious issues of accountability and public protection in the engineering profession in Ireland. Engineers play a critical role. Their reports can determine whether a home is safe, whether a family can remain in it or whether homeowners have any route to redress when things go wrong. In the defective concrete crisis serious concerns have been raised. Complaints have been made to Engineers Ireland about professional conduct. When this issue is raised in the D\u00e1il the response has been that it is a matter for Engineers Ireland. My questions are straightforward. Given the State's recognition of Engineers Ireland's role and the professional framework it provides, does the State accept responsibility to assure independent oversight? What independent mechanism exists for the public when complaints arise? Will the Government commit to an independent review of the current arrangements? I am not asking the T\u00e1naiste to intervene in any individual complaints but to ensure proper, independent accountability where professional standards affect public safety and people's homes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Teachta for raising this question. It is an issue he has been pursuing through a variety of the fora and avenues available to him, including parliamentary questions, in recent times. In order to ensure the safety of people within the built environment, the design and construction of buildings in Ireland is regulated under the Building Control Acts. There are clear administrative procedures in place for demonstrating compliance in respect of an individual building or works, and they are set out in the building control regulations. These empower competence and professionalism in construction projects but they also endeavour to establish a chain of responsibility that begins with the owner. With certain limited exceptions, the owner must assign competent persons to design, build, inspect and certify the building works. These, in turn, must account for their role through the lodgement of compliance documentation, inspection plans and statutory certificates. Under those regulations, chartered engineers on the register maintained by Engineers Ireland under section 7 of the Institution of Civil Engineers of Ireland (Charter Amendment) Act 1969 may be appointed and may be signed as an assigned certifier, provided they are competent in relation to the particular works involved. That assigned certifier is assigned by the building owner to inspect and co-ordinate the inspection activities. There are also strong powers of enforcement under the Building Control Acts to ensure compliance with both the building regulations and the building control regulations. Enforcement is delegated to the local building control authorities which are independent in the exercise of their statutory powers. That is the factual position. It is slightly technical but it is important to put on the record of the House. In answering this question, I am aware of the context in which the Deputy raises this and the real trauma people in his county and others, though perhaps particularly in Donegal, have gone through with the mica situation. While not in any way like the Deputy, I have been in homes in Donegal affected by this and seen the devastation - the pain, stress, anxiety and the rest - it has caused people. I wanted to acknowledge that. To be helpful in terms of what Deputy Ward is suggesting, there is a programme for Government commitment to establish a new building standards regulatory authority. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage is currently implementing this two-stage process. The aim of this new authority is to strengthen the oversight role of the State in respect of the design and construction of buildings. I wonder perhaps if this is an issue the Minister could engage further with the Deputy on because the aim is that the new authority will ensure stronger oversight of design and construction and give greater confidence about those standards as well. There is the programme for Government commitment on that. On foot of the Deputy raising this issue in the D\u00e1il, I will send the transcript of this discussion to the Minister for housing and ask that he engage with the Deputy on that basis."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charles Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charles Ward I accept that and I understand where the T\u00e1naiste is coming from regarding this. However, engineers are administering their own profession, so their disciplinary processes are being done in-house when a problem arises. A problem is arising now. We have hundreds, potentially thousands, of houses affected and this will be something we will have to come back to retrospectively. When it comes to precisely these concerns the public has serious questions and the operation of these processes needs independent oversight. There is no doubt about that. The Department of enterprise has no responsibility and when we try the Department with responsibility for public bodies, there is no responsibility. Basically, Engineers Ireland is marking its own homework. There is no process and no accountability. People are in this scheme and there are issues with it, but there is no accountability for engineers who are not doing their job. I am asking the Government to identify the responsibilities and the areas and to ensure we have some form of independent statutory mechanism going forward to make this scheme work."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste I do not want to be argumentative on this issue, but I respectfully suggest there are some laws that already underpin a number of these issues of building control and standards. In my previous answer, I specifically referenced the Building Control Acts and the strong powers of enforcement that are there to ensure people comply with the building regulations and the building control regulations. I would not fully align with the idea that Engineers Ireland or any other professional body can just have its register and do its own thing. Obviously Engineers Ireland does the register and that is an important thing. It has its professional standards and it is the professional body, but we all operate under the laws of the land. The bigger question perhaps is whether the laws of the land and the structures are adequate. Do they need to be more robust? As I said, the programme for Government agrees with Deputy Ward to a point, in that there is certainly a need for a new building standards regulatory authority to try to better co-ordinate, strengthen and enhance the oversight role of the State when it comes to the design and construction of buildings. I will feed the Deputy's comments back to the Minister, Deputy Browne, as part of that process."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 Cheannair\u00ed - Leaders' Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_32","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 na Comhalta\u00ed Eile - Other Members\u2019 Questions","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_32","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ryan O'Meara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ryan-O'Meara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ryan-O'Meara.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ryan O'Meara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ryan-O'Meara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ryan-O'Meara.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ryan O'Meara I raise a profound issue of importance to survivors of sexual assault and rape across Tipperary, Clare and Limerick, namely, the absence of a sexual assault treatment unit for the mid-west. There are six dedicated sexual assault treatment units in the country. They are in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Donegal, Mullingar and Waterford but the mid-west is a glaring omission. Instead we have a forensic medical examination service. It operates from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Monday to Friday and 24-7 at the weekends, but that means that between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on a week day there is no access to this local service. The disadvantage goes much further than opening hours. Unlike a dedicated sexual assault treatment unit, the mid-west forensic medical examination service requires a survivor to make a report to the Garda before access to a forensic examination. At a sexual assault treatment unit elsewhere in the county, a survivor can access the examination without first having to decide whether to go to the Garda in the aftermath of an assault. A sexual assault treatment unit also brings forensic examination, immediate medical care, STI screening and psychological support together under one roof. In the mid-west these elements are not provided for in the same integrated way. We need to consider what this means for someone who has just experienced a sexual assault. They may be traumatised, frightened and uncertain about what to do next. Instead of accessing immediate specialist care locally, they may face hours of waiting or travelling to get to a sexual assault treatment unit. I represent Tipperary North but this is an issue for the entire mid-west. At the moment, if people from the region want to get to a sexual assault treatment unit \u2013 and garda\u00ed generally want them to go to one \u2013 they have to choose Cork or Galway. Local garda\u00ed in my constituency have told me that if someone appears in the station following an assault or a rape, garda\u00ed will, if they can, drive that individual to Galway. This is sensitive but talking to people after an assault, they are told that if they want the best treatment in the best centre, they have to go there immediately without changing their clothes or having a shower. It is a horrible thing to have to discuss with someone, but that is what they are facing because they cannot get that service in Limerick. This is not about seeking preferential treatment for the mid-west, but about equality of healthcare, dignity and basic access for specialist services. A survivor of sexual assault should not face obstacles to timely, compassionate and comprehensive care and dignity on the basis of their eircode or address. I am asking the Government to intervene. I have repeatedly, through parliamentary questions, asked it to intervene and I am raising the issue again today. Will the Government establish a sexual assault treatment unit in the mid-west?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste I thank Deputy O'Meara for raising this important issue. I know the Minister for Health will join me in this. While he proudly represents Tipperary North, the Deputy is quite right to say this is an issue for the region and for the country in terms of how we properly respond to the needs of victims and survivors of sexual assault, and also to the criminal justice piece in terms of the preservation of evidence and the like and the important role our sexual assault treatment units, SATUs, play in this. I remember when I was Minister for Health doing a piece with Dr. Maeve Eogan in the Rotunda. She did very good work in relation to this at the initial iteration of the women's health task force. There were six SATUs around the country at the time - in Cork, Dublin, Galway, Mullingar, Letterkenny and Waterford - and they responded to 900-plus cases annually. Unfortunately, this number is rising year on year. That review made a number of changes to protect victims, many of which have been implemented and progressed in the intervening years. They include a rapid responder on-call rota so that forensic examiners can travel to support patients in their local unit, a roll-out of more frequent and flexible modular units, interprofessional training and a pipeline of qualified staff. There are no two ways about it. What the Deputy has identified is true. While are SATUs are distributed nationally, with the aim of providing access within that universal three-hour window, and while patients in the mid-west can access Cork or Galway, the Deputy is right to outline the impact having to travel a longer distance can have on somebody who has experienced the most horrific crime. He has described that situation very well. This is something the Minister for Health wants to make progress on and I want to work with her on it. There is a scoping report for proposed development of a dedicated SATU service in the mid-west. It has been finalised and submitted to the regional clinical director. I believe the mid-west region of the HSE convened a multidisciplinary working group - it had representatives of HSE primary care services in the mid-west, the primary care team, the regional rape crisis service and HSE social inclusion - to scope potential models for the mid-west. The report will be considered by the regional clinical director and we will need to work together on next steps, looking at things like relevant governance and approval processes. I recognise the importance of the role our sexual assault treatment units play and the point the Deputy makes about the mid-west region. The overarching objective is to ensure all survivors of rape and sexual assault have timely access to high-quality, specialist, trauma-informed care delivered with compassion, dignity and, as the Deputy says, regardless of geographical location. The Government will continue to work with the Deputy on this issue and I know the Minister for Health will work with him on it too."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ryan O'Meara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ryan-O'Meara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ryan-O'Meara.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ryan O'Meara I thank the T\u00e1naiste and the Minister for Health for their work on this. I have consistently raised this, particularly through parliamentary questions, pretty much this entire calendar year. I can see from the responses and from the T\u00e1naiste's response today that we are seeing some progress, most definitely. I first raised it on 17 February through a parliamentary question and there was quite a bad response from the HSE, which was that, no, it was not going to do it. I asked two further questions on 4 March. I asked questions on 26 March, 14 April, 28 April, when I asked ten questions, 28 May, 9 July, 14 July, 7 September and 15 October. Each time we have got more data. The data is now on the record for people who have gone to Cork, Galway, Waterford or the forensic unit in Limerick but that only shows historical numbers and figures. There are people behind those but there are so many people out there who do not go anywhere, particularly because we do not have an SATU in Limerick. We need one for them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Simon Harris","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Simon-Harris.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The T\u00e1naiste I thank the Deputy. No one can doubt the huge amount of work he has done and his commitment to this issue. I want him to know, as I know he does, that the Minister for Health, who is here with me, is also deeply committed to making progress on better supporting victims and survivors of sexual assault from a healthcare point of view and on how that feeds into the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to zero tolerance of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. The Deputy identified a real and pertinent issue. I thank all stakeholders in the mid-west region for the work they have done in getting things to this point. I suggest, on foot of the Deputy raising this again today, that we keep the lines of communication open. The Minister will continue to work through this and we all have to support her in the next steps."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 na Comhalta\u00ed Eile - Other Members\u2019 Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_33","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Pholasa\u00ed n\u00f3 ar Reachta\u00edocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation","counts":{"speechCount":54,"speakerCount":21},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_33","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Robert O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Robert-O'Donoghue.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Robert-O'Donoghue.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n \u00d3 Feargha\u00edl","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-\u00d3-Feargha\u00edl.S.2000-06-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-\u00d3-Feargha\u00edl.S.2000-06-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Murphy.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Murphy.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dessie Ellis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dessie-Ellis.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Dessie-Ellis.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mair\u00e9ad Farrell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Grace Boland","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Grace-Boland.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Grace-Boland.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ryan O'Meara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ryan-O'Meara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ryan-O'Meara.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Shane Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darren O'Rourke At its Ard-Fheis this weekend, Fine Gael will launch its blueprint for Irish unity. It is a welcome and positive initiative and I look forward to reading its proposals. The Taoiseach has announced that a new body to examine reunification will be established. This is a time of real optimism. The momentum for Irish unity is building, so this is a moment for leadership. The preparations for constitutional change must start now. The Government must play a leading role. The conversation must be deepened and expanded to allow all people across the island to come together and chart the future. Our ambition is a new, united Ireland founded on equality, democracy, respect and reconciliation. Does the Minister agree this generation has an historic opportunity to shape the future and that this is a moment that must be grasped with energy and enthusiasm?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health (Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill) I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I was a member of the Good Friday Agreement committee with many of his colleagues in Sinn F\u00e9in. This is a really important area for all of us. What Fine Gael and all parties want is to provide a structure and a plan for the future, whatever that future may be. We have dealt with so many disruptions and opportunities. It is intelligent and appropriate that we take the correct pace to looking at constitutional and integration issues and doing that with the utmost respect for every perspective on this island, both North and South. Fine Gael is the united Ireland party. That is what the party has always been. It has always played a constructive role in that and again wants to play a strategic, constructive role in planning for the broad future, respecting every voice and perspective on this island."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney There will be chaos in Dublin next week when EU Heads of State visit. We are told to expect complete gridlock from Tuesday as roads are closed. Public transport routes will also be significantly impacted. The National Transport Authority is saying every mode of transport, cycling, walking, driving, train and bus, will be affected. There is simply no way to avoid this. Why is the Government not intervening and asking employers to allow their staff, where possible, to work from home next week? Some people will need to get to work or to attend appointments in the city and more may be on strike next Thursday, but many employees will be forced to make a journey into town when they could easily be doing the same job from home. That makes absolutely no sense, particularly when we are being warned of commuter carnage because of these EU Presidency events. The huge increase in the number of employers diluting their workers' entitlement to work from home in recent years has been disastrous for employees and their quality of life and has added to gridlock all over the country, which costs the State nearly \u20ac500 million per year. Instead of employees being stuck in traffic for hours on end next week, will the Minister appeal to employers to ask staff, where possible, to work from home?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I appreciate the question. It is important to recognise that this Government created the opportunity to have the right to work at home. It is a day that is very unusual and a day in which Ireland can take great pride. We have not done this since 2013 and will not do it again until 2040 or 2041. It is a day when Ireland is the centre of Europe and when the Council and the European Political Community meet here, as opposed to somewhere else. That is an important day for the State. It is one day."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney It is all three days next week."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I am sure employers can provide the flexibility they need for their employees across the country."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney Will the Minister appeal to them?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Robert O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Robert-O'Donoghue.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Robert-O'Donoghue.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Robert O'Donoghue I appeal to the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy Heydon, to engage in proper, meaningful discussions regarding live animal export. Every year, animals are transported within and without the EU, enduring long, exhausting journeys in inadequate conditions. We hear reports of pregnant heifers, unweaned calves and other vulnerable animals being subjected to stress, suffering and long journey times. The new animal welfare strategy released this week is welcome, but strategies and promises are not enough. We need legislation that delivers real, measurable improvements in animal welfare. I ask the Minister to engage with stakeholders, farmers, people working in the sector and animal rights organisations to look at better enforcement and to debate whether we need live exports in this day and age. We cannot continue to overlook the realities of what is, at times, a barbarous process. The Department repeatedly refers in parliamentary questions to Ireland's role as an honest broker but we have not outlined our negotiating position on journey times, space allowances or temperature restrictions. We need to have an open discussion on this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill The Minister, Deputy Heydon, brought the animal welfare proposals to Cabinet this week, and they are grounded in looking after the welfare of every animal. The Minister engages enthusiastically with all stakeholders in the agriculture sector. I will bring the Deputy's question to his attention because I cannot answer it any further than that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett It is now becoming clear that half of Dublin city is going to be locked down. I would like to know the cost of next Thursday to facilitate these EU leaders. There will be huge expense, huge chaos and difficulty for workers to get to work and so on to facilitate these EU leaders, who are probably coming here to tell us why we need to double arms expenditure across Europe. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of public sector workers are being forced out on strike on the same day because the Government will not pay them properly. Does this demonstrate the Government's priorities - facilitating EU leaders who want to talk about increasing arms expenditure ahead of looking after working people in this country who are being forced out to strike on the same day the Government is wining and dining European leaders?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I am not sure what the Deputy is suggesting. Is he suggesting that we do not host EU leaders during the Irish European Presidency? Is he suggesting that we go against the wishes of the 88% of Irish people who are enthusiastic supporters of Europe - the highest across the EU? Is he suggesting that we do not discharge our obligations as a sovereign State in hosting leaders of governments right across Europe who want to be here-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger Do not disrupt public transport."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill -----and want to engage in a stable conversation about the future of Europe?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Do not cause chaos for them, and pay the workers."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle I thank the Minister."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill It is entirely possible-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Pay the workers."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill We are a pragmatic, agile and intelligent State. If people can work from home, that is fantastic even if others cannot, but we are the Irish State and the centre of Europe at the moment with the Presidency. If the Deputy is suggesting that we should not discharge our sovereign obligations in that way, then I suggest that he take that conversation to the people of D\u00fan Laoghaire-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger Why does the city have to shut down?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill ------because I know what their view is."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett I will be taking it to the protest on the day."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins They do not want tourism either. In the recent budget, the Government announced what I publicly acknowledged as a game-changer for many throughout the country, this being a \u20ac9,000 solar grant that can lead to homes getting up to nine panels and a battery free of charge if they receive certain payments, such as the fuel allowance, the working family payment, the disability allowance, the domiciliary care allowance, the one-parent family paymnet, the carer's allowance and certain jobseeker's allowances. However, the devil is in the detail. We have now found out that anyone in these categories living in a council house or a community-run housing association cannot get this grant. This is similar to the targeted agriculture modernisation scheme, TAMS, grant, which is desperately needed by farmers, promising up to 60% in solar grants. When the farmer applies, they are refused for one reason or another. Can changes be made to this solar grant roll-out to include local authorities and community-run housing bodies for those who meet the criteria, which will help homeowners but also could help local authorities, which could benefit financially from any extra power savings to be made and which could give them much-needed funds? More importantly, it would help those who do not qualify under these criteria at the moment if they live in a council house. Many of them are in energy arrears and are living in the cold in their homes at this time."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill On the specifics of the solar panel grants, I will raise that with the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. It is important. The Deputy will remember that this Government has tried to prioritise local authority and social housing in providing retrofitting and wraparound heating to be able to insulate those homes first, recognising that those households may not have the funds to do that. Of course, the funding from that comes from carbon tax revenues, which are extremely important. We will continue carbon tax to ensure that we have that dedicated, ring-fenced funding to do precisely what the Deputy is suggesting. As to the specifics of the grant, I will raise that with the Minister."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n \u00d3 Feargha\u00edl","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-\u00d3-Feargha\u00edl.S.2000-06-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-\u00d3-Feargha\u00edl.S.2000-06-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n \u00d3 Feargha\u00edl I rise to raise the programme for Government commitment to introduce a new management plan for the Curragh Plains. Will the Minister bring this matter to the attention of the T\u00e1naiste, who has been particularly helpful on this matter, and to the attention of the Minister, Deputy McEntee? From watching the debate around this in the two years or so since the Government has been formed, it is clear the Government is moving towards a position of recommending that the National Parks and Wildlife Service take responsibility for the Curragh Plains. This is a superb organisation that has done wonderful work with our parks and flora and fauna. It is a pioneering organisation. However, it is manifestly the wrong organisation to take responsibility for the Curragh Plains. The Curragh Plains has far more in common with Phoenix Park, where there is a multiplicity of intensive uses well established. I have never heard any criticism of how the Office of Public Works, OPW, manages Phoenix Park. It has proven its ability to do what needs to be done in Kildare. I implore the Ministers and the Government to move away from the National Parks and Wildlife Service to the OPW and to designate it as the management body."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I will bring that to the T\u00e1naiste and the Minister, Deputy McEntee, for their attention. The Deputy makes an excellent point. I apologise that I cannot answer it any further than that, but I will bring it to their attention."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Murphy.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Murphy.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Murphy On Tuesday last, my Oireachtas colleagues from south Tipperary and I met with the CEO of Irish Water owing to the level of crisis across my constituency. Tens of thousands are on a boil water notice. Some of those have been on a boil water notice since February of this year. For a time, they were on a \"do not consume\" notice. There have been multiple outages and poor communication. This is a public utility, in receipt of significant funds, offering an essential service, yet not accountable to D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann. I cannot table a parliamentary question, nor can I question the CEO by means of a select committee. That needs to change. I think every Member in this House believes that Irish Water should be more accountable to this House. How do we make this happen?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I acknowledge the Deputy's continued advocacy in respect of this water difficulty with the Ardfinnan regional water supply scheme. I acknowledge that the boil notice is still there, which is deeply disruptive for the Deputy's constituents and the people of the area. Uisce \u00c9ireann has acknowledged that its engagement with public representatives needs to improve. There is no question about that and I entirely agree with the Deputy. It is a body that receives significant public funding. The way in which it has been set up as a statutorily independent body has separated it from the usual parliamentary question schemes that we all know. However, the Deputy is right in the sense that we need a better structure within which it can reply to Members of the Oireachtas, who vote on the expenditure that it gets. That is not particular to Uisce \u00c9ireann and it applies to the generality of State bodies, but this is one that so deeply and directly affects constituents. I very clearly hear what the Deputy is saying."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joanna Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joanna-Byrne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joanna Byrne The use of scramblers and electric bikes has long been a scourge in our communities and is only getting worse due to the lack of implementation of regulations. Rank-and-file garda\u00ed tell me there is a resistance to tackle scramblers without sufficient training and adequate protections. I asked Commissioner Justin Kelly two weeks ago at the public accounts committee if the ongoing Garda pursuit training would extend beyond cars to scramblers. He said he did not know and could not provide the detail. I followed up with a parliamentary question seeking clarity and the Minister for justice has just washed his hands of it. How can we implement the likes of Grace's law if the Garda is not resourced to pursue scramblers? How are we at the point where neither the Commissioner nor the Minister for justice knows whether the training being rolled out is even sufficient in that regard?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill It is an incredibly important area. I thank the Deputy for raising it. In the first half of 2026 alone, there were 180 scrambler seizures, which was well ahead of the 2025 figure of 159. In addition, Garda authorities report 1,412 incidents in which an e-scooter was seized in the first half of the year. Again, that is up on the 2025 figure. Specific to the Deputy's questions about the Garda pursuit training, she is aware that the Garda Commissioner has confirmed that will happen. Her particular point relates to whether that will extend to scramblers. I cannot answer that here. I do not know the answer to that, but I will highlight to the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, that the Deputy has asked that question and ask that that Department come back to the Deputy more directly when that is clear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dessie Ellis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dessie-Ellis.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Dessie-Ellis.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Dessie Ellis There have been few or no prosecutions or persons charged with criminal damage to Dublin City Council-owned properties running into hundreds of thousands of euro on an annual basis. For example, vacant houses are being severely damaged by being broken into or graffitied, often with racist language. Newly built playgrounds are being maliciously damaged and often set on fire. All of this amounts to a huge cost to the council as well as the community. There needs to be a proper response along with an active plan from both the Garda and Dublin City Council in identifying those responsible and bringing them to court as this is an ongoing criminal activity with no end in sight. Communities are at their wits' end. Will the Minister ensure this criminal activity is treated with the seriousness it deserves?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill Getting more garda\u00ed on the streets, particularly in Dublin city centre, is the Government's first priority in the area of justice. A new intake of 200 trainee garda\u00ed have entered Templemore this week. From that attestation, and this the reason I mention it, 84 will be deployed to the Dublin metropolitan region. There has been a significant increase there. The Deputy is quite right, however, that the combination of local authority work plus policing is what is necessary. In part, that is where the Dublin city task force and the work being led by Robert Watt is so very important. Criminal damage is criminal damage. While neither the Deputy nor I can prosecute that in this House, we want there to be prosecutions for damage to State and community entities, including playgrounds and local authority housing. The Deputy is quite right to highlight the need for that and I thank him."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Crowe We would collectively agree that the waiting times for speech and language therapy across the system are appalling. In Dublin South-West, 1,100 children are waiting on therapies, and the list only gets longer. The latest figure I received for Chamber House in Tallaght for August indicate an average waiting time of 119 months \u2013 ten long years. How is it acceptable for a toddler to be identified as needing support and not getting it until they are in secondary school? Is it not time for the Government to accept that its approach has failed and it is time to adopt a different one? What is the Government going to do to bring down the waiting times for speech and language therapy in Tallaght and elsewhere in the State? When will families and children see results?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill The Deputy is quite right; it is not acceptable. As his colleague, Deputy Doherty, highlighted, children cannot be left because the impact of a wait of six months, never mind a year or two years-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Crowe I am talking about ten years."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill -----is so much more impactful at tender ages such as, in the case he raised, a toddler aged three. Our real challenge is that while we have invested in the system and there are many more people working in it, we are not getting the collective benefit of that for our children. There has to be reform of the way in which services are assessed and delivered. I ask all Deputies to work with us on how we reorganise and reallocate those resources to make sure that children are getting therapies as opposed to document after document and children suffering due to the disorganisation of systems. While we have tried to reorganise the systems into a single point of access, there is much more to do to make sure that every therapist trained in the State is doing therapy are not administration. In part, that is what we need to do to make sure that the additional resource benefits our children."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louis O'Hara When Fine Gael entered Government in 2011, the average house price was \u20ac195,000 and the average rent was \u20ac765. The average price house price is now \u20ac390,000, while the average new rent is over \u20ac2000. Rents and house prices have more than doubled during Fine Gael's time in office. Last week, a young couple aged in their 20s from east Galway contacted me and said that despite both of them working the prospect of finding affordable accommodation is extremely poor and from what they have seen they could easily end up spending over 50% of their combined income on rent, assuming they are fortunate enough to find somewhere suitable. They went on to say that they found it difficult to understand how two young working adults are expected to build an independent life under these circumstances. What does the Minister have to say to that couple? This is not an accident; it is the result of deliberate political choices. Why has the Government prioritised vulture funds and big landlords over young workers and families? What will it take for the Government to admit it is making the crisis worse? We need genuinely affordable housing, a ban on rent increases and real support for renters. Young people need hope and an opportunity to build a life in Ireland."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy. Indeed they do. One of the many parts of that is what Fine Gael has done in government. Prior to it coming into government, house prices were much higher. The Deputy will recall the crash that resulted in many people being left in negative equity and without a job and interest rates that led the State to a position whereby it could not borrow on the international markets. Fine Gael in government has gotten us back to having a better borrowing position than the UK and most of Europe because of the way in which we managed the economy. Young people have jobs. The Deputy is correct. House prices and rents have increased and we have invested into directly building and subsidising housing in many different ways. Most important has been the Land Development Agency, established 2018 by a Fine Gael Government to drive social and affordable housing. I am glad to see the fruits of that. We want to see so much more."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mair\u00e9ad Farrell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mair\u00e9ad Farrell The people of Connemara have waited years for an ambulance base. Unfortunately, since the project was approved there have been numerous delays. We are now told that the building will be completed by December this year and operational from January. That is good news. I want a commitment from the Minister that this will be the case and there will not be further delays. This is important for the people of Connemara. D\u00e9arfaidh m\u00e9 i nGaeilge, t\u00e1 muintir Chonamara ag fanacht le fada an l\u00e1, ar feadh na blianta i gcomhair bun\u00e1it don otharcharr agus beidh s\u00e9 sin sa tSraith Salach. \u00d3 thaobh an tionscnamh beartaithe, bh\u00ed moill curtha air ar\u00eds agus ar\u00eds eile. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 r\u00e1ite ag an HSE go mbeidh s\u00e9 cr\u00edochnaithe i m\u00ed na Nollag agus go gcuirfear i bhfeidhm \u00e9 i m\u00ed Ean\u00e1ir seo chugainn, rud at\u00e1 go maith, agus caithfimid f\u00e1ilte a chur roimhe, ach an f\u00e9idir leis an Aire a dheimhni\u00fa nach mbeidh tuilleadh moill air agus go mbeidh s\u00e9 ar f\u00e1il do mhuintir Chonamara i m\u00ed Ean\u00e1ir?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill The Deputy is correct; construction will be completed. The development of the service plan prioritises the ambulance service for more rural areas to ensure that we are reaching people more quickly. I will always be careful about a commitment. I would rather say the day that it starts instead of two months out. Clearly, the building is in a process of completion. That is our general priority in terms of the distribution of the additional ambulance resources that we have secured for next year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Grace Boland","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Grace-Boland.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Grace-Boland.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Grace Boland The cyberattack on a major supermarket this week is a stark reminder of the threat of cybercrime to businesses. I am also aware of an Irish food producer which has had its operations targeted and a ransom in the region of \u20ac400,000 demanded. What more can the Government do to address the very real threat that cybercrime poses, not only to the operations but success of businesses in Ireland, many of which are large employers and, in particular, SMEs?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy. It is a very serious risk for businesses. One of the worries I have is that there is so much more happening than we are being told, and ransomware is a problem but the State is not necessarily aware of its scale. Supports are available. In particular, Enterprise Ireland, in partnership with the National Cyber Security Centre, offers a cyber security review grant which enables SMEs, in particular, to access cyber security experts to assess vulnerabilities and develop a roadmap to direct strengthening their cyber resilience. That grant covers 80% of the cost of a cyber security review up to a project value of \u20ac3,000. Like every other part of Europe, we are vulnerable to these type of attacks, whether it is the State or individual businesses. That kind of vigilance is incredibly important."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly The CEO of CUH, Ms Jennifer Kearney, raised issues of concern regarding positions that were vacant and there was talk of a performance review of her. She is a formidable lady and somebody who is good at her job. I recently attended a meeting in UHL regarding mid-west health issues. We are facing into crisis over the next couple of months. At the meeting, concern was raised in respect of recruitment issues, governance and clinical decision-making because of the situation the hospital has been left in. There was concern about how it was speaking publicly. I am worried about this trend. My colleague, Deputy Sherlock, wrote to the Minister recently regarding a circular sent by the Department, namely, the Department of Health recruitment and promotion financial sanction process communication dated 13 October 2026. It covered a range of issues, including recruitment and pay. This changes the relationship between the Department of Health, Minister and HSE. Under what legal basis is the Minister operating? Under what legal basis are these memos being sent out? Trust me, I am very familiar with the Act. What section of the Act gives the Minister or her Department the authority to issue such correspondence?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I thank the Deputy. I do not necessarily accept the point he made in respect of a trend. The HSE and Department of Health were very much together to try to deliver services for people across this country. There has been an increase in the budget this year and last year. My response is always factual and about the numbers, because that is the truth. That is what transparency."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly What legal basis?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill The Deputy's colleague highlighted that. Forgive me; I do not have the section in front of me. I understand the Secretary General has written to the Deputy's colleague regarding the issue she raised. Essentially, the Department of public expenditure has given us a revised sanction as a consequence of the budget overrun this year, which is partly concerns pay, which is within our control, and non-pay, which largely involves drugs and the primary care reimbursement service, PCRS, which is not necessarily within our control because it is a demand-led service. As a result of a revised sanction, we therefore have to reset the parameters and work with the HSE to try to bring those areas that we can control as close to budget as possible. We are in a situation of competing demand. On the one hand, we need to maintain budgetary discipline in the areas we can control. On the other, we are trying to deliver services. In between is the reality and truth of how many people we have hired and how much more we want to do next year. However, we have a responsibility to the Oireachtas to stay within the budget and parameters it has given."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger The children's disability network teams are where some of the most vulnerable and needy disabled and neurodivergent children languish, and where they are meant to be cared for in our country. I want to tell the Minister the figures for Dublin 15 that I received from her Department in response to a recent parliamentary question, and she might tell me if she thinks it is acceptable. In Blakestown CDNT, people can wait 58 months to be assessed. In Blanchardstown, that figure is 50 months, and in Cabra and Grangegorman, it is 48 months. How is this in any way acceptable? In my view, it is absolutely criminal that children can nearly age out before they are assessed. It points to the need for a third CDNT team in Dublin 15, which has been a demand of parents and it is a demand of the special task force that was set up there. Will the Minister commit to setting that up or does she think it is fine or acceptable that children in Blanchardstown, Mulhuddart, Ongar, Blakestown or wherever should wait three of four times longer than those in other areas, which is obviously already totally unacceptable? We cannot accept that this is the way disabled and neurodivergent children are treated."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill No, I do not think it is acceptable, to be very clear. I do not think it is acceptable at all, and I have similar challenges as a constituency TD and always have. Deputy Coppinger is correct to highlight it. The challenge is that we have 461 additional student places over the next two years, so we are recruiting more therapists. We have increased the workforce by 31%. In 2025, \u20ac2.85 million of funding was provided in various positions across CDNTs. An additional \u20ac8 million was secured in budget 2026 to allow the funding of 150 posts to CDNTs, and in the year to date, 80 of those have been filled, with the remainder in recruitment, yet we are still not meeting that need. I urge and ask for support as we reorganise the considerable additional resources we have put into CDNTs, into special education and into the harmony between them. I ask for support with the reform and reallocation of how those services are delivered to try to make sure that every therapist we have trained and are recruiting is delivering therapy services instead of being stuck in bureaucracy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ryan O'Meara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ryan-O'Meara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ryan-O'Meara.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ryan O'Meara I wish to raise the increasingly challenging financial situation that local authorities find themselves in. Rising inflation has driven up the cost of fuel, energy, payroll and pensions, while responsibilities and demands on local authorities continue to increase. This is particularly challenging for rural local authorities, like Tipperary for example, where we have an extensive roads network but a small rates base. This is particularly due to a lack of foreign direct investment bringing industry into counties like ours, unlike urban authorities that have a greater rates base. Three major demands are being raised with me as a representative in Tipperary, which our county councillors across the country are also talking about. One is the full restoration of the central management charge for water staff, which is a really challenging financial issue now facing rural local authorities. The second is a dedicated, adequately funded, multi-annual programme for the shared costs of concentric cabling, which is estimated at \u20ac700 million across all local authorities for 75,000 public lights. The third is a meaningful increase in the budget from the Department of Transport for our regional and local roads. Without those, our local authorities are looking at having to increase taxes and charges locally without improving services."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill The funding of our local authorities is so important, through both our rates base and all the other funding streams, including central government. I am aware of this issue. My colleague Deputy Michael Murphy raised it with us yesterday at the parliamentary party meeting. I am aware of it and I will highlight it to the T\u00e1naiste, who is also aware of it. We discussed it yesterday. I will also raise it with the Minister, Deputy Browne."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Shane Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Shane Moynihan It is time for us to crack down on the pop-up vape shops that are becoming blights on our streets in towns and villages around the country. We all know them. They have neon signs. They purport to sell sweets and are always largely empty. I want to compliment the Minister's work and the work of the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, on regulating vapes, but now is the time for us to consider a particular planning class for vape shops, similar to that which exists for off-licences, to ensure the proliferation we are seeing in areas like Clondalkin in my constituency is not repeated and maintained across the country. As well as that, it is time to resource the HSE to undertake a mystery shopper experience to make sure that vapes are not being sold to under-18s and that dangerous products are not being sold to the public under the guise of these vapes shops. We must also ensure An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na is aware of that effort and works in tandem with the Revenue Commissioners to make sure that these businesses are not fronts for something else and that vapes, which were designed as a nicotine replacement product, do not become a recreational drug of choice for so many of our young people across the country. I ask for the Minister's support in addressing those various aspects of this problem."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I acknowledge Deputy Moynihan's repeated advocacy on this point. I also compliment the Minister of State, Deputy Murnane O'Connor, on her work in bringing through the legislation to prohibit the disgusting colours, flavours and whatnot to try to get children addicted to nicotine products. I assure the Deputy the Department of Health would enthusiastically participate in any initiative to reduce the number of vape shops being given planning and the proliferation of them in towns. It is bad for people's health and it is also bad for towns to see these repeated shops. I will certainly instruct my officials to engage in that, but it is a matter for the Department of planning and I will discuss it with the Minister, Deputy Browne. Deputy Moynihan can be assured the Department of Health would be enthusiastic supporters of anything to prevent the proliferation of vape shops."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed I welcome the recent announcement by the Minister for Finance in relation to Home Building Finance Ireland, HBFI, expanding its lending powers, but the prices it charges for lending are still way too high. This morning, for apartments, HBFI loans carry margins of 4.75% to 7.5% over what is called the Euribor. Those are rates of 7% to 10% plus. That is too high a cost of money for small developers. Small builders will tell you they have to recover all of those costs either from renters or from those who buy the houses. That is Government money; the rates are way too high. HBFI is also charging arrangement fees, such as 1% entry and exit fees. This is a State agency. It should not be charging arrangement fees. It should be lending money at really competitive rates, supported and backed by the State, so those small builders can get on with it and build those houses. What can we do to get HBFI lending at a good rate?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill I agree with Deputy \u00d3 Muir\u00ed. The cost of finance can be the difference between a viable housing project going ahead or sitting on the shelf, and that is particularly true for smaller builders, which is what HBFI is there to support. Cabinet has now approved the drafting of legislation to allow Home Building Finance Ireland to finance the purchase of land already zoned for housing before planning permission is in place. The T\u00e1naiste brought that to Cabinet this week and it is an important advancement because it helps smaller builders to secure their next site without having to tie up so much of their money upfront. That is it. We are trying to reduce costs for smaller builders and make sure they have access to finance in building homes. The terms have to work in practice and the aim is that HBFI offers genuinely competitive terms and rates for the risk involved on the full cost to the builder, including any interest rate and fees."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna ar Pholasa\u00ed n\u00f3 ar Reachta\u00edocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_34","debateType":"topical","bill":null,"showAs":"\u00c1bhair Shaincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Matters","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_34","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"John McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"John-McGuinness.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Leas-Cheann Comhairle I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Robert O'Donoghue - To discuss a school project in Rush, County Dublin. Deputy George Lawlor - To discuss why Sport Ireland and the Irish Martial Arts Commission recognise only one ITF taekwondo group. Deputy William Aird - To discuss staffing matters within the HSE. Deputy John Connolly - To discuss the proposed expansion of the Transport for Ireland bike rental scheme in Galway city. Deputy Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in - To discuss Bunclody AFC and the fallout of Clearwater going into liquidation. Deputy Michael Murphy - To discuss the need to strengthen Uisce \u00c9ireann accountability to D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness - To discuss water services infrastructure investment and supply disruption i gContae Port L\u00e1irge. Deputy Ryan O'Meara - To discuss financial supports for community cafes. Deputy Cathy Bennett - To discuss efforts to secure a public sector pay deal. Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa - To discuss the difficulties experienced by people whose boilers have broken. Deputy Aidan Farrelly - To discuss the robustness of controls and follow-on checks in respect of the sports capital grant programme and related matters in respect of soccer clubs, their governing body and academies in County Kildare. Deputy Mark Wall - To discuss the ongoing overcrowding on train services. Deputy Thomas Gould - To discuss the deficits in local authority funding and the resulting increases to social housing rents. Deputy Darren O'Rourke - To discuss the supports that will be in place for householders who identify pyrite damage in their homes after the pyrite remediation scheme closes. The matters raised by Deputies Robert O'Donoghue, Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa, John Connolly, George Lawlor and Darren O'Rourke have been selected for discussion."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"\u00c1bhair Shaincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Matters"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_35","debateType":"topical","bill":null,"showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_35","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_36","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Schools Building Projects","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_35","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_35","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_36","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Robert O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Robert-O'Donoghue.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Robert-O'Donoghue.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Robert O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Robert-O'Donoghue.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Robert-O'Donoghue.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Robert O'Donoghue I know the Minister of State is aware of this project and I thank him for his engagement with it to date. I am asking him to make the school building project at St. Joseph\u2019s Secondary School and Gaelscoil Ros Eo education campus in Rush an absolute priority. They are not simply two schools coming together to form a campus in one building. They are two schools at the heart of a growing community and both are bursting at the seams. The accommodation in both schools is no longer fit for purpose or for the needs of the children attending them. Gaelscoil Ros Eo is now operating entirely out of prefabricated buildings. Let that sink in. An entire school community is trying to deliver education in prefabs, while children deserve and need a permanent modern school building. St. Joseph's Secondary School is also under enormous pressure struggling to accommodate pupils in a community where demand for school places continues to grow. Rush is home to one of the youngest and quickest-growing populations in the country and our schools are feeling that pressure every single day. As more families move into the area, more children will need school places. The pressure on existing facilities is becoming untenable. This population growth should be something to celebrate as the sign of a thriving, effervescent community, but we cannot celebrate it while failing to provide the basic public infrastructure that families need. These families have waited long enough. Parents have been waiting 15 years. As someone who went to St. Joseph's Secondary School, it could be argued we started talking about this back in the nineties. We are getting there but we are still at the stage of talking. I experienced those 15 years of broken promises as a member of staff at St. Joseph's Secondary School and as a public representative. Parents are now seeing their older children go to college while their younger children are still being taught in an unfit building. It is simply unfair that they do not have the facilities they deserve. A child who started primary school when these projects first became an issue may now be approaching third level. We cannot allow another generation of children to pass through the education system while this project remains outstanding. I understand the project is now at tender set stage and that the necessary documents will go fairly soon to the Department. This is a critical moment at which action and leadership on the part of the Department are needed. St. Joseph's Secondary School and Gaelscoil Ros Eo are not looking for special treatment. They are asking for fairness. The data shows the need that exits; there is no doubt about that. I ask that the needs of the children and families of this community are recognised and acted upon. We need this project to be prioritised and the paperwork to be progressed without delay. We need approval, commitment and a clear timeframe for delivery. We need to be on the next funding list for school builds. Our children should not have to learn in overcrowded classrooms or spend their school years in temporary accommodation because infrastructure has failed to keep pace with population growth. Every child needs a safe, modern and permanent place to learn. Every teacher deserves an environment in which he or she can teach. Every parent deserves the assurance that his or her child's school has the facilities it needs. Both of these schools have waited 15 years for their new campus. The children cannot wait any longer. I am asking that this project be prioritised once it comes to the Department. It is time to deliver it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth (Deputy Michael Moynihan) I thank the Deputy for consistently raising this matter at every opportunity. I know how invested he has been in St. Joseph's Secondary School from his schooldays and through to the present. He has had considerable engagement with the Department and with me on this project over the past while. The campus project for St. Joseph's Secondary School and Gaelscoil Ros Eo represents an important element of the Department of Education and Youth's overall school building programme. The project is being delivered under the Department's major devolved programme, which works with external delivery partners, supported by a buildings officer, to progress it through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction. The delivery of the project has been devolved to CEIST. The project brief for St. Joseph's Secondary School provides for a 1,000-pupil post-primary school, which will include a four-classroom special educational needs, SEN, base. The brief for Gaelscoil Ros Eo includes the delivery of a 16-classroom primary school and a two-classroom SEN base. The project is currently at stage 2b, which is detailed design. During this stage, statutory approvals are obtained and the project design is further progressed to reflect any conditions of planning. In mid-June, Department officials contacted the school to advise that the project remains under review in the context of national development plan, NDP, parameters and the overall prioritisation of capital investment. The Department awaits submission of the stage 2b report from CEIST, which is expected before the end of the year. All school building projects, as they progress through the pipeline, must undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the infrastructure guidelines and capital works management framework. The timing of a project moving from one stage to the next requires careful planning and takes account of factors such as compliance with all scope, design and cost requirements, timing of affordability and the prioritisation necessary for the school building programme to remain within the agreed annual budget. Department officials will continue to engage with the school over the coming months and to provide any necessary guidance. It is expected that the next tranche of projects to proceed to tender will be published in 2027. Prioritisation will continue over the coming months to identify this tranche of projects. This will be informed by the latest available demographic and capacity data, the Department's energy and condition inventory, the validation of which is due to be completed by early 2027, opportunities for phased development to prioritise the most urgent accommodation needs, and consultation with patrons and management bodies. The campus project for St Joseph's Secondary School and Gaelscoil Ros Eo will be considered as part of that prioritisation process, along with all other projects. I take on board the Deputy's points regarding this particular project. We are working with CEIST and the school authorities to ensure all paperwork and all reports are being processed through the Department, which is happening as we speak."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Robert O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Robert-O'Donoghue.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Robert-O'Donoghue.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Robert O'Donoghue I appreciate the Minister of State's understanding of the issues, including the working through of the documentation phase. Mercifully, as far as I understand, we are about to come out of stage 2b, where we have been for a long time. I totally accept the need for due diligence and for the process to be done properly. I know the Department constantly receives representations from all over the country about new builds, all of which, no doubt, have merit. Having attended St. Joseph's Secondary School and later worked there, I can say it is now more prefab than school. The square metreage per student is probably one of the tightest in the country due to the population growth in the community. My former colleagues at the school, as I am sure is also the case in Gaelscoil Ros Eo, are doing Trojan work in buildings that, with the best will in the world, have aged out. Students in St. Joseph's have to walk anticlockwise around the school to get to their next class because if they were to take the shortest route, it would be bedlam with more than 1,000 students in a building of that size. That process might have been useful during the Covid period but it is a necessity now. I very much appreciate the Minister of State's reply. My understanding is that the project is at the tender set stage. I am asking that once the documents go to the Department, which I hope will be sooner rather than later, that this project be included in the next tranche of funding under the 2027 list."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Moynihan The Department is awaiting the submission on the stage 2b report from CEIST, which is expected before year end. It is hugely important that there be no delay in terms of that documentation being processed. On the fundamental point, we are talking about one of the fastest-growing parts of the country. That means we are obliged to ensure we understand the need that exists at primary and post-primary level, not just this year or next year but into the future as well. It is important to make sure that CEIST is putting forward the documentation. From what I understand from the brief, there is no delay in that regard but it is important that it be presented to the Department as soon as possible. I assure the Deputy that I will go back to the officials and make sure there is no delay on our side. He has made his points well. I have answered a number of Topical Issues and questions here on school buildings but this is the first time I have heard about the need for an anticlockwise walk around a school to make sure the space is utilised as well as possible. Principals and school leaders have shown great innovation in dealing with what they have but that is a new one on me."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Schools Building Projects"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_37","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Social Welfare Benefits","counts":{"speechCount":18,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_35","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_35","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_37","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa This is an issue I have brought up previously with the Minister, Deputy Calleary. I have also brought it up with a number of the Ministers with responsibility in relation to housing. We need to deal with the issue. I imagine that almost everyone who has operated as a constituency TD in this place has come across people, generally older people, who come into their offices or make contact with them about a fossil fuel boiler that has broken. They do not have the money to fix it. In some cases, they would previously have been able to apply to the council to possibly get housing aid for older people and they would have been able to get it replaced. The councils no longer deal with fossil fuel boiler replacements and say they will only deal with refurbished boilers. I ask anyone to go out and try to find a refurbished boiler. It is a very particular issue. We are talking about people whose houses would not necessarily be airtight so there is no possibility, without huge expense, of making the house suitable for something renewable and sustainable like heat pumps. We know the long delays in getting these resources. I will go through one or two examples. An older man on disability allowance has a boiler that has been broken since about July 2026. He has had no hot water or heating since July and the council will not provide a grant for fossil fuel boilers, as I have stated. Again, this is what the community welfare officer had requested that we would do. Many of these housing grants are often shut down and closed during the summer by Louth County Council and other local authorities because of lack of funds. This is something the Government needs to look at. Obviously, everybody contacts the SEAI but there is no grant available for what we are looking for in these sorts of older homes. This man would be waiting for probably 15 months to be able to avail of the warmer homes scheme. He is left in a situation where he cannot get heating. He is paying a very small mortgage - it is a house he owns himself - from his disability payment but he has no funds to replace the boiler. He has provided quotes and bank statements showing that he has zero funds. We are talking about someone in a very difficult set of circumstances. He has no heat and no hot water and we are not able to get an exceptional needs payment. That is the crux of the matter. I have met many pensioners who previously had applied for their council grant and got their boiler fixed, time and again, and now they have been told the fossil fuel boiler is absolutely kaput. I am thinking also of a particular pair who I have spoken to in the last week. They are both heading for 70 and they do not know exactly what they are going to do, particularly as we get into more difficult weather. There is a man of 80 who has a wife with a disability and a number of older children with disabilities. Unfortunately, he tragically lost one during the year. There was the expense then in relation to the funeral. Again, he is not able to get his boiler replaced. The house is not suitable for a heat pump through the council grant scheme. He has failed to get it through an emergency needs payment. We have a failure at every level here. The Government has to be aware of the issue. The Minister of State has to be aware of it. We need to find a solution because this is not fair for all these people. This is only the tip of the iceberg."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (Deputy Catherine Ardagh) I thank the Deputy. This is an issue we are all very much aware of, as the Deputy stated. I thank him for raising in the House those experiences of hardship as a result of boiler breakdowns. The Minister for Social Protection fully recognises the challenges faced by individuals who may be unable to access local authority grant schemes or who cannot wait for support through the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland programmes. Since 1 January 2025, European Union legislation prohibits the provision of public financial incentives for the installation of new stand-alone fossil fuel boilers, such as oil or gas boilers. These provisions were implemented in Ireland by the then Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications through the European Union's energy performance of buildings regulations of 2024. The policy objective is to support the transition to cleaner and more efficient energy heating systems. Additional needs payments provide financial assistance towards necessary expenses that a person cannot reasonably meet from their own resources. All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis, having regard to the individual circumstances and the legislative provisions governing the scheme. However, supports from the Department of Social Protection are not intended to cover circumstances where another Government Department or agency has the primary responsibility. Supports are available through local authorities and the SEAI, depending on a person's circumstances. The local authorities have a range of grants to help eligible households to improve heating and energy efficiency. While new fossil fuel heating systems are no longer funded, grants available may support alternative energy-efficient solutions. For example, the housing aid for older people grant can assist with essential home improvements, including heating repairs and upgrades. It can fund repairs to existing oil or gas boilers by a qualified contractor, or the purchase and installation of a second-hand fossil fuel boiler and alternative heating systems, such as electric heaters or biomass stoves, where appropriate. While grant schemes may not be immediately available or may not provide the level of assistance sought, the additional needs payment scheme is not intended to supplement or replace supports that fall within the remit of other Departments, agencies or local authorities. Generally, the maintenance, repair or replacement of heating systems in owner-occupied properties is not a cost that falls within the primary remit of the Department of Social Protection. Although the additional needs payment scheme is not intended to fund boiler replacements, assistance may be available and is provided to address an immediate heating need. This can include support for temporary heating solutions, such as a portable electric heater and emergency boiler repairs, where deemed necessary and appropriate and having regard to the individual circumstances. The community welfare service works to identify the appropriate response and to ensure that the person's needs, including facilities such as heating and hot water, are maintained. While I appreciate the difficulties faced by households dealing with unexpected heating failures, decisions under the additional needs payment scheme must be made in accordance with the relevant legislation and guidelines. The Department of Social Protection will continue to ensure that applications are assessed fairly and consistently, taking into account the individual circumstances presented in each case, and will do so on a case-by-case basis."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa I do not know where to start. On some level it is almost repeating the issue that the Minister of State has already stated exists. I accept she does not have the capacity here to deal with this very particular issue, but we need the Department of Social Protection, and the Departments of the environment and housing, to have a conversation on how we address this. We are talking about making sure people who were previously supported to get a heating system have that, which is absolutely necessary. In a perfect world, if we could get the warmer homes scheme and people could be dealt with in a short number of months, we would then have a solution for these people who do not have the resources that are necessary. The way that I read this, and I am sure I will read it a number of times, on some level it is just saying, \"Tough, we have no solution here\". I understand what has been said in relation to European Union legislation prohibiting the provision of public financial incentives for the installation of new stand-alone fossil fuel boilers, but we need to be able to find a solution. What is the point of having the Presidency of the European Council if we cannot even sort out simple issues like this that impact people and their ability to heat their homes? We are talking about homes that would take a huge level of expense and money these people do not have, even with SEAI supports, to get up to scratch so they could get a heat pump. They have no choice at this minute. They need to get some sort of support in relation to this. In every case, they have already tried to get these boilers fixed. Can someone tell me where you can get a second-hand boiler or a refurbished boiler? I would just love to know because I have not seen it. I have not seen anyone able to get it in a number of cases. I will be going directly to the Minister on this because we need to find a solution for these people, who are generally older. It is nearly always older people. Are we going to leave them without heating? We are talking about grant schemes that did exist before. This is not in any way good enough."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh I reiterate that the European legislation prohibits the provision of public financial incentives for the installation of new stand-alone fossil fuel boilers, such as oil and gas boilers, which was introduced in January 2025. It is a European directive and, yes, it has had adverse consequences. There are a lot of schemes when people are in receipt of their fuel allowance. We are seeing houses across the country wrapped in insulation. This has been really effective. The idea that someone cannot get a second-hand boiler, or a boiler cannot be repaired, is not fully true and a bit disingenuous. The Department of Social Protection recognises the difficulties facing-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa If a contractor says a boiler cannot be fixed, it cannot be fixed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh The idea that people cannot fix a boiler or buy a second-hand boiler-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa It is incredibly difficult. Show me where to find one."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh -----and that there are no alternative schemes available, is completely disingenuous. In my constituency of Dublin South-Central, so many houses in receipt of fuel allowance are receiving ancillary support from the SEAI. The Deputy has to acknowledge that, at the very least."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa I have seen people who have been refused fuel allowance because someone in the house with intellectual disabilities was getting a disability payment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh When I was a member of the social protection committee, we had members of the Northern Irish social protection committee down and they could not believe the amount of grants we had available here. They were in awe of the SEAI and all that we provided. I just think the Deputy should say thanks and acknowledge-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa What about these people? They are hardly going to say thanks."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh ----what we are doing."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer Who is the First Minister and the finance Minister in the North?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa Deputy Buttimer knows the realities in the North in relation to the British Government, does he?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh Why does Deputy \u00d3 Murch\u00fa not just start with acknowledging the great scheme that is the SEAI?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa Deputy Buttimer is failing to deal with the issue of partition."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer Do not go down that road."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh The Department of Social Protection recognises the difficulties faced by households when a boiler breaks down, and we all recognise that for our constituents, particularly during the colder periods and where access to alternative options may have a lead-in time. However, it is important to note, in particular in respect of the additional needs payment the Deputy raised, that the scheme must operate within its legislative framework. It is not intended to replace, duplicate or address shortfalls in schemes administered by other Departments."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Social Welfare Benefits"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_38","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Cycling Facilities","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_35","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_35","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_38","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Connolly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Connolly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Connolly Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire St\u00e1it, an Teachta Buttimer, as a bheith linn chun an t-\u00e1bhar seo a phl\u00e9. T\u00e1 m\u00e9 ag iarraidh an sc\u00e9im roinnte rothar, mar a oibr\u00edonn s\u00ed i gcathair na Gaillimhe, a ard\u00fa inniu. The Transport for Ireland, TFI, bike-sharing scheme has been in operation in Galway city for a considerable number of years. As a member of the local authority there, I was always somewhat frustrated that the operation of the scheme had some link to the local authority but was mainly administered nationally by TFI or the National Transport Authority, NTA. I always found it difficult to get precise data on the usage of the scheme. The NTA always advised us that the scheme is being used widely but, as the scheme currently operates, the kiosks are limited to a number of city centre areas. The suburbs are not really serviced by the scheme. There is no kiosk for the operation of the scheme in Salthill, which is a tourism destination. Knocknacarra is a significant western suburb of the city with a population of over 10,000 but there was no kiosk there for the bike-sharing scheme. There was no kiosk at the Atlantic Technological University, ATU, on the Dublin Road in the Renmore and Mervue area, which would allow people to rent a bike in the city centre, cycle to those destinations and return the bike at a kiosk there. I always felt the scheme was not really fulfilling the needs of the population, who would be open to using it. We have seen investment in cycling infrastructure and want to see more. We have seen some enhancement and there are further enhancement proposals for cycling infrastructure in the city. It would be beneficial if this scheme was available. One of the issues with the scheme in Galway is that e-bikes were never a feature. They were all traditional pushbikes. Before I left the local authority, one of the last motions I proposed there was that the new scheme, as it would operate in Galway city, would include electronic bikes. It is often noted that Cork is an area where e-bikes were important because of the hills. There are also hills in Galway city where e-bikes would have made it easier to use the scheme. In September 2025, I got a response to a parliamentary question from the NTA. It advised me that under the current scheme, a number of e-bikes had been procured and were in operation in Cork for test use, and that another batch of the e-bikes would be available in early 2026 and would be put into operation in the other cities, including Galway, as part of the regional scheme. The reply stated that the current contract was due to run out in August 2026. The response also advised me, and this was very welcome, that following a review the NTA had undertaken of the existing scheme, the objective was to expand the scheme and increase the fleet size in each of the cities, so that bikes could be used by more people in more parts of the cities. As I outlined, in Galway the scheme was very limited, so that was particularly welcome. The response said that the NTA was particularly keen to improve coverage in those areas that are underserved. It also noted that, thanks to technological advancements, the use of kiosks for the return of the bikes was no longer seen as important or necessary. New technology would allow people to return the bikes without having to go to one of the kiosks that were only centrally located. This all seemed to be progressing well and the NTA advised me it was hoping to commence the operation of a full new scheme in summer 2026. Unfortunately, something has occurred. For some time, I have been trying to raise this as a Topical Issue to see where the current development of the new scheme lies, and when we might see the expansion of the scheme in Galway city and the inclusion of e-bikes. I am delighted the Minister of State is here today to debate this issue. I hope we can see it progress quite soon."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Transport (Deputy Jerry Buttimer) Ar an gc\u00e9ad dul s\u00edos, gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Teachta Connolly as an \u00e1bhar seo a chur os comhair an T\u00ed, a bhaineann le cathair na Gaillimhe. I thank Deputy Connolly for raising this important matter. I am taking it on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, who sends his apologies. I thank the Deputy again for his very insightful contribution. As he knows, the Government is committed to providing sustainable transport options that reduce reliance on private car use, support climate action objectives and offer convenient alternatives for everyday journeys. As the Deputy referenced in his contribution, research commissioned by the National Transport Authority has shown that every euro invested in active travel between 2021 and 2030 generates almost \u20ac4 in benefits to society when assessed over a 30-year period. We also know that walking and cycling remove up to 660,000 cars from the road each day in our five largest metropolitan areas of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. Galway in particular is a very congested area. We see resultant benefits to congestion levels, transport emission reductions and individual health. The Government is committed to making cycling a feasible transport option in our cities and towns, including Galway. We are encouraging a modal shift away from private car use. To this end, the TFl bikes rental scheme, a shared public bike rental scheme, has operated successfully in Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. The scheme has grown in popularity, with more than 300,000 trips recorded across the network during 2025, representing a 40% increase on the previous year and exceeding pre-pandemic usage levels. The scheme has been in place in Galway since 2014 and is currently operated by Telfourth Limited, trading as An Rothar Nua, on behalf of the NTA. Having been canvassing in Galway in the by-election, I am fully conversant with and support the Deputy's views on Salthill, Knocknacarra and ATU as places for the kiosks. It makes eminent sense, given the volume of people and the potential usage. At present, the NTA is in the process of procuring a successor to the TFI regional bike schemes for Galway, Cork, Limerick and Waterford. The tender is currently live. It is imperative that we preserve a robust and fair procurement process. As such, I am limited in what I can say further at this stage. The successor scheme's objective is to deliver significantly expanded services with larger fleets, wider geographical coverage, as we have spoken about, and a substantially increased proportion of electric bicycles. I would love see the Deputy in Cork on an e-bike as well. A feature of this new approach is that docking stations are not a requirement for the new service, and that more flexible operating models, such as a mixture of docked and dock-free infrastructure, can and should be considered. This would allow bicycles to be parked at designated locations, enabling services to reach a greater level. The final model is still to be determined. Deputy Connolly specifically asked about the timeline for expansion in Galway. I am advised by the NTA that the tender process was well advanced and was expected to conclude this year. However, recent changes arising from the Government decision to pause funding for public e-scooter schemes, which formed part of the original procurement approach in certain cities, have necessitated a retendering of the project. The NTA relaunched the tender in September. Subject to the outcome of that procurement process, it is now expected that contractors will be selected in early 2027, with mobilisation and transition arrangements to follow. In the meantime, I assure the House that the current TFl bikes contract has been extended until August of next year to ensure continuity of service and avoid disruption for existing users while the procurement process is completed. In lieu of the fact that we have an active procurement process, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on commercial aspects but I assure Deputy Connolly that our objective date regarding the delivery of the significantly enhanced shared micro-mobility service in Galway remains 2027."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Connolly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Connolly I thank the Minister of State for the response. I am glad there has been some level of explanation in this regard because we had previously been advised that the new scheme would operate in 2026. There is a rational explanation in the Minister of State\u2019s response as to why it has been delayed. The contract initially included a public e-scooter scheme. Obviously, with the changes the Government has made to the use of e-scooters, there is a necessity to retender the project so that change is accounted for. I now understand why the scheme could not proceed. I welcome that clarity. In his contribution, the Minister of State reiterated a lot of what I said regarding the importance of encompassing the suburbs of the city, the tourism locations and the universities, including the technological university, in the new scheme. I welcome that this has been reiterated today. That is the type of scheme we need. I am somewhat disappointed, however, that we will not see a new scheme until 2027. We will not see the introduction of e-bikes in Galway city until that point. Those suburbs and other locations will not be serviced until that point either. However, I am heartened that we are proceeding and that it is being taken on board. I wish to raise a point that the Minister of State might bring back to the Department and the Minister, Deputy O\u2019Brien. Galway is currently undergoing the review of the metropolitan area transport strategy. It is the last of the regional cites to have the review of the transport strategy. I would like the local authorities to be directly involved in that review, before the publication of the draft. I have a sense that the NTA is working on a draft metropolitan area transport strategy for Galway, which it will publish and then welcome contributions from the local authorities. The local authorities should be more directly involved than that, however. The data around the current bike scheme would be useful, both as a discussion point for the local authority and in the development of the new transport strategy. This scheme should be part of this new strategy. It should include bikes. Maybe we need to include areas beyond some of the suburbs in the scheme as well. I thank the Minister of State for his response."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jerry Buttimer The Deputy makes eminent sense. As a former member of a local authority, who knows a local area better than the officials and public representatives in the local authority? It is critical that the NTA engages on the metropolitan area transport strategy. It is absolutely an imperative. If it does not, it will lose the data available from the council. It will make the whole iteration of the strategy poorer. I will not stray into the process because I do not want to get into complications but the replacement scheme being progressed by the NTA represents a major opportunity to build on the success achieved to date, with a combination of larger fleets, a greater geographic coverage, which we spoke about earlier, and a new emphasis on the electric bicycle. That is important because more and more people are looking to use an electric bicycle, or e-bike. Of course, the new scheme for the city of Galway has the potential to make shared mobility available to more people. Deputy Connolly will be aware that Galway City Council received an allocation of \u20ac9.5 million this year alone for the progression of approximately 25 active travel projects, including funding for the TFI bike scheme. That includes initiatives such as the safe routes to school programme and the right cycle training, which is delivered in all counties, including Galway. There is also the whole overarching philosophy and theme of fostering sustainable travel habits among young people with a view to more people shifting away from the car. In my city of Cork, we have seen the success of the e-bike scheme. It is critically important. It is a vital part of the effort that we all use to encourage people to use and choose sustainable transport. I thank Deputy Connolly for highlighting the importance of the programme in Galway. I will ensure the matters raised are brought to the attention of the Minister, Deputy O'Brien. I look forward to further engagement with Deputy Connolly on the matter because the areas he spoke about, particularly Salthill, would benefit and be enhanced greatly from this scheme."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Cycling Facilities"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_39","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Sports Organisations","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_35","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_35","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_39","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"George Lawlor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"George Lawlor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy George Lawlor Traditional taekwondo, under the auspices of the International Taekwon-Do Federation, ITF, is the biggest martial art in the country, with an estimated 30,000 people practising it around the country. In Ireland, there are more than 350 ITF taekwondo clubs. One association, the Irish Taekwon-Do Association, represents approximately 100 of these clubs. The Irish Taekwon-Do Association and its international federation were only registered in 2007. The older taekwondo groups in Ireland are much longer established, both nationally and internationally, and their members are much more senior in rank, with numerous grandmasters and senior masters in the craft. On 4 October 2020, the Irish Martial Arts Commission, IMAC, which is the national governing body, NGB, for martial arts in Ireland, passed a motion recognising the Irish Taekwon-Do Association as the sole association member. By passing this motion, the IMAC, immediately excluded or locked out approximately 250 clubs nationwide. Since then, I visited a club in Kilcarbry, County Wexford, which is located just outside Enniscorthy, run by master Peter Crosby. The quality and standard of the skills being offered to both the young and not so young are immense. I was blown away by the activities. This move, in essence, excluded thousands of students of taekwondo from accessing public, taxpayer funding for courses in sports education and sport leadership, particularly for women. It has inhibited Garda vetting for instructors. It is obstructing the application of sports scholarships at university level, as some universities only recognise IMAC and Sport Ireland sports. In order to access these services, the other 250 clubs around Ireland will be forced to join the Irish Taekwon-Do Association, which is contrary to what happens in other jurisdictions. For example, in the UK, the British Government recognises the fragmented ITF world bodies under one umbrella, namely, the British Taekwondo Council. Funding and education courses are distributed equally and more fairly. In Ireland, however, this is not the case. IMAC and Sport Ireland allow other fragmented martial arts, such as karate in Ireland, to be recognised but not the fragmented strands of ITF. The Irish Taekwon-Do Association makes up the majority of the board in IMAC, comprising eight of the 13 board members on the committee. There is a huge conflict of interest in this regard. Eight members of the ITF, who do not recognise 70% of their own members, control the IMAC, which is a publicly-funded body. There are serious questions regarding governance and the existence of proper constitutional frameworks. All of this goes against the ethos and policies of IMAC and Sport Ireland around equality and inclusion in sports. I ask the Minister of State to request a formal update from Sport Ireland on its engagement with the Irish Martial Arts Commission and its implementation of the arbitrator recommendations of the Sport Dispute Solutions Ireland, SDSI. I also ask that Sport Ireland examines IMAC\u2019s stance on excluding thousands from the services and funding offered by IMAC and Sport Ireland, which is, once again, public funding. Many taekwondo students from across Ireland are being excluded. They are seeking fair and equal access to the recognised sporting system and the opportunity to work with other organisations to strengthen governance, safeguarding, coaching standards, participation and welfare across the sports. Students should not be forced to join the Irish Taekwon-Do Association in order to access public funding. It should be for all who participate in the sport."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh I thank the Deputy for his contribution and I note his requests. The Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport, Deputy Burke, is aware of concerns regarding the representation of organisations operating in similar sporting disciplines and codes within the recognition process for national governing bodies of sport, NGBs. However, it must be stated that the recognition process for NGBs is governed by published criteria and established procedures. Decisions regarding recognition are made independently by Sport Ireland. In particular, part of the criteria for recognition is that a recognised NGB must not already be involved in organising the same or similar sport. This criterion is essential to prevent duplication and the splintering of the sport ecosystem. Ultimately, it would be unsustainable for Sport Ireland to formally recognise multiple organisations as NGBs for the same or similar sports and provide core and high-performance funding on that basis. This is why Sport Ireland advises affiliation with existing national governing bodies, NGBs. Sport Ireland, which is funded by the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport, is a statutory body with responsibility for the development of sport, increasing participation levels and raising standards, including the allocation of funding across its various programmes, including NGBs, for sports development and high-performance programmes. Sport Ireland does not provide direct funding for clubs or individuals but channels the funding through the relevant national governing bodies. The Irish Martial Arts Commission, IMAC, is the Sport Ireland-recognised national governing body for martial arts in Ireland. Sport Ireland provides annual investment to this organisation to support the development of the sports within its structure. IMAC is constituted to represent a range of martial arts disciplines and organisations and represents those interests in its engagement with Sport Ireland. Taekwondo Ireland is recognised by Sport Ireland as the national governing body for Olympic-style taekwondo and is recognised by World Taekwondo and the Olympic Federation of Ireland, Sport Ireland and the European Taekwondo Union. Sport Ireland operates a formal recognition process for organisations wishing to become eligible for support as NGBs. The recognition criteria set out minimum requirements for NGB recognition and the additional criteria that may need to be met to receive financial assistance and investment from Sport Ireland. Organisations interested in engaging with Sport Ireland regarding recognition as a national governing body are encouraged to engage directly with Sport Ireland in that regard. Sport Ireland could then advise on the detail of the application process and consider the application on its merits. The relevant organisation can request a formal meeting with Sport Ireland to discuss its proposed application and the wider process prior to submitting a formal application for recognition as an NGB to Sport Ireland. All national governing bodies of sport recognised by Sport Ireland, such as the Irish Martial Arts Commission, are independent, autonomous bodies and are responsible for the operation of their own sport. National governing bodies are responsible for their own governance. This includes the support provided to their clubs, athletes and wider membership structure, and matters relating to members, events, disciplinary procedures, safeguarding, anti-doping compliance and the development and implementation of strategic plans to grow and sustain their sports at all levels. The national governing bodies of sport recognised by Sport Ireland are at the centre of Irish sport. NGBs are key delivering agencies for Sport Ireland in the achievement of its strategic and operational goals. Sport Ireland works across a broad spectrum of martial arts organisations to support the development of best practice in governance safeguarding, anti-doping, coaching standards, club development and the promotion of inclusive participation across all levels of sport. Neither the Minister nor the Department has any role in individual recognition decisions made by Sport Ireland, nor would it be appropriate for them to intervene in such decisions. While decisions on recognition are a matter for Sport Ireland, the Minister recognises that questions around representation, participation pathways and the development of sporting disciplines are important issues for organisations across the sporting sector, including those that are not currently recognised by national governing bodies."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"George Lawlor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy George Lawlor There is something wrong somewhere when we have 30,000 people engaged in taekwondo to a high standard in Ireland. As I say, we are talking about youngsters who are knee-high right up to people who are much older practising this sport. There are 30,000, yet the overarching body that is recognised by Sport Ireland is excluding in excess of 20,000 of those from accessing the benefits of the funding from Sport Ireland. There is something wrong with the notion that Sport Ireland would say that is grand and that it will recognise only the umbrella organisation when 20,000 people who are practitioners of taekwondo are excluded. There is something wrong when IMAC is governed solely by a majority of people from the Irish Taekwon-Do Association. Let us not forget that this is public money and more than 20,000 people who are practising this sport are excluded because a decision was taken back in 2020 during Covid at an online meeting that the sole organisation would be the Irish Taekwon-Do Association. By passing this motion, IMAC immediately excluded and locked out 250 clubs right across the country. I have been contacted by many of them on foot of my visit to the Kilcarbury Club in Wexford. If this was not public funding, it would be a different issue, but when 20,000 people are excluded from benefiting from that funding by an overarching umbrella organisation, Sport Ireland has to intervene and ask the question. I asked earlier for a formal update from Sport Ireland on its engagements with IMAC and the implementation by IMAC of the Sport Dispute Solutions Ireland recommendations. I asked Sport Ireland to examine IMAC in particular regarding its stance on excluding thousands from the services funding offered by IMAC and Sport Ireland. I ask the Minister of State that those two requests please be met. We are not looking for the moon."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh I thank the Deputy. I will convey his request to the Minister. I take on board what he is saying. The current national sports policy runs to the end of 2027 and is responsible for establishing Ireland's first national framework for sport, setting out objectives to increase participation, strengthen governance, enhance high-performance sport and increase investment across the sector. Development of the successor national sports policy is being progressed through a phased approach and will provide an opportunity to take stock of progress under the current policy and identify where future policy interventions can have the greatest impact. Through a performance evaluation, sectoral consultation, international best practice review, stakeholder engagement and policy mapping, the Department is undertaking a comprehensive evidence-gathering process to inform the successor policy. This may be an opportunity to re-examine the issues relating to taekwondo. The work is examining the effectiveness of existing policy measures and implementation structures, identifying areas where policy approaches may require strengthening and assessing future priorities for investment and action."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Sports Organisations"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_40","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Defective Building Materials","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_35","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_35","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_40","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darren O'Rourke I raise a number of concerns about the decision to close the pyrite remediation scheme to new applications on 30 November of this year, and in particular the implications for homeowners who may be left without any meaningful avenue of support. I acknowledge that the scheme has made a huge difference by providing an important remedy for thousands of homeowners whose properties have suffered significant damage as a result of pyritic heave. However, I am concerned that the decision to close applications risks leaving a significant number of people in a very difficult position The first question I want to put to the Minister of State is straightforward. What happens to someone who discovers pyrite in their home on 1 December 2026 or thereafter? Perhaps they have recently purchased a property or have never had a reason to suspect a problem. Perhaps they discover cracking, lifting floors or other evidence of damage in the months or years ahead. The application window will have closed. Does that mean they are simply on their own or will there be any mechanism to assess their circumstances and provide assistance? The second issue is potentially even more concerning. There are homeowners who know that their properties contain pyrite at this time, but their homes do not have sufficient damage to qualify for remediation. We know that the scheme is based on the extent of the damage rather than simply the presence of pyrite. It was extended and that was welcome, but that is still the case. What happens to a homeowner whose property contains pyrite but does not yet meet the eligibility threshold? Pyritic heave can develop over time. A property that does not demonstrate significant damage today may deteriorate in the future. Does the Minister expect those homeowners to simply wait and hope that their homes do not deteriorate? If the damage does deteriorate after 26 November, what recourse will they have, if any? I am concerned that we could end up with a situation where people know there is a problem with their homes but where the State has withdrawn the mechanism through which they could seek assistance. The third issue concerns entire housing estates and communities. There are developments where pyrite has been identified and where individual homes may not have suffered significant structural damage. However, the presence of pyrite in an estate can have consequences well beyond the physical condition of an individual dwelling. Would-be buyers, for example, report difficulties obtaining mortgages and securing finance. Homeowners report selling their properties and achieving a fair market valuation as being a major problem. Think about what that means for a family who want to move house, perhaps because their family is growing or they need to relocate for work or they want to downsize. They may have maintained their home, paid their mortgage and fulfilled all their responsibilities, yet can find themselves effectively trapped in a property because of an issue associated with the development in which they live. Even where an individual house is not displaying significant damage, the stigma and uncertainty surrounding pyrite can have a real financial impact. How does the Government intend to address that problem?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh I thank the Deputy for tabling this question. The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board, PRB, and the implementation of the pyrite remediation scheme, which is administered by the PRB with the support of the Housing Agency. The provisions of the Act apply solely to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave resulting from the presence of a reactive pyrite in the subfloor hardcore material. The scheme was established to remediate such dwellings where the swelling of hardcore beneath-ground floor slabs caused significant damage. The scheme, as we all know, was launched in February 2014 and has been running for over 12 years. It is expected a total of 3,017 homes will have had remediation completed by the end of this year at a cost to the taxpayer in excess of \u20ac205 million. In November 2025, the Government approved a significant expansion to the damage eligibility criteria under the scheme to ensure that additional homes within affected areas could be remediated as the scheme enters its final phase. Under this widening of eligibility, the PRB will evaluate each eligible application using strict qualification criteria. Applicants approved will follow the existing eight stages of pyrite remediation with an additional assessment step. The scheme engineer will revisit the property within a defined period to reassess whether any progression has occurred as determined by the PRB. The Housing Agency will oversee assessment and testing on behalf of the PRB. The scheme will close to applications on 30 November 2026. The works programme will continue until the end of 2029, when it is expected all dwellings that have been significantly damaged as a result of pyritic heave will be remediated. In June 2026, a periodic critical review of the PRB in accordance with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies was published. Section 4.2 of the review recommended that a working group be established to assist the PRB in the wind-down process of the scheme. The review proposed that the working group members include management from the PRB, officials from the Housing Agency and the Department of housing. That group has been established and will provide guidance and support to the PRB on matters relating to the wind-down of the scheme including additional pyrite cases following the scheme closing for applications, press and homeowner communications, legislative requirements, financial and contractual obligations and staffing arrangements."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darren O'Rourke I appreciate the Minister of State's response, particularly the point about the working group. However, I return to the central issue because it is a really important one. There is a fundamental difference between a house that has been remediated, a house that has been assessed and found to have significant damage, and a house where the presence of pyrite has been established but where the damage has not yet progressed to the required threshold. Those are three different circumstances. I am particularly concerned about the third category. We cannot simply assume that because a property does not meet the eligibility criteria, it will never require remediation. I ask the Minister of State if the Government will retain a mechanism to deal with those cases if the damage progresses. Has she any indication with regard to the working group and its timeline? It has been established. For example, when will it propose how additional pyrite cases following the scheme's closure will be dealt with? That is a really important question. I again raise the case of wider impacts on housing estates. A homeowner can have a perfectly liveable property with no significant visible damage but still face enormous difficulties when trying to sell or remortgage their property because pyrite has been identified in the development. It is important that the Minister and the Department engage with the banking sector, mortgage providers, insurers and property valuation professionals to establish a consistent and fair approach to homes in pyrite-affected developments, particularly where individual apartments or homes are not affected. I think the Minister of State will agree they are important issues."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Ardagh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Catherine-Ardagh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Ardagh I know it holds up a lot of sales and causes a lot of consternation for people purchasing and selling their homes, but the pyrite remediation scheme has operated successfully for over a decade. It has helped fix thousands of homes during that period. However, in the last few years, the number of applications to the scheme received by the PRB has fallen significantly. The PRB has recommended that the scheme be wound down in a planned and controlled manner with a primary focus on the needs of homeowners. In addition, a smooth wind-down is required for the Housing Agency, building contractors, engineering consultants and the PRB. An end date of 30 November 2026 has been set for submission of applications by homeowners for remediation of their homes. Adequate and appropriate notice of the end date for receipt of applications has been provided, including through a public advertising campaign run by the PRB. Significant damage to homes from pyrite should have been identified and evidently present by this time. To address the Deputy's point, the working group will assist the PRB in the wind-down process of the scheme including technical aspects associated with the potential for additional pyrite cases into the future, following the scheme closing for applications. The working group will complement and guide the work of the PRB, and it is anticipated the working group will be operational for between 18 and 24 months starting in September 2026. Further information on the working group's activities is available from the Pyrite Resolution Board, contact details for which are available on its website, pyriteboard.ie ."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Cuireadh an D\u00e1il ar fionra\u00ed ar 2.17 p.m. agus cuireadh t\u00fas leis ar\u00eds ar 2.59 p.m."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Sitting suspended at 2.17 p.m. and resumed at 2.59 p.m."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Defective Building Materials"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_41","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_41","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_42","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Student Accommodation","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/dbsect_41","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_41","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_42","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-05\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_42.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in Is the Minister concerned that some students are paying up to \u20ac16,000 per year for purpose-built student accommodation, sometimes up to \u20ac400 per week even, while the delivery of purpose-built student accommodation has fallen to a reported 20-year low, with only 657 beds delivered in 2025 and 419 expected in 2026, which is a very small number? Has he assessed the value-for-money implications of the proposals announced in the budget whereby private developers will build student accommodation that is then leased back to third-level institutions? It is bad economics."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Student Accommodation"}]}}]},"contextDate":"2026-11-05"},{"debateRecord":{"house":{"showAs":"34th D\u00e1il","committeeCode":"","houseCode":"dail","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/house\/dail\/34","chamberType":"house","houseNo":"34"},"chamber":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/def\/house\/dail","showAs":"D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann"},"lastUpdated":"2026-11-05T13:37:03+00:00","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/main","formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/mul@\/main.xml"},"pdf":null},"date":"2026-11-04","counts":{"contributorCount":158,"divisionCount":5,"debateSectionCount":20,"questionCount":0,"billCount":4},"debateType":"debate","debateSections":[{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_2","debateType":"topical","bill":null,"showAs":"\u00c1bhair Shaincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Matters","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy Roderic O'Gorman - To discuss capacity issues and the proposed timeline for a school extension project. Deputy Joe Cooney - To discuss the postponement of the new localised weather warning system. Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss funding for the N70 Ring of Kerry road. Deputy Erin McGreehan - To discuss the need to legislate for tokenisation of the funds industry. Deputy Albert Dolan - To discuss the publication of the revised wind energy development guidelines. Deputy Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in - To discuss Bunclody AFC and the fallout of Clearwater going into liquidation. Deputy Michael Murphy - To discuss the need to strengthen Uisce \u00c9ireann's accountability to D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness - To discuss water services infrastructure investment and supply disruption i gContae Phort L\u00e1irge. Deputy Pa Daly - To discuss physiotherapy services in Kerry. Deputy Thomas Gould - To discuss deficits in local authority funding and resulting increases to social housing rents. Deputy Robert O'Donoghue - To discuss a school project in Rush, County Dublin. Deputy Ryan O'Meara - To discuss financial supports for community caf\u00e9s. Deputy Cathy Bennett - To discuss efforts to secure a public sector pay deal. Deputy Matt Carthy - To discuss the necessary steps for Monaghan County Council to secure funding for a swimming pool in Carrickmacross. Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire - To discuss the domiciliary in and out, DOMINO, scheme at Cork University Maternity Hospital, CUMH. Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa - To discuss the difficulties experienced by people whose boilers have broken. The matters raised by Deputies Roderic O'Gorman, Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire, Joe Cooney, Albert Dolan and Matt Carthy have been selected for discussion"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"\u00c1bhair Shaincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Matters"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_3","debateType":"topical","bill":null,"showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_4","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Schools Building Projects","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_3","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_4","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Roderic O'Gorman I appreciate the Minister being here in person to take this important Topical Issue. Castleknock Community College, CCC, as it is known locally, is a secondary school in my Dublin West constituency located in Carpenterstown. It is a very large secondary school. It currently has 1,335 students. The reason this school is so big is a number of years ago, there was major pressure on secondary school places in the Carpenterstown-Castleknock school planning area. CCC shares this school planning area with two other secondary schools, Luttrellstown Community College and Edmund Rice College. To address the school places crisis at that stage, the school management team in CCC and the board of management agreed to a long-term increase in the overall number in the school, going up to eight classes per year with 240 students per year. That was a big step to take but meeting the needs of the local community has always been central to CCC's ethos. In order to facilitate this extension to have the physical space for these extra students, there was an agreement. The school would immediately start to take the additional eighth class. Some temporary accommodation would be provided in the short term but a permanent new-build extension to the school would also be provided. This would include seven mainstream classrooms, one music room, one design and computer graphics room, one home economics room, one graphics room, two engineering-construction studies rooms, two special education classrooms and two special education tuition rooms. It was a big investment in the school but it was absolutely necessary to meet the needs of the extra students the school had committed to take each year. Now, years after that agreement, this vital extension is still only at stage one, preliminary design, of the Department's process. That is what the Minister told me in response to a parliamentary question in late July. This lack of progress has become a real issue because the school is currently looking to issue offers for incoming first-year students in September 2027. Due to the constraints of the physical size of the school building right now, and because the outgoing year group only had seven streams of 210 students, the school only has room to offer 210 places for September next year. The starting point is down 30 places from the 240 students it had been able to offer places for in recent years. The school has received 590 applications for September 2027. This year, there are more students with siblings which means they fall into the first category, which is category A. Category B, where the majority of applications come from - students who go to a feeder school and live within the catchment area - are not guaranteed to receive a place. Parents and students in that category will receive letters saying they did not get a place and are on what could be a very lengthy waiting list. What is frustrating is the school took on those extra students and that extra class in good faith. This could all have been avoided if that extension had been progressed at place. Will the new build for CCC be prioritised? The school fulfilled its part of the bargain; it has taken on the additional students. Now, the Department has to step up and fulfil its side of that bargain. What is the timeline for delivery of the new build? Is the Department aware of the real pressure this school is under for places in September 2027? Is it looking at any contingency measures to ensure students can get a place in a local secondary school?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth (Deputy Hildegarde Naughton) I dt\u00fas b\u00e1ire, gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Teachta as an gceist seo a ard\u00fa mar tugann s\u00e9 deis dom achoimre a thabhairt don D\u00e1il ar an seasamh reatha maidir leis an bplean t\u00f3g\u00e1la scoile do Chol\u00e1iste Pobail Chaisle\u00e1n Cnucha. This project was approved under the Department's additional school accommodation scheme and has been devolved to the Dublin and D\u00fan Laoghaire Education and Training Board for delivery. The project will provide seven additional mainstream classrooms, six specialist classrooms, a two-classroom special educational needs base, two special education teaching rooms and ancillary accommodation. The project is currently at stage 1, preliminary design. The stage 1 report has been submitted to the Department and is under review from a technical and cost perspective. As with all school building projects, progression to the next stage is subject to the completion of the necessary technical, scope, design and cost assessments, as well as overall programme priorities and available funding. All school building projects, as they progress through the pipeline, must undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the infrastructure guidelines and capital works management framework. The timing of a project moving from one stage to the next requires careful planning and takes account of factors, such as compliance with all scope, design and cost requirements, timing of affordability and the prioritisation necessary for the school building programme to remain within agreed annual funding allocations. The Department keeps post-primary school provision in the Castleknock and Carpenterstown school planning area under ongoing review, taking account of demographic trends, enrolment patterns and available school capacity. Current projections indicate that the population of first-year students resident in the Castleknock and Carpenterstown school planning areas will remain relatively stable over the coming years, and that sufficient capacity for first-year exists within the school planning area to meet projected demand. While Castleknock Community College has reduced the number of first-year places advertised for the 2027-28 school year, this is not expected to impact on the availability of school places for students resident within the Castleknock and Carpenterstown school planning areas. Analysis of enrolment patterns indicates that the majority of students attending Castleknock Community College reside within these areas, with a proportion also travelling from neighbouring school planning areas. Any reduction in intake at Castleknock Community College may increase demand for places in other schools, including Luttrellstown Community College. However, sufficient capacity remains available within the wider area to accommodate projected enrolments. In addition, further post-primary capacity is planned at Castleknock Community College to cater for future population growth arising from the planned residential development, particularly within the Kellystown area of Carpenterstown. The Department will continue to monitor demographic trends and school place requirements to ensure that sufficient capacity is available to meet future demand."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Roderic O'Gorman Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire. I will make a couple of points on that. I am not convinced that demand for secondary school places has plateaued as her Department is arguing, particularly when we look at the fifth and sixth classes that are outgoing at the moment. Even if it were stable, we have to remember 30 places have been taken off the pitch this year. There is a reduction in the number of places that Castleknock Community College has available to it next September. Thirty places is a big chunk out of it, considering the school was just able to provide offers to category A and category B students last year, and we now have more students in the sibling category A. Regarding additional post-primary capacity as planned in Castleknock, there is another school planned in the very long term. However, when the State cannot deliver an extension to an existing school, telling parents that there will be a new school built at some time on a greenfield site is not going to convince anybody and is certainly not going to address the challenge we are facing this coming September. When we are investing State money, we absolutely have to go through the due diligence and the technical process but agreements need to be met as well. Commitments need to be fulfilled. A commitment was made here. The school went out on a limb to deal with a major crisis that myself and other Deputies in Dublin 15 were dealing with a number of years ago. There was an agreement to support the school with this extra build. That extra build is still at stage 1. We all know how long these processes take within the Department and stage 1 is not a good place to be in. Will the Minister go back to her officials and ask them to drive forward this new-build project? There will be real pressure this year and in future years on secondary school places in the Carpenterstown area."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Hildegarde Naughton It is worth noting that four additional mainstream classrooms and two science laboratories were delivered to Castleknock Community College in 2023, pending the delivery of the larger additional school accommodation, ASA, project. I assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to progress the ASA project in line with the school building programme. Ba mhaith liom bu\u00edochas a ghabh\u00e1il ar\u00eds leis an Teachta as an deis a thabhairt dom an t-eolas is d\u00e9ana\u00ed a chur ar f\u00e1il don Teach maidir le tionscadal c\u00f3ir\u00edochta Chol\u00e1iste Pobail Chaisle\u00e1n Cnucha. My Department is committed to ensuring appropriate accommodation is available for all pupils and will, in the wider context outlined, ensure that each school project on the school building programme is subject to the due diligence required under the Government's infrastructure guidelines and capital works management framework. As outlined, current projections indicate that sufficient first-year places are available to meet local demand in the Castleknock and Carpenterstown area. The Department remains committed to forward planning for future growth. It is constantly monitoring demographics and pressures in relation to school planning areas and will continue to invest in school infrastructure to ensure that school place provision keeps apace with demographic change. Since 2020, the Department of Education and Youth has provided \u20ac2.1 billion in capital funding for Dublin schools. Over this period, a total of 316 schools have been upgraded, either through the provision of a new school building, large-scale extension or provision of modular accommodation. The accommodation needs at Castleknock Community College will be considered as part of the ongoing overall Department-led prioritisation process in consultation with the school patron and the school authorities."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Schools Building Projects"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_5","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Services","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_3","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_5","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire I acknowledge the presence of the Minister of State in the Department of Health and thank her for taking this Topical Issue. I also thank the Cathaoirleach for selecting it. I know the Minister of State will be familiar with it but just to put on record that the DOMINO scheme is community-based midwifery-led care. We do not always get the chance in these Houses to talk about services or initiatives that are win-win for the public and for the State but this is what DOMINO is. For the mother, the family and the baby, it provides an excellent level of care in the community. It ensures that low-risk pregnancies can be managed, stay in a low-risk environment and be supported to do so. It means, in some instances, that you could give birth in the hospital and within four or five hours be at home in your own bed. It is a terrific service but it is also in the interests of the State and the hospital if we can get things right. It ensures there is less pressure on hospital beds, that low-risk pregnancies do not escalate to high-risk pregnancies and it is very much in line with what is in the national maternal health strategy. Changes took place to the service on 12 October 2026. I state at the outset that it is not disputed that a service does continue and that DOMINO continues to be operational, but it is about the nature of changes to the service and restoring it to its full capacity. This was initiated as a pilot a bit over ten year ago. The objective at that stage was to see if it could be successful that it would potentially be expanded. That is what we should be looking at. First, we should be looking restoration but in the medium run seeing it expanded. That has not happened, even though the results speak for themselves. A number of years ago in its own publication, CUMH recognised that there are financial savings - not the primary consideration but it is worth noting - because of the early discharge and home care arrangements. I will outline some of the difficulties that exist or have existed. The telephone line was an issue. I understand this has been progressed to some extent but it is important that it remains monitored. There is also the capacity for home care. As I said, that is one of the biggest things that most appeals to mothers and families who are interested in accessing DOMINO care. At the moment, there is a question as to whether the early transfer home team has the staffing and capacity to provide the equivalent care, including at weekends. Access to antenatal education is a significant issue because people are trying to book the CUMH classes but have been told they are already full. There had been in the past, and there certainly is intended to be, dedicated DOMINO classes. We should ensure that is restored to full capacity and confirm whether the locations that had been in place for community antenatal appointments will be retained. We need to ensure there is adequate staffing to retain the full DOMINO model because it is the full suite of services that ensures this is attractive. I have spoken to some of the women who have experienced DOMINO and are campaigning on this issue. I acknowledge the work of the campaigners who have been highlighting this. They presented a petition to the Taoiseach on, I think, Monday. Their key point is that it needs to be the full suite of services. We should ensure not only that this is retained but that it is expanded into the future."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Mary Butler) I thank the Deputy for providing this important opportunity to discuss the DOMINO scheme. He has set out very well and very strongly how important it is for low-risk pregnancies and giving women the choice to make the decision as to how they would like to give birth. I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The Department has been engaging regularly with the region, and I assure Deputy \u00d3 Laoghaire that the DOMINO scheme at Cork University Maternity Hospital is operational. It is fair to say he acknowledged that. This is a highly valued scheme available to existing participants and eligible new patients. As of the middle of October, 52 women are registered with the DOMINO scheme in CUMH, 38 of whom will give birth before the end of this year. In October, CUMH made some changes to staffing arrangements within the hospital due to a high level of maternity leave and staffing pressures. Some of the midwives from the DOMINO scheme have been deployed to support the labour ward. Patient safety remains the overriding priority for all arrangements. These changes do not represent a closure of the scheme but are a temporary solution to ensure the safety of women and babies in CUMH. Antenatal care continues through DOMINO and the hospital's outpatient midwifery services. Parentcraft education continues to provide antenatal classes. The HSE has further advised that the increased presence of DOMINO midwives within the birthing suite is likely to facilitate continuity of care for women in the scheme who present in labour at CUMH. Postnatal care will be provided through the early transfer home midwifery team. This includes support at home following discharge. CUMH continues to review the service and, following engagement with the DOMINO midwives, the dedicated 24-hour DOMINO telephone line was reinstated from 23 October, which was just over a week ago. CUMH was also among the sites involved in the original pilot of postnatal hubs, as the Deputy said, supporting the delivery of postnatal care closer to home for women and families in communities such as Ballincollig, Clonakilty, Mallow and Carrigtohill. I acknowledge the Deputy's concern about recruitment. While enhanced controls are currently in place, it is important to clarify that there is no blanket recruitment freeze. Recruitment to essential posts can continue, with decisions informed by clinical need, patient safety and patient benefit, and having regard to available funding. The DOMINO service remains operational and available to eligible women. HSE South West continues to review and prioritise staffing requirements to support the safe and effective delivery of maternity services. The staffing arrangements currently in place are temporary and it is intended that the redeployed staff will begin to return to the DOMINO service from the first quarter of 2027."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire At the very minimum, that timetable needs to be held to. There will be women out there wondering. We need to get that communication very clear. The first quarter of 2027 for procurement might be fine but for a pregnancy, when you have a very specific date, you want to know whether you will have the full suite of services at the time you are giving birth or the period before and after. We need clarity as to what exactly that means. I ask the Minister of State to try to work with the Minister for Health to announce a specific date for the full restoration of services. I hope not only that is what the Minister of State can commit to but also that it is communicated very clearly because that will inform the choices women and families make in terms of their births. The capacity for home care is crucial. I live in a part of the city that is quite near the hospital so I see the CUMH cars around at people's homes delivering those home visits and supporting women before and after they give birth. It is crucial that is fully resourced and reliable. The point has been made that CUMH is short about 80 positions in terms of vacant posts and so on. Ultimately, moving staff between services does not resolve the underlying shortage. If we can get this service right, it will reduce pressure on doctors and on hospital beds. As I said, it is a win-win. I ask the Minister of State to bring back some key points to the Department. As regards antenatal classes, I know she has said the parentcraft places are still in place, but there needs to be dedicated DOMINO classes. That needs to be key. She has said the telephone access is restored. That needs to be maintained. The home care is crucial. It needs to be fully resourced in order that people are in a position to return home. I refer also to community antenatal appointments and a specific date."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Butler I thank the Deputy for that. I will take on board everything he has said and it will be reflected back to the Minister, her team and the Department. There is evidence that investment in postnatal hubs in Cork and Tralee supporting care closer to the home, as well as the recently opened women's health hub in Tralee, do work. I agree with the Deputy that they absolutely do. The commitment to women's health services is reflected in Cork University Maternity Hospital. Since 2020, staffing across the region has increased by 27%. That includes 29 additional staff who were recruited this year. While births at CUMH have reduced by 7.8% since 2020, we remain committed to providing women with choice in their maternity care, including through the supported care pathway and the domino service. The HSE South West region is operating with additional recruitment controls, as I said. The region will continue to review and prioritise its staffing requirements. I take on board what the Deputy said about a timetable. As he said, quarter 1 is fine for procurement, but if you are somebody who is using the DOMINO scheme and you are nervous about what the situation is, timelines, communication and the helpline are really important. Operational decisions are taken by management from a safe staffing perspective and we cannot really question the decisions they make to make sure that it is a safe staffing process. At the same time, I will take on board everything the Deputy has said and the way he has presented it. As a woman who has had three children during her life, and there are lots of dads here as well, I understand that people need that certainty when they are about to give birth."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_6","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Meteorological Services","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_3","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_6","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Cooney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Cooney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Cooney.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Cooney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Cooney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Cooney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joe Cooney I raise the planned introduction by Met \u00c9ireann of a new weather warning system and a decision to delay its introduction. It was reported by RT\u00c9 last week that the new system, which was due to be in place by the end of this year, will now be delayed and is still going through consultation. I welcome the plans to improve the warning system but I am disappointed that it will not be ready as expected. The current system is based largely on county boundaries. This means an entire county can receive the same weather warning even when conditions are very different from one part of the county to another. Anyone familiar with my county, County Clare, will understand the problem. We have a long Atlantic coastline, areas of high ground and inland communities. The weather can be very different in west Clare compared to east Clare, even over a relatively short distance. Let me give the Minister of State an example. In the 24 hours between 4 p.m. on 23 October and 4 p.m. on 24 October this year, 51 mm of rain fell in Moyasta in west Clare, where ground conditions were already very wet. Compare that with Newmarket on Fergus on the other side of the county, where just 23 mm of rain fell during the same period. During this time, Cork, Kerry and Waterford were placed under status orange weather warnings while Clare was placed under a status yellow weather warning. Under Met \u00c9ireann's own guidelines, a status orange rainfall warning applies where 50 mm or more of rain is expected over 24 hours. That level was reached in west Clare. Meanwhile, the 30 mm required for a status yellow warning was not reached in Newmarket-on-Fergus. This shows exactly why the current system needs to be changed. The new system would allow Met \u00c9ireann to issue warnings for specific areas rather than entire counties. This is already done by the UK Met Office. I have three questions. Why has the new system been delayed? Why are so much further consultation and so many focus groups needed when the UK Met Office introduced this type of warning system in 2011? It has been in place in the UK, whose weather conditions are very similar to our own in Ireland, for 15 years. What more do we need to find out before we can move ahead? When will the new system actually be in place? Are we talking about a few months or will people have to wait another year or two? People depend on Met \u00c9ireann's warnings when deciding whether to travel, when protecting their homes and businesses, and when planning outdoor works. This is also particularly important for those in the farming community, who need to make decisions based on weather conditions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Thomas Byrne) I thank Deputy Cooney for raising this Topical Issue, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister, Deputy James Browne. Met \u00c9ireann has strengthened its national weather warning service and the localised weather warning and display systems have been put in place. These developments have now entered the usability and understandability assessment phase. The introduction of a new warning system is not simply a technical exercise. It is essential that the information provided is easily understood by the public and supports informed decision-making during severe weather events. As part of this assessment, Met \u00c9ireann has also engaged with local authorities, Government Departments and emergency management agencies. The next most important stakeholder in this phase is the public. Met \u00c9ireann is undertaking independent research using focus groups to ensure the technical development for localised warnings achieves its objective of providing clearer information to the public and supporting informed decision-making during weather events. This approach aligns with international best practice and is what other national meteorological services have done with comparable localised weather warning systems. The research will take place over the coming months and any improvements identified will be incorporated into the final technical solution. As a matter of operational prudence, major changes to national weather warning systems are not introduced during the winter period, when the system may be required to support responses to significant weather events. Met \u00c9ireann is committed to ensuring that the enhanced warning system is robust, effective and readily understood by users. The new localised weather warning system will be in place by the start of the next storm season."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Cooney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Cooney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Cooney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joe Cooney I thank the Minister of State very much for his response. I want to make one thing clear; people do pay heed to Met \u00c9ireann. They listen to the warnings and use that information to make decisions about their daily lives. Having a proper weather warning system in place allows people to make informed decisions about travelling, making plans and carrying out outdoor work. The difference between receiving the wrong weather warning because of the county boundary system and receiving the correct warning for the conditions in your own area is significant. This is especially important during storms but it also applies in wintry weather. I will give another example from Clare. In November 2024, almost exactly two years ago, areas of higher ground in Clare recorded close to 1 ft of snow. A number of rural communities were left cut off and housebound for several days. However, in the lower, more populated parts of the county, the weather was completely different. They experienced rain rather than heavy snowfall. Despite these very different conditions, the entire county received the same weather warning. Surely, we can do better than that. We need to change the way we issue weather warnings. They need to reflect the conditions people are actually facing in their own areas rather than treating the entire county as one. I acknowledge the Minister of State's response but the fact remains that a working system already exists in the UK. This has been in place since 2011 and we can learn from that experience. We need to speed up this process rather than allowing it to drag on. This is ultimately about public safety. People need to know what weather conditions they can expect so that they can protect themselves, their families, their homes and their businesses. We have waited long enough for this change. I ask the Minister of State to make sure the work is completed and the new system put in place without further delay."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne As I have said, Met \u00c9ireann is enhancing its weather warning system. It is bringing in a more localised weather warning system. This system will provide information at a sub-county level, enabling a more targeted and geographically precise approach. It will not just align to county boundaries. Localised warnings will be issued based on where anticipated impacts are expected to occur. The system is already being used in a pre-operational manner by Met \u00c9ireann's forecast office. As I have already said, the localised warning system is undergoing usability and understandability assessments. Work is on track for delivery in time for the next storm season. It is not considered best practice to introduce a major change to a national weather warning system during the winter period due to the risk that confusion may occur in relation to this important source of public safety information. It is vital that this move to a localised weather warning system achieves its purpose of providing clearer and more geographically relevant information and direction to the public and emergency management agencies. Met \u00c9ireann is following international best practice and the approach adopted by other countries that have comparable localised weather warning systems. Alongside putting in place pre-operational localised warning systems, it is essential to ensure that the new warnings are clearly understandable by those who will use them. This has to be achieved through robust independent scientific research, which includes the use of focus groups. This work is under way at the moment. The objective is to assess how users interpret the information presented, identify any areas of confusion and ensure that the system supports effective decision-making during high-impact weather events. The localised system will be in place before the start of the next storm season."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Meteorological Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_7","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Wind Energy Guidelines","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_3","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan I am raising this issue today because Ireland is still planning for the wind turbines of 2026 using guidelines written in 2006. The reality is that the game has completely changed in those 20 years. When these guidelines were introduced, turbines were typically 80 m to 85 m in height. Today, in my constituency of Galway East, communities are facing proposals for turbines reaching 180 m and beyond in height. The technology, the scale and the impact on communities have changed. The only thing that has not changed is the guidelines, which have not kept pace. I have raised this issue repeatedly in this House, including directly raising it with the Taoiseach, because I believe we need a sensible and balanced approach to wind energy development. Let me be absolutely clear; I support renewable energy. Ireland needs it. We need greater energy independence and to reduce our reliance on imported fossil fuels. Most importantly, we need an energy system that delivers lower electricity prices for households, farmers and businesses. That has to be the ultimate objective. The transition to renewable energy must deliver tangible benefits to the people who are paying the bills. However, supporting renewable energy does not mean accepting every development in every location at any scale without appropriate safeguards. In Galway East, I have spoken to families and communities who are genuinely concerned about the size of proposed turbines, their proximity to homes, noise, shadow flicker and the impact on the rural landscape. These are legitimate concerns and they deserve to be addressed through a modern evidence-based planning framework. We cannot expect communities to have confidence in a planning system that relies on guidelines that are two decades old. I want to see updated guidelines that properly reflect the height, scale and technological capabilities of modern turbines. That means appropriate setback distances from homes, clear and enforceable noise limits, protections against shadow flicker and meaningful community consultation. We need the communities that are hosting this infrastructure to see a real benefit from the energy being generated around them. The Taoiseach indicated his hope yesterday that the new national planning statement would be issued before the end of the year. I welcome that indication, but communities have been waiting quite some time. My request today is straightforward. Will the Minister of State give us a firm timetable for publication, ensure the new guidelines reflect the reality of modern wind turbines and provide the protections that rural communities deserve? I firmly believe that we can deliver renewable energy, lower electricity costs and respect for rural communities. Those issues should not be at odds. I have attended multiple public meetings in my constituency over the last year at which people expressed concerns about wind farms. Prior to the general election, there was a meeting with over 300 people in attendance in Tuam. The conversation was open and honest about the issues that people are facing. One of the worst problems is that these communities receive very poor consultation. That is one of the main issues driving the inequity in these decisions. I understand that it is a matter for the planning process, but we have to show leadership on it as well."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne I thank Deputy Dolan for raising this important issue on behalf of his constituents in east Galway. I am taking the matter on behalf of the Minister, Deputy Browne. I acknowledge the importance of the Government's ambitious commitment that 80% of electricity demand is met by renewables in the near term, with plans to move to net zero by 2050, in order to reduce our costs and protect the environment. lreland is developing a renewables-led electricity system, which will reduce emissions, ensure the energy security of the State and protect Irish households and businesses from the volatility of the international fossil fuel markets. Onshore wind energy is fundamental to this transition. The Planning and Development Act 2024 introduces provisions for what are known as national planning statements. These national planning statements have been introduced to replace ministerial guidelines that were issued under section 28 of the Planning and Development Act 2000. All existing guidelines will, over time, be revoked and replaced with new planning statements. Any current section 28 guidelines will remain in force until revoked or replaced by a corresponding national planning statement. Subsequently, this means new planning guidance on wind energy development will be issued as a national planning statement following a review of the existing wind guidelines. While this has been ongoing for a period of time, progress has been made towards concluding the review process. I can advise the House that it is currently the intention that a draft national planning statement will be published as part of a public consultation at the end of quarter 1 of 2027. In respect of sectoral national planning statements, such as on onshore wind energy development, there is also an important role for the relevant policy Department in collaborating with the Department of housing on the development of national planning statements. In this context, the Department of housing is working closely with the Department of climate, as the Department with policy responsibility for this area of Government policy. I reiterate that the Government's position is that public participation is a key element of all substantive decision-making processes under the Planning and Development Act. The draft national planning statement on wind energy will be subject to strategic environmental assessment, and a public consultation will be held as part of the process, whereby individuals and stakeholders, including local community groups, will have the opportunity to make observations on the draft national planning statement. It will also be open to any member of the public to make an observation or submission on a planning application, including in relation to wind energy development. The planning authority is statutorily obliged to consider such submissions before making a decision on the application."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan Go raibh maith agat, a Aire St\u00e1it. I appreciate the indication that the planning statement will be published before the end of quarter 1 of 2027. A lot of communities will be concerned because there are so many live applications for onshore wind developments going through An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la. Many communities want to see these updated guidelines go out for public consultation as soon as possible in order that they can be taken into account in any decision that An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la might make. I want to emphasise one final point. We are dealing with an entirely different scale of wind turbine today than we were in 2006. That is the fundamental change here. In 2006, the guidelines were adequate for what was being proposed. They not seem to be adequate today. Turbines are over 180 m in height. They have a huge impact on the landscape and a huge presence. There is a huge amount of wind development in Offaly. I recently visited the area to see what living in close proximity to wind turbines is like, and whether people could hear them, if there was noise and what the issues were. One resident is living in an old house, and the irony is that the house is a protected structure, so they could not put in new windows which would help with the noise issues. They could hear wind turbines late at night from over a kilometre away. That is just one example. I understand that each case has to be taken on a case-by-case basis, but we are dealing with a different technology. We, as legislators, need to ensure that the guidelines keep pace with the reality on the ground, so that rural communities are protected. That is where I am coming from on this. I support renewable energy and want to see us get energy prices down for our constituents because that is what they want us to do. They want us to lower the price of energy, and if renewable energy gets us there, then happy days. I just want it to be done a responsible way."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne Significant progress has been made towards the publication of the national planning statement as a matter of priority. We intend to open it for public consultation by the end of quarter 1 next year. The statement needs to provide for a robust, up-to-date policy which considers the evolved context, the technological progress of recent decades and the critical need for Ireland to meet our ambitious target of 9 GW of onshore wind energy capacity. It is vital because the programme for Government commits to the delivery of this by 2030. The target has gone up from 5 GW to 9 GW. The perspectives of everybody will be considered as part of the public consultation. The national planning statement seeks to strike an appropriate balance by addressing the concerns of communities and ensuring there is a greater and earlier community engagement by wind energy developers, while also ensuring that Ireland's ability to deliver on its binding energy policy obligations and to get cheaper and better energy are maintained."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Wind Energy Guidelines"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_8","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Swimming Pools","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_3","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_8","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy I thank the Minister of State for being here. It is always helpful when the Minister with responsibility is in attendance. Nach bhfuil m\u00e9 ceart?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne I used to be."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy T\u00e1 br\u00f3n orm. Rinne m\u00e9 dearmad faoi sin. In that case, I express my disappointment that the Minister with responsibility is not here, although I know the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, has a lot of knowledge in this area. Since long before my election to the D\u00e1il, going back as far as my first election to Carrickmacross Town Council over 25 years ago, one of the issues I have consistently raised is the need for a swimming pool in Carrickmacross. In fact, the demand for a public swimming pool in the town goes back long before that. There is a local legend about a huge fundraising drive that was undertaken as far back as the 1970s and into the 1980s when local people came together to raise funds for a swimming pool that did not materialise. In the period that I have been involved in politics, we have been raising this matter locally. Unfortunately, for a long period of time, it is fair to say that the executive of Monaghan County Council was not really on board and there was not the necessary drive at that level to progress the matter. We are now thankfully in a situation where there is unanimity and a determination locally to deliver a swimming pool. Monaghan County Council has assigned a site. That is very welcome and is something I have been calling for many years. The council appointed a design team this week and is putting in place a steering committee to progress this project. The demand for a swimming pool has now been proven. All the local schools, sports organisations and the wider community support it. We have tangible evidence of this because, in conjunction with Swim Ireland, we have had a temporary swimming pool in the town since 2004. It was supposed to remain for a six-month period and is still there. In fact, the pop-up pool will remain in place until December and is only leaving because it requires significant repair works and there are rising operational costs. However, it has been booked out throughout the time it has been in place. That provides very clear, rock-solid proof that public swimming facilities are needed in Carrickmacross and that this would be a worthy investment. I now believe we have all of the building blocks in place for the delivery of a swimming pool in Carrickmacross. There is one crucial element missing, namely, the necessary central government funding. Will the Government provide a clear pathway for towns like Carrickmacross to access funds? I have been raising this matter in the House since 2020. I have pages of responses I have received in that time. We were told there was a review of the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF. We were told there had to be a national swimming strategy. All of those have been completed. What will be the route for towns like Carrickmacross to secure central government capital funding for the delivery of a swimming pool? Will that route be opened as speedily as possible so that we can deliver this infrastructure for the young people of Carrickmacross but for the wider community as well?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne I thank the Deputy. Carrickmacross is a town I am very familiar with. Sport and physical activity are hugely important to our collective well-being. Swimming is one of the most important sports to ensure participation. Availability and ease of access to sports facilities, whether in a club setting, on public lands or in other amenity areas, drives participation. Planning for future facilities' needs, locations and types is a focus of the current sports action plan, which is supported by the work of Sport Ireland as a statutory consultee for local development plans and capital funds operated by the Department. There is real merit in the development of municipally backed shared sports facilities to make the best use of available funding. Therefore, I strongly encourage national governing bodies of sports and local authorities to collaborate on developing multisport facilities. That can include swimming. There are a number of examples around the country where local authorities have got together with national sports governing bodies and put in place multisport facilities. We only have to look at Castlebar and similar places. While this is a matter for Monaghan County Council, the Department has a number of funds, such as the community sport facilities fund and the large-scale sports infrastructure fund, that can be accessed to improve and develop swimming pools. The community sport facilities fund is open until February. Applications for swimming pools will be prioritised under that. In the context of a swimming pool, that is a smaller fund but there is also the LSSIF, which has allocated significant funding for swimming pools around the country where the local authorities have requested it. If I am correct, Monaghan County Council did not look for this funding previously. A previous local authority swimming pool grant was in place for 25 years. Lucan leisure campus was opened only recently, yet the grant for it was allocated in the early 2000s. Local authorities have a strong role to play to get these facilities over the line. We are looking at a future round of LSSIF but the current focus is on ensuring project delivery under the first two rounds of LSSIF. The Deputy mentioned the pop-up pool in Carrickmacross, which has been incredibly successful. When I was the Minister of State with responsibility for sport, I funded that. I also developed the national swimming strategy. This is very important. I know Carrickmacross very well and it would be an ideal location for a swimming pool. I certainly would support a swimming pool. My constituents would benefit enormously from one if one were there. I am certainly willing to work on that, and I know my colleagues in Monaghan, Councillor PJ O'Hanlon and Senator Robbie Gallagher, have been very supportive of this ambition as well."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy I welcome that indication from the Minister of State that he will support this. I will be the first to acknowledge that Monaghan County Council was previously far too slow in moving on this area. We have an excellent swimming facility in Monaghan town, which completely washes its own face financially after the initial investment, and I believe the same would be the case in Carrickmacross. However, we had an executive that was reluctant and we had councillors, including some the Minister of State mentioned, who voted to sell off the land that is now earmarked. Thankfully, that did sale did not happen. I agree that we need unity in progressing this project. As the Minister of State knows, Carrickmacross is a growing town. There is a lot of very welcome housing development, of which we need much more. We also have a great record of community organisations, particularly sporting organisations. We have the Carrick Aces running track. The Carrick Rovers soccer team is moving into new facilities. The Carrickmacross Emmets GAA club is currently in the middle of a huge fundraising drive, Every Square Matters, to deliver new, state-of-the-art facilities on the Donaghmoyne Road. We have kickboxing, basketball and a myriad of other sporting organisations doing huge work. The missing piece that all of those sporting organisations would benefit from is a swimming pool. I believe Monaghan County Council is now in a different place, where there is unity of purpose and determination in the council executive. From the CEO down, the council is entirely in support of this proposal, to the point that it has earmarked land and appointed a design team. My appeal to the Minister of State is that when an application for funding is submitted, it is prioritised. This campaign goes back to the 1970s at a local level, although it did not have the support of the local authority. Now that the local authority is on board, we do not want to be waiting 30 years to go through bureaucracy and applications. We need prioritisation so that funding will be allocated and then delivered and we can provide these facilities for the people of growing towns like Carrickmacross."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne When I was the Minister of State with responsibility of sport, I published our first ever national swimming strategy. That set out a vision to give everybody in the country an opportunity to swim. If there was a swimming pool in Carrickmacross, I would support it because my constituents around Meath Hill, Drumconrath, Nobber and the Kingscourt area would benefit hugely from it. We knew from that strategy that we did not have enough swimming pools. We accepted that. As a result of the strategy, Swim Ireland carried out an in-depth analysis of swimming pool provision in Ireland that looked at all sorts of different factors. That gap analysis report is available on its website. That report is being examined by the Department of sport and will be a key input in the future development of swimming pool facilities. It is important to acknowledge our swimmers in the Olympics who have done incredible work representing this country from all parts of the island. I am very proud of them. In some cases, it was difficult for them, with the facilities we have on the island, North and South. We are giving additional funding to Swim Ireland for the deployment of swimming activators who are working with local authorities to try to change the mindset in local authorities. We want increasing participation and we want existing swimming pools opened for longer hours. We have given over \u20ac1.5 million to Swim Ireland since I established that fund in 2024. The impact of that is being felt. We have seen an increased number of participation programmes and partnerships throughout 2025, including Carrickmacross. The Department is considering further funding. There are also a number of other funds. We have capital opportunities. I have set out the community sports facilities fund and the large-scale sports infrastructure fund. The former is open and I hope the LSSIF will open again. It is up to the local authority to now work with Sport Ireland and, I suggest, other governing bodies of sports because swimming pools nowadays are not just a pool of water with a shed around them. They tend to be multisport facilities, and that is the way we should be looking at these things."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Swimming Pools"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_9","debateType":"motion","bill":null,"showAs":"Protected Disclosures Inquiry: Motion [Private Members]","counts":{"speechCount":29,"speakerCount":18},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jim O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jim-O'Callaghan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Jim-O'Callaghan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Ward.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"Mark-Ward.D.2019-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin Hayes","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Before proceeding, I remind Members that parliamentary privilege should be exercised in a responsible manner, and Members should avoid making allegations against identifiable persons who are not in a position to respond. Under the sub judice rule, there is also an onus to avoid comment that may prejudice the outcome of legal proceedings. Therefore, Members should exercise particular care in their contributions and refrain from naming individuals, including any person who may have made a protected disclosure."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn I move: That D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann: notes that: \u2014 concerns were raised regarding the safety, suitability and serviceability of certain Garda firearm holsters through protected disclosures, internal reports and training personnel prior to the fatal shooting of a member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na in June 2020; \u2014 firearms instructors and other personnel are reported to have raised concerns about holster performance and equipment safety during training exercises; \u2014 evidence arising from training exercises and a firearms-related incident involving a Garda member shortly before the fatal shooting is said to have raised additional questions regarding holster safety and associated forensic findings; \u2014 questions remain as to whether the equipment worn by the Garda member at the time of his death was subjected to a comprehensive and independent technical examination; \u2014 a quality-assurance review completed in 2024 identified concerns regarding the investigation of protected disclosures relating to firearms equipment, including issues relating to technical expertise, forensic evidence, procurement processes and investigative methodology; \u2014 in 2025, concerns were raised by those involved in the protected disclosures process that significant questions remained unresolved and that further enquiries were required before certain disclosures could be closed; \u2014 responsibility for the disclosures were subsequently reassigned, and closed shortly thereafter, notwithstanding the existence of unresolved issues identified by those previously examining them; \u2014 further concerns have been raised regarding the engagement and withdrawal of independent technical expertise, the reliance on internal assessments, and the adequacy and independence of technical reports prepared during the course of the investigations; \u2014 allegations have been made that individuals who raised concerns through protected disclosures, or who challenged aspects of the investigative process, experienced adverse professional consequences; \u2014 questions have also been raised regarding the treatment of personnel involved in the administration and oversight of protected disclosures, and whether sufficient safeguards existed to protect them from adverse treatment; and \u2014 concerns have been expressed regarding the handling of disclosures involving allegations against senior office holders and whether existing arrangements provide sufficient independence, transparency and accountability; recognises that: \u2014 Detective Garda Horkan was much loved by his family and friends, was a pillar of his community and was a dedicated member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, and his murder was a desperate loss to all who knew him; \u2014 the Horkan family have called for an independent public inquiry; and \u2014 ongoing criminal or inquest proceedings must be protected, but they should not become an indefinite reason for withholding independent scrutiny of distinct administrative and public-safety failures; has concerns that extend to: \u2014 defective ammunition, and the reported disposal of approximately 500,000 rounds; \u2014 firearms storage, recording and accountability; \u2014 procurement irregularities and alleged supplier favouritism; \u2014 inappropriate servicing or repair of privately owned firearms; \u2014 alleged misuse of Garda resources, fraud and financial wrongdoing; \u2014 ammunition procurement and testing; \u2014 staffing, training and specialist promotions within the Garda National Technical Bureau; and \u2014 potential consequences for public safety and the integrity of criminal investigations; and calls on the Government to constitute a full independent public inquiry that: \u2014 is genuinely independent of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration; \u2014 has effective powers to secure documents, electronic records and testimony; \u2014 can examine the knowledge, actions and omissions of senior Garda management, including the former Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, where relevant; \u2014 can independently test the disputed forensic examinations and the technical evidence concerning holster safety; \u2014 can examine the original procurement competition, the weighting of cost against quality, mandatory safety specifications, technical testing and the role of independent expertise; \u2014 can examine interference allegations, expert selection and the premature closure of protected disclosures; \u2014 can investigate allegations of penalisation and failures to protect reporting persons; \u2014 can review the accuracy of information supplied to Ministers, the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Horkan family; \u2014 can refer evidence of suspected criminal wrongdoing to the competent authorities; \u2014 can examine whether other protected disclosures involving public safety were inadequately investigated or closed without proper resolution; \u2014 can examine why the files were closed, and how two serious disclosures were closed on 23rd June, 2025, after the Protected Disclosures Manager had expressly stated that material questions remained unanswered; \u2014 can examine why cost was given greater weight than quality, who authorised 500 marks for cost and 400 for quality in the procurement of firearm holsters, what mandatory technical safety standards applied, and who independently verified compliance before the contract was awarded and the equipment issued; \u2014 can examine who was accountable, who authorised the reassignment, and the closure decisions and the representations subsequently made to the Ministers and the public; \u2014 can examine why were whistleblowers penalised; \u2014 can examine what statutory authority permitted the former Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, to intervene in the handling of a report that the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner had already transmitted to a designated statutory recipient under Section 10D of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014; \u2014 can examine why the former Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, sent a Protected Disclosure to the then Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, given that it was expressly identified as a separate Protected Disclosure in its own right; \u2014 can examine why on 21st December, 2023, a protected disclosure was redirected to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na following a direction by the former Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, and why identifying information appeared in the titles of attachments transmitted by the Department of Justice to senior Garda management, including to an individual implicated in the very allegations; \u2014 can examine why extremely serious allegations concerning the former Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, did not meet the threshold for an investigation under Section 102B of the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Act 2005, what evidence was considered; and \u2014 who undertook that assessment and why was further information not sought through the designated statutory process before that conclusion was reached. First, I pay tribute to Detective Garda Colm Horkan, who was murdered in the line of duty in June 2020. He was a much-loved individual by his family and friends. He was a pillar of his community and a dedicated member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. His murder was a desperate loss to all who knew him. From what I understand of Colm, he was a quiet individual and probably would not like his name to be used in a location such as this but he was also a man who fought for justice and truth, and that is important. I also pay tribute to the garda\u00ed who have stood up and made protected disclosures at great cost to themselves in recent years. Some of those garda\u00ed are in the Public Gallery with us here today, and I thank them for that. I pay tribute to some of the many journalists who have looked into this issue over the past few years - people like John Lee, Mick Clifford and others, who have made sure this information has come to light. While this issue is a complex one and has many different elements to it, at the heart of it is an incredible crisis at a senior level in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and a lack of ministerial oversight and, in some cases, Ministers breaking the law on what they are supposed to do in upholding the protected disclosures legislation. Remember the words \"protected disclosure\". The whole idea of a protected disclosure is that good people who see wrongdoing in a location can raise that wrongdoing, have it investigated and be protected in the manner in which they do that. What we see here is the opposite of that. We have seen very good garda\u00ed raise issues and be punished significantly for the actions they have taken. There is a serious result in that which is that in the future, good people will shut up. Good people will say nothing, will keep quiet, will keep their heads down or will leave. If that happens, a dysfunction will be created at the head and senior levels of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na - a dysfunction that will be detrimental to people's lives and one that will put garda\u00ed lives at risk. It will also hit the civilians they are supposed to serve hard. At the heart of these particular allegations, it is alleged the garda\u00ed were given materials that were unsafe. In this case, they were given holsters that did not retain the loaded guns they were carrying, and this could have possibly led to the serious injury of one particular garda and the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan. A garda raised this issue about these holsters in 2019, in advance of the murder of Detective Garda Colm Horkan. Firearms trainers within the garda\u00ed also raised these concerns. Video footage reportedly recorded during live firearms training in May 2020 demonstrated potential equipment safety problems. On 11 June 2020, a detective was involved in an accidental discharge associated with a firearm and that holster, subsequently giving rise to serious injury and forensic concerns. Serious questions arise from the fact this information was ignored, and we know these concerns were brought to senior garda\u00ed before Colm's murder. Who received the warnings and the video evidence? Why did the equipment remain in use, and who is responsible for assessing and managing that risk? An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na has publicly asserted that Colm's holster was examined by Forensic Science Ireland and a GNTB ballistic expert gave evidence at Stephen Silver's trial. It is seriously disputed whether those examinations adequately addressed the particular holster safety defects identified through the protected disclosure. Relevant safety defects have never been subject to an adequate technical examination. The McMenamin investigation recorded a visual inspection on Colm's holster on 7 February 2024, approximately three years and seven months after his murder. Serious questions remain concerning the qualifications and independence of the examiners, the testing undertaken and the scientific foundation for reassuring the conclusions. Who actually examined Colm's holster? What precise tests were undertaken? Where were the specific defects identified by the whistleblowers and were they tested? Where are the original reports, photographs, laboratory records and exhibit continuity documents? These are all questions that have not been answered. The procurement of leather pistol holsters raises questions about tendering, restructuring, supplier relationships, conflicts of interest and product quality, and the priority assigned to operational safety. The McMenamin report recorded an evaluation allocating a maximum of a thousand marks - 500 marks to cost, 400 marks to quality and 100 marks to delivery. That is incredibly serious. We have more marks afforded to the cost of a holster than to the quality of that particular product. Why was cost allocated more than quality in the procurement of a product that held a loaded firearm carried by a Garda member? A Garda firearm holster is not an ordinary piece of equipment or clothing; it is essential in retaining and securing a loaded firearm and protecting that member, their colleagues and the public from accidental discharge, unauthorised access or equipment failure. Public procurement principles permit this situation to arise. Who allowed for that public procurement principle to be put in place, and why has it not been changed? A tender arrangement in which a lower-price product could overcome materially inferior safety performance raises fundamental questions as to the design of that competition. The McMenamin report also had concerns around the serviceability and evidence-questioning claims that the selected holsters were superior to earlier Cobra holsters. Who approved the tender evaluation, and who allocated the 500 marks to cost but only 400 to quality for this? Who exposed garda\u00ed to this potentially fatal danger? Who determined the weighting? These are all questions that have not been answered on this. Were experienced firearms trainers, ballisticians, armourers and independent technician specialists consulted before these contracts were awarded? What product testing happened for this, including testing under realistic operational conditions following prolonged use? What role did the supplier take in the tenders and their structures? Were there conflicts of interest at play here? The second element of our motion today looks at what happened to the garda\u00ed who were involved in trying to bring this information to light, which is incredible. The information I and many others have received here is unprecedented in the history of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. On July 2024, protected disclosure manager, Rose Sweeney, and facilitator, Dr. Donal Corcoran, prepared a detailed 108-page quality assurance review. The McMenamin investigation into PD 2020\/04 raised specific questions around the holster safety, contradictory forensic evidence, suitability of technical experts, procurement and investigation deficiency. On 9 June 2026, Rose Sweeney informed Commissioner Drew Harris that critical questions remained unanswered and further inquiries could affect the outcome. On 17 June 2025, Rose Sweeney expressly stated that she was not in a position to close the disclosure. On Friday, 20 June 2025, responsibility was assigned to the new manager. On Monday, 23 June 2025, the next working day, PD 2020\/04 and PD 2022\/15 were closed. That is an extraordinary situation to happen. Individuals tasked and paid at the most senior level to investigate serious allegations of wrongdoing in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na were moved, documents were closed, and there was no further investigation. On 8 July 2025, Rose Sweeney continued to challenge the closure and the unanswered questions, and no substantive answer to that challenge is known to have been received. This is outrageous at any level. Who directed that reassignment? What changed over the weekend? Where are the answers to the 108-page review? Are there any answers to that? Does the Minister know what is asked in that review? Does he know the answers in that review? On what evidentiary basis were the investigations into firearms safety risks closed? That is a cliffhanger of lack of information that exists around serious threats to life and limb. Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Lane was selected to provide independent specialist expertise on firearms-related disclosures. His proposed involvement did not proceed as originally envisaged. Serious questions arise considering interventions by senior Garda management, including the former Commissioner Drew Harris in relation to this. Who intervened in the independent expert arrangements? Why was Raymond Lane not permitted to complete the work proposed? Who selected the alternative examiners? Why did the proposed independent policing expertise not materialise? Serious questions then arise concerning statements made by senior Garda management about the holster-safety forensic examinations. This is important. Brian O'Reilly disputes aspects of information supplied to the Horkan family, including the description of forensic examination of Colm's holster. Statements made by the former Commissioner Drew Harris and other senior Garda officers to Oireachtas committees must be compared with documentary records available at the time. We are not just talking about this one specific issue. There is a whole range of firearms questions at the heart of this. We have defective ammunition and the reported disposal of approximately 500,000 rounds of defective ammunition, firearms storage, recording and accountability, procurement irregularities, alleged supplier favouritism, inappropriate servicing or repair of privately-owned firearms, alleged misuse of Garda resources, fraud and financial wrongdoing, ammunition procurement and testing, potential consequences for public safety and the integrity of criminal investigations. How many of these matters has the Minister investigated that he knows about? How many were administratively closed, and what corrective actions were taken, and can the Minister demonstrate that they were done? This was the other element of the protected disclosures issue. These are the questions in relation to those who raised the alarm. Remember, the whole idea of the protected disclosure is to protect the whistleblower. Brian O'Reilly alleges adverse professional consequences following his protected disclosure, including decisions affecting his responsibilities at the GNTB and the firearms stores. Serious questions also arise concerning the treatment of persons within the protected disclosures office, such as Donal Corcoran, who challenged investigative deficiencies. Alleged penalisation may involve the removal of duties, exclusion, reputational undermining, and confidentiality breaches that have a cumulative professional or financial detriment. All of these elements appear to have happened to these individuals. What happened to the protected disclosures office is quite incredible. It ceased, a new one was created, and the individuals who worked in that office were then reassigned to other responsibilities. These are serious questions and there are questions for the Minister for justice as well. There is a report in the Irish Examiner today about garda\u00ed and firearms procurement for a private gun club in 2018. It is reported that there have been no prosecutions. The then Minister for justice seemingly unwittingly signed the licence for that procurement. Are we talking about \"Fawlty Towers\" here in relation to firearms? There are serious questions about the competence of the former Minister, Deputy McEntee, and about whether she broke the law. She has not explained on what statutory authority, as former Minister for justice, she intervened in the handling of reports of the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner that had already been transmitted to a designated statutory recipient under section 10(D) of the Protected Disclosures Act. Why on 21 December 2023 was a protected disclosure redirected to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na following a direction from the then Minister, Deputy McEntee? Why did she identify information in the titles of those attachments transmitted to the Department and senior Garda management that allowed for the knowledge about the individual to be made known? These questions have not been answered. The Minister's amendment does not significantly address them, and he has to change it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins Independent Ireland will be supporting this motion. First and foremost, we remember Detective Garda Colm Horkan who was murdered in Castlerea in June 2020 while serving his community. Our thoughts remain with his family, colleagues, and all those who continue to feel that loss today. Nothing said in this debate should take away from one fundamental fact. The individual responsible for Detective Garda Horkan's murder was convicted by the courts and bears responsibility for that crime but there is a separate question before us today. That question is whether serious concerns relating to Garda equipment, procurement processes and protected disclosures were properly examined when they were raised. We know concerns were raised about the firearm holsters issued to Garda members. We know questions have been raised about testing procurement decisions and whether warnings from experienced Garda personnel received the attention they deserved. The Horkan family have consistently called for an independent public inquiry. That request deserves to be treated with respect and seriousness. Every garda who goes on duty has a right to expect that the equipment issued to them is safe, properly tested and fit for purpose. Safety-critical equipment cannot be judged primarily on cost. The protection of front-line garda\u00ed must always come first. We must also look carefully at the handling of protected disclosures. The whole purpose of the whistleblower legislation is to ensure that people can raise concerns about public safety, potential wrongdoing or failures within organisations without fear of retaliation or damage to their careers. When somebody comes forward with legitimate a concern, the priority should be to investigate the warnings, not the person raising them. I want to put direct questions to the Minister. Will the Minister confirm whether any warnings, reports or concerns about the safety of these firearm holsters were received before Detective Garda Horkan's death, and what action was taken in response? Was the actual holster worn by Detective Garda Horkan independently examined and by whom? Will the findings be made available? Were protected disclosures relating to these matters closed in June 2025 and were all outstanding issues fully addressed before that decision was taken? Who approved the procurement criteria for the holster, including the weighting given to cost and quality, and what mandatory safety testing was required before they were issued to Garda members? Will the Minister now commit to establishing an independent statutory inquiry with the power to compel documents and witnesses, so that these questions can finally be answered?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard O'Donoghue Today is about a wrongdoing, a wrong investigation into something at the cost of a member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na's life. Detective Garda Colm Horkan lost his life over a faulty holster, which was raised by other Garda members. I see the Minister shaking his head. He has no qualification to even look at this. The people in the Gallery have the qualifications to look at holsters and they were not given a proper opportunity because it was covered up and the investigation was not done properly. We are trying to encourage people to join An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na to uphold the law. When we look at the history over the past eight years, and at the eight garda\u00ed, it took five years to come to a conclusion where they were found innocent. Who was at the head of this investigation? It was Drew Harris who has single-handedly destroyed An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. Why? It is because he was brought up in a policing model that is not in Ireland. It is An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na - the guardians of our State and not the state he wanted us to go to. The people who stood up here - Brian O'Reilly, Raymond Lane and Donal Corcoran - put themselves on the line to get justice and right a wrong. What did they do? They turned everything back on them. What does that say about the type of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Drew Harris wanted, using his power in that position and putting pressure on other senior people to make sure this stayed quiet? There needs to be investigations into the person who caused this and not only this. Remember the eight garda\u00ed who were taken off Garda duties and found innocent. Nothing was done about that either."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jim O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jim-O'Callaghan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Jim-O'Callaghan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Justice (Deputy Jim O'Callaghan) I move: To delete all words after \"D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann\" and substitute the following: \"notes that: \u2014 there are robust structures, policies and procedures in place across the criminal justice sector, including in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, to ensure the effective management of protected disclosures and to provide support to people who make disclosures under the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022; and \u2014 the Government will not publicly discuss the merits or detail of any protected disclosure, since it is not for any Minister to reach conclusions on the veracity or legitimacy of any disclosure, as that is a function for the prescribed investigating bodies; recognises that: \u2014 Detective Garda Colm Horkan was much loved by his family and friends and was a highly respected and dedicated member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, and his murder was an appalling crime and is a tremendous loss to his family, friends and the Garda family; \u2014 the murder of Detective Garda Horkan epitomises the risk and sacrifice that has been made by many members of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na; and \u2014 concerns have been raised about the safety and suitability of the firearm holster used by Detective Garda Horkan at the time of the incident in which he was fatally shot; further notes that: \u2014 having regard to the importance of ensuring that equipment issued to members of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na is safe, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has requested, under section 205(2) of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, that Fiosr\u00fa, the Office of the Police Ombudsman, investigate questions concerning the safety and suitability of the holster Detective Garda Horkan was using at the time of his murder; and \u2014 the purpose of such a referral is to establish, through an independent external investigation, whether the holster gave rise to any operational or safety concerns; further recognises that: \u2014 a number of measures have been taken to strengthen protected disclosure mechanisms within An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na; \u2014 a new and strengthened Protected Disclosures Unit was established in January 2025, within the Garda Office of the Assistant Commissioner for Governance and Accountability, which also has responsibility for the Garda Anti-Corruption Unit and the Professional Standards Unit, the office was assigned additional and dedicated staff who have the requisite training and qualifications to undertake their role; \u2014 extensive training has also been provided to managers across An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and, in addition, all personnel who make protected disclosures are advised of support services; \u2014 the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, established the Garda Board, the Policing and Community Safety Authority (replacing the Policing Authority and Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Inspectorate) and Fiosr\u00fa; \u2014 the Act was designed to enhance governance, oversight and accountability in relation to the delivery of policing and security services by An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na; \u2014 An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na have emphasised that they encourage and support employees in disclosing wrongdoing and that all allegations made under the Protected Disclosures Acts to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na are treated seriously, and examined for any potential disciplinary or criminal matters that may arise; and \u2014 a review of the operation of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act is due to take place in the coming year; furthermore, notes that: \u2014 the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act requires Ministers to transmit reports of wrongdoing to the Protected Disclosures Commissioner; \u2014 the relevant legislation was adhered to in transmitting such reports; and \u2014 it is not appropriate to comment or draw assumptions from partial information that relates to a process that, by its design, includes legislative provisions that protect the confidentiality of the discloser, and the details relating to the disclosure; and furthermore, recognises that: \u2014 there are robust structures, policies and procedures in place that ensure the effective management of protected disclosures in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, and to provide support to those who make disclosures under the Act; \u2014 there are multiple independent avenues for Garda personnel to make disclosures to ensure that disclosures are treated with the appropriate level of independent consideration, and the Government is satisfied that there are robust procedures and protections for those who make disclosures; and \u2014 several ongoing legal processes and investigations should be allowed to progress and conclude and so consequently, a public inquiry is not under consideration at this time.\". The family of Detective Garda Colm Horkan suffered a devastating loss when he was murdered while on duty in Castlerea in 2020. I believe I speak for everyone in this House when I say that Colm\u2019s murder shocked us all. Colm lost his life doing a job that he loved - protecting the community and serving An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and the State with duty and distinction. His murder again reminded us of the risks the brave men and women of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na take every day to protect our communities and the burden all Garda families carry in supporting them and in mourning the loss of the fallen. I have met with the Horkan family on a number of occasions, most recently last Thursday, and I am aware of its call for a public inquiry into Colm\u2019s death. It should be noted that the only person responsible for Colm\u2019s murder is the individual who has been convicted of his murder. I am conscious that an appeal judgment is awaited from the Court of Appeal in respect of that conviction. It is important to allow for the conclusion of criminal proceedings that are ongoing and the outcome of the coroner\u2019s inquest, which will be held in public, and other matters I will outline now before considering if there is a need for a public inquiry. I would like to inform the House of a recent decision I took in relation to this matter. Questions have been raised in this House, particularly by Deputy Kelly, and elsewhere by the Horkan family and others concerning the operation of the holster he was using at the time of his murder, including its firearm-retention characteristics and its suitability for operational policing. I am of the view that these are matters of public interest that require independent examination by Fiosr\u00fa. Colm\u2019s family is entitled to know if his holster contributed in any way to his murder and the public is entitled to expect that our brave garda\u00ed are equipped with equipment that is fit for purpose and does not add to the risk they face day in, day out as they go about their business keeping the people of Ireland safe. In light of the ongoing controversy surrounding the holster Colm was using and the public interest in getting to the truth as to its role or otherwise in his murder, this week, I wrote to Fiosr\u00fa - the Police Ombudsman - invoking the provisions of section 205(2) of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 to request that it undertake an investigation in the public interest into matters concerning the safety and suitability of the firearm holster used by Garda Horkan at the time he was murdered. This is not the first time I have written to Fiosr\u00fa seeking an investigation into issues raised surrounding the use of the holster. On 27 February 2025, in my first month as Minister, I invoked section 102(5) of the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Act 2005 and referred the issues raised by Detective Superintendent Brian O'Reilly to GSOC. I referred the issues raised by him to GSOC because I believed it was in the public interest for his complaints to be investigated. In referring this matter to GSOC, I also assumed, based on the commentary and correspondence I have seen and heard, that this would meet with his approval. He had expressly requested that his complaints be investigated by GSOC. Therefore, I was disappointed when I was informed by Fiosr\u00fa, which has now replaced GSOC, in a letter to the Department dated 28 May 2026 that \"in the absence of further engagement from the reporting person Fiosr\u00fa\u2019s investigation of this matter has been discontinued in accordance with section 93(1)( c ) of the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Act 2005.\" On a positive note, however, Fiosr\u00fa did state that it had advised Detective Superintendent O\u2019Reilly that he was entitled to engage directly with that office at any time in the future. I wrote to Detective Superintendent O\u2019Reilly on 1 October 2026 asking him to re-engage with Fiosr\u00fa, so that it can complete the investigation of his complaints. Again, I ask him to re-engage. Fiosr\u00fa is the appropriate statutory body to investigate his complaints. I am satisfied that Fiosr\u00fa has all the powers needed to fully investigate this matter, particularly since the enactment of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024. Fiosr\u00fa is fully independent in the exercise of its functions and I have every confidence in its capacity to investigate this issue without fear or favour. For my part, I am only interested in the truth of the matter. Colm\u2019s family deserves it and so does the public. I have advised the Garda Commissioner of my decision to refer the case to Fiosr\u00fa and he has assured me of the full co-operation of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na with the investigation. I should add that I have also directed my officials to write to the Roscommon coroner and offer the Department\u2019s practical support to ensure that the coronial investigation process is advanced in a timely manner. Insofar as the question of a public inquiry is concerned, my position is this: there are criminal proceedings before the courts and a coronial process to be undertaken. The Fiosr\u00fa investigation will take its course and reach conclusions on the matters. Once these processes have concluded, I will consider if there are any outstanding matters that need further inquiry or investigation and if so, the nature of any such inquiry or investigation. Turning to the matter of protected disclosures more generally, I would like to place on record that as Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, I take extremely seriously any protected disclosures that are made within the justice sector. To facilitate those reporting a protected disclosure, a member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na or Garda staff has a number of options. In the first instance, he or she can make the protected disclosure to the protected disclosures unit within An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, go to Fiosr\u00fa, go to the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner or go to a Minister. The protected disclosures Act is designed to enable a discloser to make a protected disclosure without his or her identity being publicised except for the proposes of the investigation itself. In updating the legislation in 2022, the Oireachtas made several important amendments to the 2014 Act. Most notably, it created the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner and it removed Ministers from the follow-up and investigation of protected disclosures. Specifically, section 8(3) of the Act, as amended, requires Ministers to transmit reports of wrongdoing to the Protected Disclosures Commissioner without having considered the report, the information or any allegation. As the House will be aware, the Garda Commissioner is responsible for the management and administration of Garda business, including the organisation's obligations under the Protected Disclosures Act. I know that An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na considers the handling of protected disclosures to be of the utmost importance and is committed to ensuring the integrity of the structure and process for making and investigating all such reports. I am assured by the Garda Commissioner that all protected disclosures made to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na are treated seriously. Furthermore, the Commissioner has taken a number of measures to strengthen the protected disclosure mechanisms and structures within An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. A new protected disclosures unit was established in January 2025 within the office of the assistant commissioner for governance and accountability, which also has responsibility for the Garda anti-corruption unit and the professional standards unit. The office was assigned additional and dedicated staff who have the requisite training and qualifications to undertake their role. In addition, Transparency International Ireland has provided training to the protected disclosures unit and senior Garda managers and provides support and confidential advice to any member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na who may be considering making a protected disclosure. Extensive training has also been provided to Garda managers across An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. All personnel who make protected disclosures are advised of support services that are available to them. The Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 established the Garda Board, the Policing and Community Safety Authority and Fiosr\u00fa-the Office of the Police Ombudsman. These changes enhance governance, oversight and accountability in relation to the delivery of policing and security services by An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. Where protected disclosures are made internally within An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, the 2024 Act gives the Garda Board and the audit committee important oversight roles in relation to the operation of the protected disclosures system in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na has emphasised that it encourages and supports employees in disclosing wrongdoing and that all allegations made under protected disclosures are treated seriously and examined for any potential disciplinary or criminal matters that may arise. Having regard to these changes and the substantial programme of Garda reform that has been undertaken over the last decade, I am satisfied that there is a robust system in place to deal with and oversee the handling of protected disclosures in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. As I have outlined today, there are a number of legal processes and investigations ongoing relating to protected disclosures, which, directly or indirectly, are linked to the question of the suitability of the holster used by detective garda Colm Horkan. I am confident that the referral by me of this issue to Fiosr\u00fa for investigation can provide the Horkan family and the public with the answers they deserve but if there are still outstanding issues, I will consider what further inquiry or investigation is needed. I commend the countermotion to the House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Darren O'Rourke) I have just taken the Chair. Before we continue I remind Members that parliamentary privilege should be exercised in a responsible manner and Members should avoid making allegations against identifiable persons who are not in a position to respond. Under the sub judice rule there is also an onus to avoid comment that may prejudice the outcome of legal proceedings. Therefore, Members should exercise particular care in their contributions and refrain from naming individuals, including any person who may have made a protected disclosure. On that basis, we move forward to the next speaker, an Teachta Paul Lawless."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Lawless I want to make clear that Aont\u00fa will not support the Government's amendment to the motion. The Garda whistleblower scandal is extremely serious. I have never seen anything of this scale in my lifetime. My eyes have been opened to the level of corruption happening before our eyes. It is incomprehensible that there has been so little debate, and no debate in this Chamber, following the \u201cRT\u00c9 Investigates\u201d programme. I cannot understand how the former Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, who decided that her Department would not investigate the protected disclosures about gun holsters still holds a Cabinet position. This is an extremely complicated issue but at the heart of it we know detective garda Colm Horkan was working in Castlerea and was murdered on 17 June 2020. He was shot after he approached a man named Stephen Silver. Silver managed to disarm detective Horkan from the holster and fired 15 rounds of ammunition, 11 of which wounded detective Horkan. Colm Horkan was a native of Charlestown. In recent days, weeks and months, Garda whistleblowers have come forward with very serious allegations and questions about the gun holster that Colm Horkan was wearing that night. We know that six days prior to the murder of Colm Horkan detective garda Eddie Connell was working in Dublin when he suffered injuries after the gun he was holding in the same holster worn by Colm Horkan was triggered in the holster. The whistleblowers are alleging that safety concerns about the holster were ignored by senior members of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. They allege it was brought to the attention of senior members of the force over a year before that fateful night of 17 June 2020. They allege that the Garda Commissioner at the time, Drew Harris, effectively blocked safety reviews for this particular holster. When senior officers blew the whistle on the scandal and made a protected disclosure to the then Minister for Justice, she refused to have her Department investigate the matter despite the fact that the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner directed her Department to investigate it. Instead of doing so and following protocol and the law, she had that disclosure returned to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and the Garda Commissioner. In so doing, she leaked the accuser\u2019s name to the person against whom the allegation was made. The man making the disclosure was detective superintendent Brian O\u2019Reilly, a former head of the Garda Technical Bureau. His disclosure was sent back to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na to investigate because the Minister refused to do so. That is a very serious thing to happen. When the internal Garda unit responsible for investigating the protected disclosures tried to investigate the issues that had been raised, and there were many issues of serious allegations of wrongdoing in the force, Garda management tried to block those investigations and interfered with the protected disclosure process. Eventually the protected disclosure unit itself was effectively dismantled. The individuals involved in the unit, Dr. Donal Corcoran and Rose Sweeney, were so frustrated with the process they themselves made protected disclosures."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Darren O'Rourke) The Deputy\u2019s time is up now. He had five minutes. An Teachta Gogarty."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty Like most people in this country I have huge respect for the rank and file members of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, who are decent hard-working people who put their safety on the line every single day and do not get paid enough, but as this motion highlights we are looking at an ongoing systemic failure within the higher procurement and management structures of the force. Let us look at the facts. We had an administrative system that prioritised financial savings over human lives. How on earth does anyone think it is acceptable for a police force to award 500 marks for cost and only 400 marks for quality and safety specifications when buying standard issue firearm holsters? It does not make sense. It is a farce. What happens when you cut corners on safety standards? You get defective equipment issued to front-line officers leading directly to life-altering accidents and tragedy. We see the ultimate price paid in the horrific murder of detective garda Colm Horkan and injuries to garda Connell. It gets worse, however, because when people internally tried to raise flags about these issues and used the statutory protected disclosures process to say, \u201cGabh mo leithsc\u00e9al, there is an issue with the holsters. There is an issue with half a million rounds of defective ammunition being dumped\u201d, the system failed them and actively turned on the whistleblowers who were professionally penalised, sidelined and basically run out of their careers by senior management. This has happened before and we should have learned those lessons already. The independent protected disclosures manager explicitly stated in June 2025 that major public safety questions remained unresolved. What did the powers that be do? They stripped the files away and closed them down anyway. That goes to the issue of political accountability in relation to the former Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, for example. The Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner gave an independent statutory direction for the Secretary General of the Department of justice to investigate the serious allegations against senior management, but instead of letting that happen the former Minister chose to invoke section 102B of the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Act 2005. The Government can say she had to follow that route but independent legal scholars like Dr. Lauren Kierans BL, cofounder of the European Whistleblowing Institute, have looked at the framework and said that the additional steps in the process are frustrating transparency. She is right because the extra steps did not find the truth; they acted as a screen. Former Attorney General and now Senator, Michael McDowell, has also questioned the reliance on this legislation and has basically called it a non-binding choice. We have to ask what advice was given to the Minister to take this non-binding decision. This was a decision that left her exposed to multiple accusations because under section 102B a formal investigation into the Commissioner requires the explicit approval of the Government. It states the ombudsman commission may at the request of the Minister or of its own motion but \"subject to the consent of the Minister given with the approval of the Government, investigate any matter that gives rise to a concern that the Garda Commissioner may have (a) committed an offence, or (b) behaved in a manner that would constitute serious misconduct.\" The Government did not recommend an investigation into the former Commissioner, Drew Harris. It decided the high bar was not met and that it was not legally required to activate or pursue the route at all - it was completely optional. If the Minister did not recommend a GSOC investigation, what statutory authority did she or her colleagues have to take a protected disclosure away from her Secretary General and send it straight to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na? Section 102B gives her the power to request an Ombudsman probe. It does not give her a blank cheque to act as a delivery service for confidential files to be sent to senior management who may be the subject of an investigation or at least about whom questions may be asked. The consequence of that choice was a severe data breach in which the whistleblower's sensitive identifying details were sent directly, via email attachment, to senior garda\u00ed, who were the very people being complained about, as the recent RT\u00c9 documentary covered in detail. It makes an absolute mockery of whistleblower confidentiality. We cannot keep allowing the State apparatus to self-police and attack the whistleblower rather than deal with the message. I support this motion. We need a full public inquiry and actions to ensure that these types of wrongs, when called out by whistleblowers in the future, are dealt with and reported properly. We do not have faith in the system as it stands and we need to renew that faith."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy Taca\u00edonn Sinn F\u00e9in leis an r\u00fan seo agus f\u00e1iltim roimh an deis labhairt faoi na ceisteanna seo inniu. Sinn F\u00e9in has consistently called for transparency, accountability and independent scrutiny when serious issues raised by Garda whistleblowers have come before us, as well as the need for accountability in the overall effectiveness of the protected disclosures mechanisms in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. It has to be said and the Minister needs to recognise that there is virtually no confidence that the protected disclosures regime in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na is functioning and that has serious implications. I join others in paying tribute to Colm Horkan, but we need to be incredibly mindful in this House that the Horkan family has taken a significant and unprecedented step. The family of a garda killed in action has called for a public inquiry into the circumstances leading up to his death and that has to be taken seriously. That is why it is disappointing to see the Minister's amendment today, which essentially boils down to rejecting that call. I join the Minister and others in saying that Stephen Silver is the person responsible for garda Colm Horkan's death. He was rightly convicted, but his family is also entitled to know whether the tragedy could have been prevented and whether concerns raised in advance through protected disclosures regarding Garda equipment were properly acted on. The family has set out a series of specific questions, which it made public, regarding procurement of gun holsters, the handling of complaints and protected disclosures, and the actions taken by Garda management and relevant authorities when concerns were first raised. The family has said, and I agree, that the questions can only be properly examined by an independent inquiry. I am a little taken aback that the Minister has passed this on to Fiosr\u00fa and told the House that it is the forum that will resolve this issue. He knows, and we have heard countless pieces of evidence, that GSOC, throughout its existence, was seen not as an avenue for families to get truth or for the public to get answers, but as a delaying model. For example, we are both well aware of the case of Shane O'Farrell. The Minister knows that his predecessor in 2014 asked GSOC to carry out a public interest inquiry, exactly the same type of inquiry the Minister is suggesting is warranted in this case. He will know that inquiry was completed in 2018 and that today, in 2026, the family of Shane O'Farrell is before the courts trying to get access to the report of that public interest inquiry. The Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the committee that has responsibility for this, has sought from Fiosr\u00fa the report of that public interest inquiry and Fiosr\u00fa has refused to provide it even to an Oireachtas committee. To suggest Fiosr\u00fa is a vehicle that will get answers is entirely disingenuous when all the evidence suggests it is a delaying tactic that will frustrate rather than facilitate the route to answers. There are serious questions, which have been raised here and elsewhere, regarding the procurement of the holsters and how a particular saddlery received the contract. We and the public need to know whether procurement decisions were based on appropriate and objective assessment criteria. There is a key question regarding the handling of safety concerns raised about the holsters and whether the warnings raised through the protected disclosures system were properly acted on. These questions need to be answered. We also need answers to questions about those who made the protected disclosures and how they were treated. Were the lessons we were told were learned after the treatment of Maurice McCabe actually learned? What is the current situation? We have been told that those who made protected disclosures have faced serious consequences for their jobs, careers and livelihoods. The issues they raised relate to public safety, the safety of members of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, Garda equipment, firearms storage, procurement practices and oversight. In other words, they are serious issues. The State promised that whistleblowers would never again experience the treatment suffered by Maurice McCabe and the question we have to ask is whether things have changed. Serious questions also remain regarding the handling by the former Minister for Justice, Deputy McEntee, of the protected disclosure and her role in this debacle. The House needs and deserves answers about what the Minister knew and when she knew it, what disclosures were brought to her attention, what actions she took, why concerns involving senior Garda figures were handed back to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, what her role was in upholding the independence of the protected disclosures process and what measures, if any, she took to protect the disclosure. She has to come before the House to answer questions. We had the laughable situation yesterday of the T\u00e1naiste, Deputy Harris, saying a Member should come before the House and make a statement in respect of his role in a charity. That Member has requested time to do that but at the same time the T\u00e1naiste is standing in the way of a current Minister coming here, despite repeated requests, to answer questions about the safety of members of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, what she did and when information was brought to her attention. That position is untenable and the fact the Minister has told me that he would do what she did if the situation were to occur again says to me that, far from lessons having been learned, we are back to square one. We have a serious, fundamental issue in our public system, particularly in terms of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, when people, at huge cost to themselves, decide to make a protected disclosure. The role of protected disclosures is to inform management, the Government and the public about potential risks in a system. They did that. They deserve to be commended for doing it and we collectively have an obligation to act upon it. There cannot be any more hiding. There cannot be hiding for the Minister, Deputy McEntee, in her role. She has to come before the House and answer the questions before us because, above all, the public and members of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na need answers and the Horkan family deserves answers. We are six years on. Questions have been raised on multiple occasions in this House. They deserve to be answered and the Minister cannot hide behind Fiosr\u00fa or anyone else. He has a responsibility to ensure those questions are answered."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Ward.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"Mark-Ward.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Ward I thank Aont\u00fa for bringing forward this motion on whistleblowers. Its primary focus is on whistleblowers in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, but we have a bad history in this State in other departments with how we treat whistleblowers. In 2022, I raised the matter of a whistleblower in the south Kerry child and adolescent mental health services, CAMHS, Dr. Ankur Sharma, whose concerns about the over-medication and misdiagnosis of children were vindicated by the Maskey report. Dr. Sharma highlighted that children were prescribed dangerous amounts of medication by a junior doctor who was not being supervised. This led to the Maskey report, which showed that 227 children received risky care from a barely supervised junior doctor. The treatment of 13 other children by other doctors was also found to be risky with proof of significant harm to another 46 children. Dr. Sharma was ostracised in the HSE resulting in him leaving his post. When the HSE struggled to recruit a consultant psychiatrist for Kerry, Dr. Sharma went back to the HSE and offered to fill the post of consultant psychiatrist in Kerry, only to be ignored. It is a measure of the man, which is why I am raising this again today, that despite his mistreatment by the HSE he was willing to return to help. He should have been commended and not ignored. In relation to today's motion, there was meant to have been a turning point on how protected disclosures were dealt with within the Garda after Maurice McCabe. However, we have seen recently that Garda members who were connected to the protected disclosures unit have alleged they were forced out of office for protecting whistleblowers. These are the people who tried to raise serious concerns from inside An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. They have given decades of service and tried to fulfil their duty in challenging wrongdoing. Instead, they were sidelined, obstructed and penalised. Even when garda\u00ed raised concerns about firearms equipment, these were not properly investigated. Shortly afterwards, detective garda Colm Horkan was fatally shot because his murderer was able to get the gun from his holster, despite these concerns having been raised. The Horkan family has called for an independent public inquiry into detective garda Colm Horkan's death and the Government must listen to them. Such a tragedy cannot be allowed to happen again and the family has to be listened to. If everything were rosy in the garden with the Garda, there would be no whistleblowers. However, we have seen reports this week that garda\u00ed have been flagged for disciplinary referrals for making comments to the media nine times in the last year and a half. The GRA is extremely concerned that its elected members could be silenced by the threats of discipline and I have to agree with it. As the Minister knows, we had some really robust engagement with the GRA at the justice committee in relation to the ability of garda\u00ed to pursue dangerous drivers, including cars, scramblers, scooters and e-bikes. We heard that as it stands, not one garda in this State is trained in pursuit, which is unacceptable in this day and age. Following this pressure, the pressure after the M9 tragedy and the tragic death of Grace Lynch, the Garda Commissioner agreed to start training this year using the train-the-trainer method. Garda\u00ed were to go to Britain to learn to become instructors so that they could train garda\u00ed here to pursue cars, scramblers, scooters and e-bikes. It is a bit late in the day, but it is welcome nonetheless. We would hope that it would lead to more garda\u00ed being trained as time goes by. However, at a recent public accounts committee meeting under questioning from my colleague Joanna Byrne, the Garda Commissioner could not confirm if garda\u00ed will get the training to pursue scramblers, e-bikes and scooters. This issue has taken up a huge amount of debate in this House, at the committee and among the public, particularly after the death of Grace Lynch. It is astonishing that the Garda Commissioner could not confirm if garda\u00ed will get this training. When Joanna Byrne submitted a parliamentary question to the Minister for justice, she was informed that her question was disallowed because he had no responsibility for this matter. It is absolutely abhorrent for him to claim he has no responsibility for this matter. For me and for the public in general, this is simply not good enough. I am demanding clarity from the Minister. I ask him to confirm if the pursuit of scramblers, e-bikes and scooters will be part of this training. It is unfathomable that this would not happen."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Claire Kerrane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Claire-Kerrane.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Claire Kerrane We have two primary issues here. First is a family who need and very much deserve answers and, second, are the ongoing and very serious issues in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na when it comes to protected disclosures. We are now many years on from the very brave stance that Maurice McCabe took. That \"Prime Time Investigates\" programme clearly shows us that we are not very far on, if at all, from that time. When speaking about an independent public inquiry, the Minister has said that we need the criminal proceedings to end and we need the inquest. However, it is important to be honest and clear. Neither the court case nor the appeal looked at the gun holster and I very much doubt that an inquest will either. I know the Horkan family have made that point. I presume they are not happy with an investigation being carried out by Fiosr\u00fa. Putting all that to one side, if a member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na sees something wrong and flags it, there is a fear that the member will be removed from their role or pay a price for that. That was shown as clear as day in the \"Prime Time Investigates\" programme. There is something very wrong with a workplace where someone sees something wrong but cannot do the right thing by flagging it. I do not believe that Fiosr\u00fa will answer the questions on that. That is an issue for all of us and it is an issue for every single member of the public. We need to see more done on this and we need to see a lot more done in relation to protected disclosures."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh I challenge the Minister to find me one person who has made a protected disclosure and was allowed to continue in their job and flourish. I would challenge An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na but also on a wider government basis whether just one person was allowed to continue and flourish in their careers once they made a protected disclosure."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh When the Protected Disclosures Act was introduced, it was sold as legislation to protect people who speak up about wrongdoing. In its current application, all it is being used to do is to highlight and identify people who speak against wrongdoing. Once the person is identified, they can find themselves isolated, ostracised, discredited and indeed penalised in the most severe ways. In 2020, Margaret Loftus made a protected disclosure to Fiosr\u00fa about issues concerning Garda handling of cases of domestic abuse. This disclosure through a court order was handed to the organisation and to the very people she made the disclosure about before it was even investigated. That disclosure is currently at recommendation stage and is being sent to the Garda Commissioner in the very near future, yet, Margaret Loftus, the person who made the protected disclosure, had no entitlement to see those recommendations or even know if they were implemented. After sticking with a hellish process for six years, she will never know what even became of it. The fundamental purpose of protected disclosures should be to prevent wrongdoing, prevent harm and protect the public interest. Instead, many people who speak up feel it protects the institution first and the individuals second. The tragic death of Colm Horkan remains a stark reminder of what is at stake when concerns relating to public safety are not addressed effectively. Questions raised over equipment and risk management should always be examined with one objective over all others: preventing serious harm and saving lives. I support the Horkan family in their quest for a public inquiry. Any one of us who has lost a loved one in whatever circumstances wants to know the answer to the basic question: could it have been prevented? A whistleblower system should be judged by whether people can speak up without fear, whether risks are addressed and whether lessons are learned. A society that punishes those who speak the truth does not have a whistleblower protection system and we should stop pretending that we have. It has a warning sign for everyone else to stay quiet and to keep their heads down if they want to keep their job. In its current form our protected disclosures system is protecting the very institutions that should be held to account, not the person who highlights the wrongdoing. This is under the watch of the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, and he has to correct it. Successive Ministers for justice claiming that this is not under their remit, and that nobody looks here, is totally wrong. This has to be corrected here and now."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa We are back in the same place again. What do we expect for garda\u00ed? We should expect that they have the resources, the necessary tools and sufficient backup to be able to do the work they do, which is about protecting the wider community. We would expect the protected disclosures system to exist. If there are problems in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, as with any other major organisation whose necessary work we need delivered, we need to be able to find them out and address them. What we do not need is what we have seen, namely, that those who have been brave enough to come forward and provide the necessary information have been let down badly by this Government. This is all about public safety. There are questions to be answered by the former justice Minister, Deputy McEntee, about providing information on a whistleblower directly to An Garda. I do not think anyone would think that this is a way to do business. We cannot forget the family of Colm Horkan. When I think of Colm Horkan, I also think of Adrian Donohoe and Tony Golden. These are garda\u00ed who have been killed carrying out their duty. What has the family of Colm Horkan looked for? It is unprecedented, but they want a public inquiry. In fairness, Deputy Carthy referred to a similar Fiosr\u00fa-type investigation and how it has failed the family of Shane O'Farrell. That is not good enough. We are failing garda\u00ed at this point in time. A family out there requires answers. It is necessary that the Minister does his part. I cannot see that anything other than a public investigation and inquiry is going to deliver. This is not good enough. We have been in this place too many times before. It is the same story as it was with Maurice McCabe, and we have not moved on."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Gary Gannon I first send my thoughts to the family of Detective Colm Horkan. I acknowledge Aont\u00fa for bringing forward the motion. It is incredibly important. Listening to the Minister's speech, something jumped out from it. He stated that on 27 February 2025, within his first month as Minister, he invoked section 102(5) of the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Act and referred the issues raised by Detective Superintendent O'Reilly to GSOC. Was that the right section? Section 102(5) concerns wrongdoing by Garda members. Section 102B refers to the Commissioner himself being investigated and requires Government consent. Why did the Minister choose section 102(5) and not the one actually within the remit? The Minister should check that. I have sat down with Garda whistleblowers. I have listened to their accounts. I have heard their frustrations and discussed the extraordinary effort required to simply get serious concerns properly examined. A thought that stays with me long after those meetings is if this is what happens to people who speak up, why would the next person bother? Why would somebody put their career, livelihood and peace of mind at risk if they believe an institution will turn its attention toward them rather than toward the wrongdoing they have reported? Before going further, I acknowledge those who have stepped forward. Some of them are in the Gallery. Brian O'Reilly and Donal Corcoran are people of immense courage and dignity. The Minister should meet them. We have to establish how concerns about Garda equipment were handled, how disclosures were investigated and whether those raising them were properly protected. From my meetings with the whistleblowers, I have come away deeply concerned that what has reached public attention is the tip of the iceberg. Their brave accounts raise many questions that go far beyond a single piece of equipment or a single disputed decision. They raise questions about who gets listened to, who gets protected and what happens when somebody challenges a person with authority. We cannot decide every allegation on the floor of this House, which is precisely why we need an independent inquiry with the power to establish the facts, but we can recognise the seriousness of what has been put before us. When people involved in the administration of the protected disclosures system itself raise concerns about its operations, the Government should ask how that happened and what it says about the safeguards we were told were in place. We have been here before. After the treatment of Maurice McCabe, nobody in political leadership can credibly say they did not understand the consequences of failing a Garda whistleblower. We know what institutional defensiveness can do. We know how damaging it is when a person reporting a problem comes to be treated as the problem, yet we are again hearing accounts of interference, of professional consequences and of concerns left completely unresolved. How many times must people come before us describing the same culture before we accept that legislation alone will not be enough? A reporting channel means very little if people cannot trust where the report will end up. A protection means very little if somebody has to spend years fighting to make it effective. This culture survives when political leadership accepts procedural assurances without demanding evidence that the system is working. Tackling this failure has to begin with accountability at ministerial level. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, should appear before this House or the justice committee to answer questions about her handling of these matters, as has been requested by the whistleblowers with whom I have sat. She stated that she followed the legislation and the advice provided to her. That position should be examined alongside decisions taken, the information available and concerns raised by the whistleblowers. What did the Minister know? When did she know it? What action followed? These are simple questions. Where a disclosure concerns senior Garda management, how is the independence of its handling assured? Where officials are briefing a Minister, what safeguards exist to identify any conflict of interest? Who checked that the information that reached the Minister was accurate and complete? Changing portfolios does not remove the obligation to account for decisions taken in office. The forthcoming review of protected disclosures legislation must also seek the participation of whistleblowers. Their experience has to shape its conclusion. For our part, we will continue to work with those who seek to expose the truth. What we are talking about here are people who we trust to stand on the wall. They are people of immense courage. We often talk about how lucky we are in this Chamber, because we want more garda\u00ed. We want people in the force. We have a good system of garda\u00ed who we want on our streets, but there is also a scenario where people who have raised issues, people of immense integrity, are clearly experiencing continued penalisation. That is not an accusation I make lightly. I stood several times over the last couple of months with Dr. Donal Corcoran and Detective Brian O'Reilly. They are people of huge dignity. As a result of their stance, they are now living on social welfare. That cannot be allowed to continue."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Gary Gannon The Minister and I often clash, but I do not doubt for a second that he is a decent person. What is happening to people who stepped forward - they go by the name of whistleblowers but they are actually incredible people - is wrong, and wrong is wrong. We can all talk about legislation and systems, but if the Minister stood in front of Donal or Brian, he could not help but see a system failing and come to a conclusion that this system, which was built perhaps ten years ago, was simply designed to fail because it is failing so consistently. The impact it is having on people's lives is devastating. These are people who were in uniform. I would not want anyone other than the people I have sat with in meeting rooms protecting this State and our communities. I have heard their testimonies and listened to their voices. These people have courage and dignity. They have been removed from the profession they were born to do. We should be unimaginably proud that Dr. Donal Corcoran and Detective Superintendent Brian O'Reilly are the people who are defending our communities. I can think of no better people. They stepped forward and did the right thing, but are now continuously being penalised. Is anybody in the Department or An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na investigating penalisation? That is a continual wrong. I ask the Minister to meet these individuals, hear their testimonies and investigate the continual penalisation. We want people to step forward and put their hands up. The stories and testimony we are hearing from the whistleblowers are enormous. We would not be able to investigate every single one of them in this Chamber. We need an independent investigation, not only to establish accountability but also to make things better for people whom we trust to serve our communities. My final request is that the Minister meet Dr. Corcoran and Detective Superintendent Brian O'Reilly and do something to stop the continued penalisation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin Hayes","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoin Hayes I welcome the motion. I am glad to see wide Opposition support for this issue of protected disclosures. Whistleblowing in Ireland has a chequered history. As we have seen far too often, a deep tribalism can seep into institutions in this State, rather than an objective assessment of the facts. This can breed a culture of denial, cover-up and retribution. Whistleblowing takes great courage and perseverance, sometimes over many years. It can take a great toll on those who do it. In standing up for what is right, integrity and fairness, people are often treated wrongly, consistently undermined and deprived of any fair justice or process. Whispers ensue in institutions. People are moved around, power structures change and a culture of bullying can fester. That experience, as too many in this country are familiar with, takes an extreme toll on the whistleblower, their mental health and their families. The questions before us in this motion are very grave. There are allegations or insinuations of wrongdoing in the upper echelons of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. If what I have been told privately is true, it would send shock waves across the political system and across the country. It may yet threaten a Government. Our job as custodians of public integrity is to seek out the full truth, even if it is uncomfortable and leads us to difficult realisations about our country and those who are meant to protect and serve it. History has shown us that initial disclosures can merely mark the beginnings of revelations as deeper concerns, including criminality, emerge during subsequent investigations. I am disappointed the Government has chosen to oppose this motion and I want to call out two lines in its amendment which are worth emphasising to the general public. One line says: \"the Government is satisfied that there are robust procedures and protections for those who make disclosures\". From what we know about how past disclosures have been handled and from what I have heard privately about these cases, I do not see how any government could possibly be satisfied with the protected disclosure system or have confidence in it. The other line says: \"An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na have emphasised that ... all allegations made under the Protected Disclosures Acts to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na are treated seriously, and examined for any potential disciplinary or criminal matters that may arise\". While I would like to believe that is true, the Government may rue the day it made that declaration. An investigation is required to establish exactly what happened with these disclosures and understand how seriously they were treated. If the truth emerges that there was any refusal to examine any disciplinary or criminal matters in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, it will cause a political crisis this Government will not survive."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly I thank Aont\u00fa for this timely motion. I also acknowledge and thank other Members of the House for coming on this journey with me. I have been at this for two years, as the Minister is well aware. It is very unusual that everybody in the Opposition is on the same page on this. That tells us how serious it is. What the Minister has announced today in relation to Fiosr\u00fa and the holsters is another layer of insult on injury for the Horkan family. I have spoken to them. They describe it as a nonsense. It is a complete nonsense, an attempt by the Government to kick this can down the road and get it off the agenda. The allegations of Luke Rochford were referred to GSOC. What happened? GSOC contacted Garda management and could not get co-operation. It then contacted Luke Rochford and told him it was discontinuing the investigation because it could not get co-operation. Now the Minister is referring it again. It is a joke. Here are the two holsters. Look at them lying in my hands. This is the leather; this is the stitching. That should be the Fiosr\u00fa investigation in one go. That was holster worn by Eddie Connell and this is the one worn by Colm Horkan. They are the exact same, and not fit for purpose. This did not even cover the back of the gun of Ed Connell. Read Mick Clifford's article if you do not want to believe me. They are dangerous and known to be defective. Senior garda\u00ed knew about these holsters and their defectiveness. Hundreds of garda\u00ed refused to use them and bought their own. Garda management knew but did not care; it only began caring after these two incidents. Garda leadership had been warned about it numerous times by Luke Rochford. The superintendent in the Garda college in Templemore had warned them, her staff had warned them and video footage from the firearms training unit had warned them. What happened? Nothing. Brian O'Reilly kept trying to warn that they be taken down after these incidents. What happened to Luke Rochford for bringing forward these issues? He got crucified, but he will have his day. He will have justice. His case has been stopped 30 times. It will never happen because An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na cannot afford for it to happen. I only have time to raise two issues with the Minister. First, why were these two holsters sent on two different pathways for investigation? This is the critical issue the Horkan family wants to know. After the Ed Connell incident, GSOC took primacy of the scene, GNTB provided forensic services to GSOC and the exhibits from the incident were delivered to GNTB for forensic examination. Subsequent forensic analysis of the holster identified significant defects. That is all clear. That investigation is done. On 17 June, after Colm Horkan was murdered, GNTB got to the scene, including Superintendent O'Reilly. They focused on the holster, given the concerns at the scene. Exhibits were collected, bagged and tagged, went to Forensic Science Ireland for DNA and fingerprint analysis, and should have been given over to the GNTB but never arrived. Why? That is the critical question in all this. In February 2024, three years later, the holster was given to two non-experts, non-ballisticians who did not have forensic analysis or meet ISO standards. Why? It is clear this was a deliberate action by Garda management and that is what the Minister should be focusing on. Why the two different pathways? Why the cover-up? It is a cover-up. That is why the family want the investigation. It is a critical question. Why bypass the only experts in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na who are qualified to do this investigation? It will never be answered through the pathway the Minister has put forward. It can only be answered through an inquiry. The second question is how protected disclosures were managed by two Ministers, including the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan. Brian O'Reilly sent his protected disclosure to the Minister, Deputy McEntee, in September 2023. It impugned the Commissioner. The Minister sent it to the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner. In October 2023, the OPDC set a statutory declaration that this be dealt with by the Secretary General of the Department of Justice. The Minister, Deputy McEntee, then directed the investigation be removed from the Secretary General and redirected to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, thereby usurping the OPDC's statutory direction and revealing Brian O'Reilly's identity. In doing so, she acted without legal authority and directly interfered with a serious and significant protected disclosure. Since then, the Minister has argued - and she is now supported by the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan - that she did not reveal Brian O'Reilly's identity as his solicitor had already corresponded with Drew Harris. This fails to recognise that Brian O'Reilly's correspondence with her was completely separate. The cover letter states it is a protected disclosure in its own right. The confidentiality attached to this letter was completely breached by the Minister, Deputy McEntee. There is nothing in section 16 of the Protected Disclosures Act that gives the Minister legal authority to disclose that person's identity, even if the person she exposed him to is aware he has previously made protected disclosures. Additionally, despite the fact the current Minister has consistently said he cannot speak about protected disclosures, he amazingly has the capacity to vocalise aspects of Brian O'Reilly's protected disclosures. The Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, who is sitting there, has made public that he sent Brian O'Reilly's protected disclosure to Fiosr\u00fa when he came into office. He also alleges that Mr. O'Reilly has failed to engage. The Minister is completely misleading people by saying this. This is not accurate and is totally selective. It is dangerous territory for the Minister now - very dangerous territory. This is what really happened. Prior to the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, taking office on 17 January 2024, a Department official endeavoured to move Brian O'Reilly's protected disclosure out of the Department. They wanted to get rid of it before the Minister took office, really, despite the fact they had not statutory power to do so. Fourteen months after the Secretary General's appointment to investigate, Brian O'Reilly was told to go to Fiosr\u00fa and start again. He never provided any such consent. Despite this, on 27 February, the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, sent the disclosures to Fiosr\u00fa. This is a fatal error. The Minister has now also acted without legal authority. It means two Ministers have acted without Brian O'Reilly's consent or legal authority. What makes it worse is the Minister did not even tell Brian O'Reilly until March. For 16 months, Brian O'Reilly, whose protected disclosures had been statutorily directed for investigation by the OPDC to the Secretary General of the Department of Justice, was ignored by the same Secretary General, ignored by the Minister, Deputy McEntee, and ignored by the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan. He was given none of his statutory entitlements over that period of time or since. What is worse is that the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, deliberately sent it to Fiosr\u00fa under section 102(5) of the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Act despite knowing his protected disclosure related to the Garda Commissioner. However, it could not be investigated under this section. He should have done it under section 102B of the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Act but that would have meant being passed by Cabinet and the Minister was not willing to do that. Let me be clear: there was never any legal or moral obligation on Brian O'Reilly to engage in any of this with Fiosr\u00fa. The process was locked in time once the OPDC made its statutory appointment. Everything since then has been flawed. I am now clearly saying that the Ministers, Deputies McEntee and O'Callaghan, have both acted without legal authority and contrary to the interests of the disclosure, in this case, of Detective Superintendent Brian O'Reilly. The Taoiseach and T\u00e1naiste need to take note - there will be consequences. The Minister has dismissed the call for a public inquiry at this stage. He has made his decision in relation to Fiosr\u00fa. The family will not accept that. It has been described as \"nonsense\". Fiosr\u00fa and its predecessor GSOC have already failed in this. The Minister can dismiss the Opposition's call, collectively, for a public inquiry but he cannot dismiss the calls of the Horkan family whom he met last week. Why? It is because their brother, their son, was murdered and the equipment he was wearing was not right. This was warned of well in advance. It is also the cover-up afterwards. Now, both the Minister and the former Minister are impugned, as I just outlined, for their actions as Minister for justice. I said on 25 March that the issue of these holsters and protected disclosures would haunt the Ministers, Deputies McEntee and O'Callaghan, this Government and the previous Government. I can tell them now, today, that the nightmare is only beginning."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Darren O'Rourke) Before we move back to the Government, I remind Members that parliamentary privilege should be exercised in a responsible manner and Members should avoid making allegations against identifiable persons who are not in a position to respond. Members should also exercise particular care in their contributions and refrain from naming individuals, including any person who may have made a protected disclosure. I call the Minister, Deputy McEntee."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Helen McEntee) I begin by echoing what I think every person in this House has said today, namely, that Colm Horkan was an exemplar of public service and his contribution to serving and protecting this State will never be forgotten. The family of Detective Garda Colm Horkan suffered a devastating loss when he was murdered while on duty in Castlerea in 2020. Indeed, my first act as Minister for Justice in 2020 was to visit his colleagues and family following his murder and to pay my respects and tribute to him. I again offer my sincerest condolences to them. I also want to say that I am, as is everyone in this House, completely committed to a trusted and effective protected disclosure system. Any person who wishes to raise or make a protected disclosure should be confident that they can raise issues within their workplace or organisation, that this can be done confidentially and that they will be treated fairly. I have always, in my capacity as an elected representative and as Minister for Justice, complied with the protected disclosure legislation. Also as Minister for Justice, I introduced new measures to strengthen Garda accountability and oversight. I enacted legislation to establish a new and strengthened independent oversight body for An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, Fiosr\u00fa. I enhanced independent oversight of Garda management by establishing a new Garda board and I tasked the Garda audit committee with examining the appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency of Garda protected disclosure procedures. These changes give the Garda board and audit committee important oversight roles in relation to the operation of the protected disclosure system in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. Deputies will be aware that the Protected Disclosures Act precludes Ministers from discussing or acknowledging protected disclosures. This is to ensure the integrity of any investigation of a protected disclosure is upheld, to ensure the anonymity and safety of those who make protected disclosures and are subject to them and to ensure others are confident they can come forward into the future. However, in recent months, in particular following the airing of the RT\u00c9 programme, several claims have been made about me, including in this motion. I have sought legal advice and based on that legal advice, I will today outline the action I took in relation to one specific protected disclosure. I want to be clear. Of the four individuals features in the RT\u00c9 programme, one case is before the courts so I will not comment on that case. Two of the other people featured did not make protected disclosures to me or the Department, so I will not refer to them. In relation to the fourth person featured, Detective Superintendent Brian O'Reilly, a number of inaccurate and unsubstantiated allegations have been made about my handling of his protected disclosure in the Aont\u00fa motion today, by the Opposition and by some members of the media. For that reason, and on the basis that Detective Superintendent O'Reilly has asked that I speak about it, while I will not discuss the contents of the protected disclosure made by Detective Superintendent O'Reilly, I am going to lay out precisely the steps I took in handling it. On 20 September 2023, I received a protected disclosure from solicitors acting on behalf of Detective Superintendent O'Reilly. On the same date, his solicitor sent a more detailed account of the same matters directly to the Garda Commissioner and copied that correspondence to the Department of Justice and to me, as Minister. In the letter directly to me, Detective Superintendent O'Reilly's solicitors stated: \"Our client wishes to be informed of whether or not the Commissioner of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na has referred to your office the protected disclosures containing finer details, as made by our client.\" In the letter sent by Detective Superintendent O'Reilly's solicitor to the Garda Commissioner, it was stated: \"It is clear that our client has made protected disclosures relating to a number of matters.\" At no stage did I or my Department acknowledge the existence of or send the protected disclosure or any material relating to the protected disclosure to the Garda Commissioner and at no point have I engaged with the Garda Commissioner. The only instance where Detective Superintendent O'Reilly's identity was exposed to the Garda Commissioner was in letters from solicitors acting on behalf of Mr. O'Reilly. In accordance with the Protected Disclosures Act 2014, as amended, the Department of Justice referred the disclosure on 20 September 2023, the same day it was received, to the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner for consideration. This was the appropriate approach. It is important to note again that in a subsequent letter to the Garda Commissioner which my Department was copied on, the solicitor representing Detective Superintendent O'Reilly stated: \"We note the referral by the Minister for Justice of our client's protected disclosure to the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner.\" On 3 October 2023, the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner referred the disclosure back to the Department of Justice. In doing so, the commissioner considered whether there was a prescribed person within the meaning of the Protected Disclosures Act and the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 (Disclosure to Prescribed Persons) Order 2020 to whom the disclosure could appropriately be sent. Having concluded that no such prescribed person could be identified, the OPDC also considered whether the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Ombudsman Commission was an appropriate recipient for the protected disclosure. It is important to highlight that the request from Mr. O'Reilly was that this was treated as a protected disclosure, not as a complaint. The OPDC noted that GSOC could not investigate the Garda Commissioner under section 102B of the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Act 2005 without authorisation from the Minister for Justice and the approval of Government. The OPDC therefore determined that the Secretary General of the Department of Justice was the appropriate recipient as another suitable person for the purpose of the Protected Disclosures Act. Under section 10E of the Act, the recipient of a disclosure is required to conduct an initial assessment and determine the most appropriate course of action. It should be noted at this point that in a letter to me, dated 13 October 2023, solicitors acting for Detective Superintendent O'Reilly wrote to the Department objecting to any investigation being conducted by the Secretary General. Detective Superintendent O'Reilly's solicitor said that the Secretary General \"is not the appropriate and proper person to investigate wrongdoing alleged by our client.\" In a later letter to me, his solicitor requested that Detective Superintendent O'Reilly's protected disclosure be referred by the Policing Authority or GSOC. It should be noted that while GSOC is a prescribed body under the Protected Disclosures Act, the Policing Authority is not. Following consideration of the disclosure, the Secretary General submitted an e-submission to me on 19 December setting out three options. The first was a referral to GSOC; however, the advice provided to me by the Department was that there was no legal basis on which to seek Government approval for a GSOC investigation of the Garda Commissioner as the disclosure did not identify specific acts or omissions by the Commissioner that could be investigated under section 102B. It is important to say at this point that a previous similar protected disclosure had been sent to GSOC having not met the requirements under section 102B, and it was not accepted by GSOC. I was advised that sending this protected disclosure to GSOC would have resulted in a similar outcome and delayed the process. The second option was that the Department itself would investigate the matter raised. The assessment was that this would amount to the Minister and the Department investigating An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, an approach for which there was no precedent and which risked encroaching upon the operational independence of the Garda Commissioner. Again, Detective Superintendent O'Reilly's solicitors had objected to the Secretary General investigating this issue. The third option was referral to the office of protected disclosures within An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. This option was recommended on the basis that there was an established process and recent precedent for dealing with disclosures through that office. Having considered that advice, I agreed with that recommendation. Accordingly, on 21 December 2023, the Department referred the protected disclosure, clearly marked as such, to the head of the office of protected disclosures within An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. Again, at no stage did I send this protected disclosure to the Garda Commissioner as the Aont\u00fa motion falsely claims. I worked on the basis, as any of us here would, that the head of the office of protected disclosures would treat this referral in accordance with the legislation. On 10 April 2024, the matter was referred back to the Department of justice by An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, that stated, upon receipt of separate advice, that several of the issues contained within the protected disclosure were assessed to fall outside its remit. Following further engagement with the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner, the Department was advised that two options remained available. First, that with the consent of Detective Superintendent O'Reilly, the matters raised could be referred to GSOC as a complaint rather than as a protected disclosure; or second, that Detective Superintendent O'Reilly could be advised to make a protected disclosure directly to GSOC. A recommendation to write to Detective Superintendent O'Reilly outlining these options was approved by me on 15 January. The Department was subsequently informed that the solicitor was no longer acting on Mr. O'Reilly's behalf but that the solicitor would pass the correspondence on to him. As the Minister, Deputy O\u2019Callaghan, has set out in his speech, he subsequently referred the issues raised by Detective Superintendent O\u2019Reilly to GSOC as a complaint. To be very clear, the disclosure was referred to the head of the protected disclosure office within An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, having received the recommendation. At no point was it sent by me or the Department of justice to the Garda Commissioner. I have set out the facts in relation to the steps I took in response to the protected disclosure made by Detective Superintendent O\u2019Reilly. Every decision that I made, I made in the public interest. My objective at all times was to ensure truth and accountability, and fairness and safety for all involved. This should not distract from the tragedy that we are discussing today and that is the murder of Detective Colm Horkan. The loss of Detective Colm Horkan was devastating. I support any further measures that are now being taken to provide clarity on the matters discussed. I commend the countermotion to the House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn Colm Horkan was murdered in 2020 while wearing a Garda holster provided to him by An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na from an equestrian saddlery in Kildare. It was provided not by a firearm specialist by from a saddlery; horse tack on the hip of an armed garda. This warning came first to us in 2019 via whistleblowers who warned Garda management that the holsters were dangerous. One week before Colm was murdered, a garda in the Israeli ambassador's residence suffered a life-changing injury when his pistol discharged. A senior garda alleged at the time that the holsters may have been to blame. How did the Horkan family learn of that? They learned of it not from the Minister's office, not from An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, but from a newspaper. They were promised an apology by the former Commissioner Drew Harris. We are still waiting for that apology to the family. Last Thursday, the Minister met the family and sat down with them. He said he will not commit to an inquiry. Instead, he has asked Fiosr\u00fa to investigate. Fiosr\u00fa, by the way, is the same body that was warned about the holsters in 2019. It is like the old saying, \"Ask my brother am I a liar?\" It does not make sense. I have come to note in this State that the crime is not about wrongdoing; the crime in this State is about telling the truth. We only need to ask Brian O'Reilly in the Gallery here, who warned about the holster too. In December 2023, the Department of justice apologised to two different Garda whistleblowers whose details were wrongly passed on, and promises were made by that Department that new checks and balances would be implemented and put in place immediately. Thirteen days later, the Department sent the Detective Superintendent Brian O'Reilly's protected disclosure straight back to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, the very people on whom he was doing the whistleblowing. It does not make sense. Thirteen days is the shelf-life of the promises of the Department of justice. Let us now look at the ammunition. Faulty ammunition rounds made by an Italian company, which was willing to take them back four years earlier, instead stayed in circulation for over four years in the Garda response unit, the armed support unit and were carried every day by up to 1,500 to 2,000 members of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. This was faulty ammunition that can jam, can misfire and that could take a garda's life. Why was there no recall? It was because an internal report worried about the reputation of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. It did not worry about keeping people safe. It did not worry about the front-line garda\u00ed who were carrying this ammunition. It worried about garda reputation. It put reputation before lives. To add insult to injury, on top of that those set of bullets were destroyed later at a cost to this State of \u20ac160,000, despite the fact that the company was willing to take it back four years earlier. Let us look at the gun parts. Guns belonging to a private gun club in Kildare were brought to the Garda armoury in Dublin. They were repaired. The parts were imported under the licence that the then Minister for justice signed off in the belief that they were for Garda use. They were paid for by the taxpayer. The guns were repaired and they were driven back to the gun club in a private car belonging to a member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. Two separate investigations have confirmed this. Now, we learn today that the DPP will not prosecute. That is the story of this country. Nobody pays and nobody is answerable. That is why we are calling for an inquiry today. Let us look at the two Garda helicopters that were ordered to the sum of \u20ac20 million that have never flown over Irish airspace and probably will never. This is not through bad luck or bad decisions but through stupidity and ignorance. We should follow those stories of holsters, ammunition, firearm stores and gun parts. Let us be fair about it; it all leads to one particular door. It leads to the door of Superintendent Liam White, who was responsible for the Garda firearms and responsible for procurement. Detective Superintendent O'Reilly has told the courts that the owner of the saddlery and Superintendent White are neighbours. I wonder has anyone asked the question as to whether they are both members of the particular gun club in Kildare. I suspect we might find a very interesting answer to that. It is about time that this superintendent and previous Commissioners are put under oath in public to give those answers and to tell the truth about things. The Minister said that it is not within his role to discuss such matters. I have a newsflash for him; he is the Minister for justice. I lost my confidence in the previous Minister for justice. I have told her that and I have been honest in this House. However, I am beginning to lost confidence in the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, as well. I believe him to be an honourable man. He can restore the confidence of this side of the House in him by putting this inquiry together and by making sure an inquiry with teeth examines this. We can bring the former Commissioner Drew Harris and Superintendent Liam White before us, it can all be discussed and everything can be out in the open. The Horkan family has waited six years. Colm Horkan gave his life to this State. At the very least, this State owes his family the truth."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Darren O'Rourke) I call on an Teachta T\u00f3ib\u00edn to conclude the debate."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn I am absolutely shocked by the Minister's response to this motion. The Minister has completely ignored the substance of the allegations that were made in this motion. It is as if the speech was actually written in a parallel universe. Ignoring allegations does not make them go away, or does it? Is that actually the modus operandi of the corruption that we see at the heart of senior garda\u00ed at the moment? The Minister is ignoring the allegations, not accepting them, stopping them, not allowing them get investigated and hoping they will go away but they are not going away. They are not going away for a number of reasons, most importantly because of the people behind what has happened in relation to this wrongdoing. These garda\u00ed and this family are not going to allow this just disappear and go away. Incredibly, another whistleblower at the heart of this crisis was arrested after blowing the whistle, and the State sought to prosecute that individual. I also put on record in the D\u00e1il today that a litany of mistakes were made by the Government and a litany of mistakes and wrongdoing were done by An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na in relation to this. There is clear evidence of that that I have put on the record of the D\u00e1il. There are grievous wrongs happening here. This is a grievous wrong to the family of Colm Horkan as it seeks to hide the truth from his family. A grievous wrong is being done to the Garda, and it sends a message to anybody in the force in the future to stay quiet, shut up and keep your head down. This virtually guarantees the dysfunction of the Garda management into the future and virtually guarantees that great wrongs will be done, possibly to the lives of individuals working in that force and possibly to civilians as well. The Minister's contribution here is a continuation of the corruption that led to this horrendous tragedy. Fiosr\u00fa is not the location for this investigation. GSOC, was told about the faulty holsters before the murder of Detective Horkan. GSOC did not take action at that time. GSOC cannot be seen as an independent arbiter of the truth in this issue."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly Hear, hear. It is impossible."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn The Minister admitted an investigation of Brian O'Reilly was sent to Fiosr\u00fa without his consent and contrary to the law. The Minister did not deal with the 108-page document and all the unanswered questions related to it. He did not deal with the question as to why they were shut down. He did not deal with the protected disclosure unit, which was shut down, an unprecedented action by any Government or organisation in the history of the State. He completely ignored the actions of the former Minister for justice, Deputy McEntee. He ignored the questions as to why the former Minister for justice sent a protected disclosure to the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, the head of whom was Drew Harris, and why she publicised the name of the whistleblower. She started her contribution today by saying she has a responsibility to protect the anonymity of the whistleblowers and she herself publicised the names of the whistleblowers in the emails she sent. The fact that in his contribution the current Minister failed to address these issues breaks any confidence that any investigation he authorises will address these questions. The problem at the heart of this is that organisations punish whistleblowers to protect the rank-and-file individuals of those organisations. The Minister has also done that here today. At the heart of this situation is a grieving family, a family broken-hearted at the loss of a great man. Garda\u00ed have also lost their hard-working and honest colleague. The Minister has refused our demand for an independent investigation. It is one thing to do that to elected representatives here but for a Minister for justice to refuse the request of the family of a fallen garda for an investigation is a defining moment in the history of this Republic. I urge the Minister at this late stage to reverse from his damaging amendment. The moral weight on his shoulders today is immense. Forget about Aont\u00fa's request or that of any other political party here. Listen to the family's request and hold a full public, independent investigation into what happened to their loved one."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment put."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Darren O'Rourke) The division is deferred until the weekly division time this evening."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Cuireadh an D\u00e1il ar fionra\u00ed ar 11.44 a.m. agus cuireadh t\u00fas leis ar\u00eds ar 12.02 p.m."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Sitting suspended at 11.44 a.m. and resumed at 12.02 p.m."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Protected Disclosures Inquiry: Motion [Private Members]"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_10","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 Cheannair\u00ed - Leaders' Questions","counts":{"speechCount":62,"speakerCount":12},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_10","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maurice Quinlivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maurice-Quinlivan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Maurice-Quinlivan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"George Lawlor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I welcome Margaret Loftus from Mayo who is here with Deputy Mary Lou McDonald."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald N\u00ed f\u00e9idir deireadh a chur leis an tseirbh\u00eds monat\u00f3ireachta CCTV i Luimneach. Is cosaint th\u00e1bhachtach \u00ed don phobal agus caithfidh an Rialtas lean\u00faint ar aghaidh ag cur an maoini\u00fa buan at\u00e1 ag teast\u00e1il ar f\u00e1il chun an tseirbh\u00eds r\u00edth\u00e1bhachtach seo a choime\u00e1d ar oscailt. The country is still reeling from the horrific murders of four members of the English family, including two precious young children, in a petrol bomb attack on their home last month. This catastrophic and barbaric incident in Waterford put focus on the devastating consequences of violent organised crime and the escalating scourge of drug debt intimidation. In the early hours of yesterday morning, five adults and two children were rushed to hospital following yet another arson attack on a family home, this time here in Dublin. Families are held to ransom by drug gangs through threats, extortion and violence. They live every day with a sense of fear in communities across Ireland. There is anger that Government is not responding with force or purpose to keep communities safe. Limerick has suffered the torment, violence and consequences of organised drug crime and drug debt intimidation. The community spent decades working to overcome this scourge. Limerick understands how investing in community safety can really turn the tide, yet as communities look to Government for greater support and protection, it provides the exact opposite. It removes funding for one of Limerick's most important and most successful community protection services. The Limerick CCTV monitoring service was established in response to the violence that plagued communities. It monitors hundreds of cameras across the city and county. It is a vital resource for An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and for the community. It prevents crime and allows for incidents to be responded to. It is a proven and highly successful initiative that has taken years of work to develop. It is at the very core of Limerick's safety infrastructure. The service faces a funding shortfall of approximately \u20ac660,000 for 2027. The Department of local government is cutting the funding it has provided for years. The Department of justice refuses to take on funding responsibility. As things stand, just two days before Christmas, the doors will shut, hundreds of cameras will shut down and this vital crime prevention service will be lost to the people of Limerick. The Taoiseach should make no mistake; the big winner here will be the organised crime gangs that are seeking any opportunity to reassert themselves. Stripping the people of Limerick of this vital community safety service is a dangerous and disgraceful dereliction of the Government's duty. The Government has funded Limerick's CCTV monitoring service for decades. It must continue to fund it. There can be no excuses. We need a crystal clear commitment from the Taoiseach today. Does he accept that the closure of Limerick's CCTV service would be devastating? Does he accept that it cannot happen? Does he accept that the Government has a responsibility to provide the funding to keep it open? Will he now intervene directly and guarantee the \u20ac660,000 required to keep this service operational for 2027? Furthermore, will he commit to establishing a permanent multi-annual funding arrangement for this community's safety?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach T\u00e1 gach iarracht \u00e1 d\u00e9anamh ag an Rialtas maidir leis an m\u00e9id d\u00fanmharaithe agus for\u00e9igin at\u00e1 ar si\u00fal ar fud na t\u00edre ag daoine \u00e1irithe. T\u00e1 n\u00edos m\u00f3 \u00e1iseanna agus airgid curtha ar f\u00e1il ar\u00eds i mbliana don Roinn dl\u00ed agus cirt agus do na Ranna eile chun pobal na t\u00edre a choime\u00e1d sl\u00e1n. N\u00edl aon amhras ach go bhfuil br\u00fa ar dhaoine agus go bhfuil deacrachta\u00ed agus d\u00fashl\u00e1in faoi leith ann. People are extremely angry, frustrated and shocked at the level of recklessness with which some criminals, particularly those involved in the area of drugs, behave in murdering, injuring and intimidating people and in endeavouring to undermine cohesion within communities. The Government is very clear that there will be no tolerance of that kind of behaviour. As the Deputy will know, An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na implements a national anti-drugs strategy through Operation Tara. The focus of that operation is to disrupt, dismantle and prosecute drug trafficking networks at the local, national and international levels. The Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau leads in tackling all forms of drug trafficking and the supply of illicit drugs in Ireland. The consumption of drugs is a societal issue. It is far more widespread than it should be. There is an onus on all those who take drugs to realise that there is a very sordid, murderous and violent background to the provision and supply of drugs in our society. We have initiatives such as Operation F\u00f3gra, the drug-related intimidation reporting programme, and the Drug Related Intimidation and Violence engagement, DRIVE, programme, which is a national inter-agency initiative funded by the Departments of Health and justice. An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and the Minister for justice are extremely focused on dealing with the levels of intimidation that certain drug criminals are engaging in. The DRIVE programme brings together law enforcement, health services, social services and community organisations to address drug-related intimidation through a co-ordinated and victim-centred approach. Since its launch, more than 800 individuals have received training across 24 drug and alcohol task force areas. The Deputy raised the issue of the CCTV system in Limerick. She indicated that it has been in operation for quite a number of years now."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald It is decades."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Exactly. At national level, there has been no pulling back from funding CCTV-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maurice Quinlivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maurice-Quinlivan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Maurice-Quinlivan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maurice Quinlivan There has."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor Sheehan There has."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald You are closing it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I can look at the specifics of the case but, on the \u20ac660,000, in my view, it is within the remit of the local authority and others to ensure that does not happen by Christmas. Funding to Government Departments, local authorities and across the board has now increased. CCTV systems have been in place for a long time and are included in the base funding allocations. There should not be an issue in respect of it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald Last year, the local authority bailed this service out but the reality is that for all of the rhetoric, words, tea and sympathy that the Taoiseach will offer to communities in Waterford, Limerick and elsewhere, he is not serious about resourcing communities and community safety. It is beyond shocking and scandalous that the Limerick CCTV service, which has been so successful and has kept communities that have really suffered safe for so long, will be shut down for the sum of \u20ac660,000, yet that is what the community is facing two days before Christmas. Will the Taoiseach make it clear that he is intervening in this and that he will speak to the Departments, exercise his authority and make sure that Limerick, the community and people are not left at the hands of violence and intimidation-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach will respond."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald -----because the Government could not come up with \u20ac660,000?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Government is supporting community safety very strongly. The community safety fund, for example, plays a key role in helping communities become more resilient to crime, and an allocation of \u20ac4.84 million was recently distributed through the community safety fund to 56 community safety projects nationwide. Invariably, on a whole range of issues, local authorities will make the case for additional funding and invariably it will come to the floor of this House, and I will be asked to intervene in every local authority area and on every issue. I will get the backdrop to this, but let us be very clear too that \u20ac660,000 is a very realisable sum of sum of money-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald Of course it is. That is the point."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----and there is no need for anything to close by Christmas."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald Is the Taoiseach committing to it not closing?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide Two weeks ago, I asked the Taoiseach to stand up for Cork University Hospital, CUH, and end the unworkable and unsafe recruitment restrictions that are undermining patient care. The Taoiseach responded with barely controlled outrage. He said to me, \"You have some nerve\". I have reflected since on why the Taoiseach had that reaction. I do not doubt his personal and political attachment to CUH. As Minister for Health, he oversaw major investment there. I have my own connection with the hospital. The legendary cardiac surgeon Aonghus O'Donnell treated my father and extended his life by many years. My children were born in the maternity hospital. I worked in CUH as a psychologist. Nobody questions the Taoiseach's attachment to CUH, but it is fair to question how in touch he is with what is happening there now because increasingly he looks detached, weak and defensive on this issue. He is unwilling to challenge a Minister for Health who discredits CUH at every opportunity and is using selective recruitment and trolley figures stripped of context about demand, complexity and long-standing staffing and bed shortages. Rather than challenging the Minister, the Taoiseach is providing her with political cover. It is relatively easy to scapegoat a hospital CEO who has sounded the alarm about what is happening at CUH, but it is much harder when nine clinical directors reinforce her account, writing to the Taoiseach about the Minister's misrepresentation of CUH, the damage to staff morale, recruitment and retention, and the need for an independent staffing assessment. I have received an extremely disturbing account of what happened at CUH last Thursday and Friday. With emergency capacity overwhelmed, cancer operations were cancelled at short notice. Women admitted for mastectomies, some already in hospital gowns, were sent home. Colon, brain and prostate cancer operations were also cancelled. Imagine the distress of those patients. These are the consequences of the Minister's hardline attitude to CUH and her refusal to reckon with the reality of staffing shortages and overcrowding. The Government's plan has identified CUH as having the country's largest adult inpatient and critical care bed deficit. The hospital's CEO and clinical directors have urgently sought 172 priority posts. According to the clinical directors' letter to the Taoiseach last week, only seven had been approved, yet the Minister berates CUH for underperforming while the Government restricts recruitment. The Taoiseach helped develop this hospital and now he is standing by while the Minister repeatedly undermines it. The Taoiseach told me that I had \"some nerve\" for asking him to stand up for CUH. It takes considerably more nerve to dismiss nine clinical directors while defending a Minister publicly attacking their hospital and ours. Patient safety is at risk. Will the Taoiseach meet the CEO and clinical directors, commission an independent staffing assessment, and immediately approve the outstanding priority posts?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach First of all, I want to acknowledge the tremendous work being done and that has been done by people working in Cork University Hospital over many years providing a strong and exceptional service to the people of the region. My objective and aim is to ensure that the hospital can work effectively and smoothly but we need to establish some fundamentals. The Deputy used the phrase \"scapegoating the CEO\" and I know the Deputy issued statements last week and yesterday in respect of a certain account of a meeting. I made a statement yesterday that this account was false and I would appreciate it if the Deputy accepted that statement. The HSE should clarify things and give the background to the entirety of that situation. My understanding is that the regional executive officer, REO, is very clear that at no stage did he make any reference to instructions from the Taoiseach's office or anybody from the Taoiseach's office. I want that to be clear because false assertions were made about my office. I want to absolutely clear about that. Second, all is not well at CUH. That is very clear to me for different reasons but equally, as the Deputy said, he has been involved in the hospital, and I have been involved in supporting it for many years. Prior to the formation of the HSE, it was a Southern Health Board hospital. It has always been an integrated part of the public health acute hospital system in the Cork area. It still is now within the HSE. Whatever way these issues are going to get resolved, it has to be within that structure. It is a HSE hospital. It is not outside the HSE. It has got to work through the structures within the HSE. There cannot be alternative pathways and I will not be overriding the HSE. I will not be overriding the Minister in respect of this. I want to see a resolution of the issue, but trying to go directly over the head of the Minister either by meeting clinicians or whatever will not work. That is not the pathway to resolving these issues, nor is presenting inaccurate and untrue accounts of meetings people had locally. That is not a good way to do business either. I want to be very clear about that. In terms of the safety issue, and I do believe that CUH, the Mercy, South Infirmary, Victoria, Mallow and Bantry all have to be looked at as an integrated public hospital service that complement each other and provide a service to the public and patients, there has been significant investment in CUH. I outlined it yesterday. It has gone from about \u20ac300 million to about \u20ac600 million between 2019 and 2025. The staffing has increased significantly."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy Quaide to respond."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I do not think it is feasible that you would have an independent assessment-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach will be back in."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----of every single hospital. If you do it for one hospital, the next hospital will want it. That is not the way to do it either. I will come back to it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide The Taoiseach is not standing up for CUH. He is falling back on the same lines the Minister spins to deny the reality of what is happening there. The nine clinical directors who wrote to the Taoiseach have laid out that reality in stark terms: two CT scanners closed because of staffing shortages, patients waiting four weeks for essential access procedures for cancer treatment, 20 neuro-rehabilitation beds in Blarney unable to open because the Minister will not fund the staff, and now we are hearing of cancer operations cancelled and patients sent home at the last minute. This is a matter of life or death for some patients. We know that prolonged emergency department delays expose patients to serious harm and increased risk of death. The Taoiseach cannot keep defending the Minister while ignoring these warnings from senior clinicians. Will the Taoiseach intervene now, lift these recruitment restrictions and put patient safety ahead of defending the Minister?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Patient safety is paramount. What happened in respect of those cancer patients should not have happened, but the hospital needs to be managed as well."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide It does not have the staff."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach By that I mean, in terms of the scanners, for example-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide It does not have the staff."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Sorry, the staff has increased dramatically over the last number of years."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide Did the Taoiseach read the letter that was sent to him?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy, you were not to interrupt."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I did not interrupt the Deputy and I allowed him to ask the question. I respectfully ask him to allow me to answer. We went up 41% in staff between 2019 and 2025, from 3,456 to 4,870. That is what I am told and this year, we went from 4,870 to 5,194, and also-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice We need an independent assessment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach This is CUH. Also, CUH recruited more than any other hospital in 2026. That is the background to it. HIQA is going into the hospital. The chief clinical officer, Colm Henry, has visited the hospital again recently in terms of patient safety."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide That is not independent."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Patient safety is paramount in respect of any hospital and also in the context of CUH. It has to be."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I remind Deputies that each Member of the House, regardless of which side, has the opportunity and right to speak and be heard without interruption."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik Before I begin, my thoughts are with the seven people impacted by the terrible arson attack off Clanbrassil Street yesterday. I commend the first responders who took brave action and I send my very best wishes to those still recovering in hospital. Turning to better news, following the recent great election results in Brazil and Serbia, the Democrat surge in the US mid-terms last night has given us all reason to hope again. American voters have pushed back against Trump\u2019s warmongering, his attacks on civil rights and his economic policies that back billionaires over working people. It is now up to the Democrats in congress and the senate to take on the mammoth task of tempering Trump\u2019s worst tantrums before he and his acolytes do any more damage to the world. It is good to see those acolytes damaged by these elections. Indeed, to quote his occasional boss and long-time frenemy, Donald Trump, the perennial \u201cbullshit artist\u201d Elon Musk has wasted half a billion dollars in these elections. Despite this, he was not able to buy the race in Texas or elsewhere. There is a lesson for the Taoiseach following the US results too. American voters have swung decidedly against tech oligarchs like Musk and against data centres. They are questioning the power of the AI technology furrowing deeper and deeper into everyday life. They are questioning how far from fulfilling its potential for good, AI is threatening democracies, economies and our planet. It is generating mass-scale sexual abuse imagery of the kind my colleague, Deputy Alan Kelly, hopes to tackle with our new Labour Party Bill amending Coco\u2019s Law to be heard here tomorrow. Private sector bosses are citing alleged AI productivity gains in cutting jobs and freezing recruitment of our graduates and young people. Households plagued by the cost of living are watching data centres moving into their communities and further driving up bills. Those factors undoubtedly swung voters against Trump in the US but the same concerns exist here in Ireland. Our country is home to nearly 150 data centres already although the numbers are difficult to establish due to lack of transparency. We know that nearly a quarter of our electricity goes to data centres, which is the highest per capita rate in the world. Energy costs are soaring. The ESB announced today it will hike the price of EV charging. One in seven households are already in arrears on their electricity bills; a shocking increase of more than 60% in just three years. The Taoiseach cites foreign wars as the reason for this but data centres are directly driving prices up. Friends of the Earth estimates that data centres added more than \u20ac715 million to household electricity bills nationally and people are feeling the pinch. On Saturday, we will have the first national protest against data centre expansion. That is one of many taking place across Europe on the same day. However, in June, the Government voted against our Labour Party motion to halt construction of new data centres and levy existing data centre operators. When will the Taoiseach wake up and smell the coffee? When will he act to curb the power of tech oligarchs and end unsustainable data centre growth?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I appreciate the Deputy's observations on the US mid-term elections. Many people will analyse and study the trends and factors underpinning that change. From my initial reading of accounts, I would have thought the war in Iran was a real factor in terms of the consideration of American voters and the high prices and inflation in the US for a number of reasons. Any anecdotal interviews all refer to the high prices. I am not so sure you can neatly characterise the election as just one area around technology and oligarchs."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor Sheehan We are not."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"George Lawlor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy George Lawlor The foreign wars."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I sound a note of caution in terms of how one interprets the outcome of any given election. That is a matter for America and the people of America. The people have given their verdict in these mid-term elections. They have voted for the various candidates in the various races. From our perspective, the situation between the United States and Europe is much different. We have an AI Act in Europe, for example, which regulates AI. In fact, US authorities and others would criticise Europe for what it terms over-regulation. I do not think we are over-regulated but we are regulated. We should acknowledge that and not give the impression we are not. On the digital side, we also did the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act. Both represent a very substantial edifice of the regulation of the digital world, which the Deputy should acknowledge, that is not present in the US. You cannot compare like with like in respect of European regulatory frameworks vis-\u00e0-vis the US, China or other areas of the world. In Ireland, we have established our own structures and powers to support safe, transparent and responsible AI. The Deputy also referenced data centres. Again, we have a stronger regulatory framework governing the construction of data centres than elsewhere and particularly than the United States. How many data centres were connected to the grid in the last six or seven years?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle That is rhetorical."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Yes, it is. I thank the Ceann Comhairle. We need a proper analysis of this with less heat and less emotion. There was literally a de facto moratorium on data centres from 2020 onwards. You have to go to before 2020 and I think there were only one or two connections to the grid. Prior to 2018 or 2017, there was a very substantial increase in data centres in the country. Relative to other countries, we do not have heavy industry or other large energy users. I would be interested to know if the Deputy thinks we should just abandon AI altogether. What is the ultimate objective she is putting forward in terms of how we should approach it?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik I absolutely agree with the Taoiseach. There were multiple factors in the US elections and there is no doubt Trump's disastrous war in Iran played a huge part in the Democrat surge and people turning against him. I acknowledged that in my opening remarks. I know the Taoiseach watched these elections closely and that he will be aware the proliferation of data centres played a significant role, particularly in states like Michigan. People really stood out against Trump's policies on AI and against tech oligarchs. Of course, we can harness the power of AI for good. Of course, there is such a thing as ethical tech. It is really important that we speak up for that. I agree with the Taoiseach about the different context here and strong EU frameworks and regulation. However, that makes it all the more extraordinary that the Government voted against our Labour Party proposals in June to provide better regulation of data centres. Our Deputy, Ciar\u00e1n Ahern, put forward sensible proposals for regulation to ensure greater transparency. One of the issues the Taoiseach mentioned himself is a simple lack of knowledge about figures and how many data centres are operating. Just one in six are apparently submitting data to the EU energy efficiency directive, according to Friends of the Earth. There is a huge gap here in our knowledge and, therefore, a gap in regulation. Meanwhile, energy costs are soaring and being driven up causing real distress to households across the country."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I question the Friends of the Earth assessments. Some would as well. The organisation itself questions it as well in that the authors acknowledge it has limitations and is \"extremely difficult to predict with any certainty\". We will park that for a moment. The digital economy is important to Ireland. I presume the Deputy acknowledges that. It is important globally too. In fact, the position in Europe and elsewhere was that this era and the era to come is a digital and green era in terms of going to net zero and so on. The new large energy user action plan, LEAP, which was published only in January of this year, moves us to a more plan-led system in terms of data centres and greater certainty for people all round, reinforced by unprecedented grid investment. The criteria set out by the CRU are strong and stringent in respect of seeking new connections to the electricity system. That is the reality of it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard O'Donoghue I welcome Independent Ireland Councillor Noel Thomas who in the Visitors Gallery today, along with Kyle Lohan. Kyle is 16 and he is on transition year work placement. I thank him for all the work he has done for Independent Ireland at 16 years of age. He has knocked on every door in Galway in the previous by-election and every other election to date. I thank him and acknowledge him for that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle He is welcome to D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard O'Donoghue Today, I have to talk to the Taoiseach about An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and our new Garda station in Newcastle West. The fears I am hearing from An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na regarding our new station in Newcastle West is that there are not enough garda\u00ed to put into it. The Government's proposal is to get to 15,000 garda\u00ed. To be honest, I think we need 15,000 more. We have a population now hitting 6 million and criminal levels are at an all-time high. In the parishes surrounding me, there were 16 robberies in two days and in the parishes adjoining them, 12 robberies were recorded in one place and 14 in another place, all of them done by criminal gangs. I was targeted last Friday when the keys of one vehicle, which were locked into a solid box, were taken, equipment worth \u20ac1,000 belonging to a carpenter was stolen and the lock was pulled off another van. We have the criminals, members of a well-known criminal gang, on CCTV, coming in and doing their work. They were gone within eight minutes. Garda\u00ed need cameras with registration recognition technology in places where there are criminal gangs. If cars belong to criminal gangs are in an area, the Garda would then be notified automatically. That can be done. We have had cameras turned off in Kilmallock and Croom for data protection reasons. People who are doing nothing wrong should not be worried about a camera that is there to protect good people against criminals. Repeat criminals are being brought to court multiple times and left off. There is no place to put them or hold them, so what does the Government do? It lets them back out and they do the same thing over and over again. Garda resources are being used to build a case against them and by the time the Garda builds a case, they are only given a slap on the wrist. It is a case of \"Out you go to do it again\" and within a week, they are in with garda\u00ed again. It is a waste of resources."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I also welcome the young 16-year-old, Kyle Lohan, to the House. I commend his interest in politics, and I advise him to keep an open mind into the future-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard O'Donoghue He is with the best party possible."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----as I did when I was 16 years of age. He is welcome to the House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard O'Donoghue Do not forget Councillor Noel Thomas."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach, without interruption, please."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor Sheehan Sure you might get him back."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach This is a new device, where Deputies bring their aspiring candidates into the House to get them mentioned."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor Sheehan He is really one of yours."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rory Hearne He is indeed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach There has been very consistent recruitment of garda\u00ed in the past two years. We had a significant setback during Covid, with the closure of Templemore and so on. However, we should reach about 15,000 in the near future. At the end of August, the figure was about 14,600 and we have had a further attestation of 207 recently. I think we will make the 15,000 figure by the end of the year. We then want to go higher than that because there are also retirements, which we acknowledge. There are about 3,616 additional Garda staff who work alongside the garda\u00ed. That has enabled about 900 garda\u00ed to be freed up for front-line duties. We have made changes to the Garda trainee recruitment process, through an increased recruitment age and training allowance, shortened recruitment timeframes and reform of the physical competency test, construction of the assessment centre, approaches to elements of recruitment and regular recruitment competitions. There is healthy interest in joining An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, which is positive. As regards the Garda station, I presume the Deputy welcomes the investment into Newcastle West, which is significant. With this recruitment, we will be in a position to staff the station. The Commissioner has been progressively allocating additional garda\u00ed, first to cities like Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Waterford and so on, and then to others. We have to get them out to rural Ireland, and the Minister for justice is very conscious of that. We will endeavour to get garda\u00ed to west Limerick as well. We also note the passing of the late former Minister, Gerry Collins, who was a household name in Abbeyfeale and west Limerick more generally, and whose funeral is tomorrow. He was a former Minister for Justice. We are very conscious of the needs in the area. On criminal gangs, I regret what has happened in the Deputy's own situation, which he has articulated to the House, as well as the other robberies he referenced. They will be convicted and will not be left out again if they are well-known criminal gangs. Garda\u00ed use cameras and information provided by the public to prosecute these people. They need to be prosecuted and brought to justice."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard O'Donoghue I also extend my sympathies to the family of former Minister, Gerry Collins, who will be laid to rest tomorrow in Abbeyfeale. I acknowledge everyone in politics and the contributions they make. We had a justice Minister in County Limerick, which covers east and west Limerick. All the criminal gangs know to target rural areas. All the Garda presence, as the Taoiseach just mentioned, is being put into Dublin city, Cork city and Limerick city. It is almost an hour and 40 minutes from one end of my constituency to the other. That is how far it is. We need Garda resources because criminals now know it is easy pickings. I welcome the Garda resources, the technology and the extra recruitment of garda\u00ed, but the Government needs to stop putting all the garda\u00ed into the cities. When you have a lot of people in one area, you can maintain them in it. However, in scattered places in rural Ireland, including rural Limerick, we deserve the same protection as people have in the cities. I would like to see that change."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach There are garda\u00ed being provided to rural Ireland, and there will be more allocated to rural Ireland as we continue to ramp up and get recruits into and out of Templemore in the time period. We are also investing in prisons, with close to \u20ac500 million. We want to create about 1,500 more spaces and we need to do this by 2031. It is the largest ever building programme in the prison estate. Some people are objecting to it but we have to drive ahead. The Deputy is correct in respect of the need. If someone is convicted, they do their time. That has to be the objective. In respect of technology, this Government has provided the technology required by An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. The previous Government had a different composition and others did not agree with giving garda\u00ed the technology they needed to identify and convict criminals. As far as this Government is concerned, we will provide the technology and resources to procure that technology to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na because we have to stand behind it in facing up to this criminal element."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 Cheannair\u00ed - Leaders' Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_11","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 na Comhalta\u00ed Eile - Other Members' Questions","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_11","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Shay Brennan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Shay-Brennan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Shay-Brennan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Shay Brennan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Shay-Brennan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Shay-Brennan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Shay Brennan I raise the issue of how we protect and grow our successful open trading economy. The United States and the European Union remain our most important partners, but we need to consider more seriously how we diversify because too much rests on too few markets, sectors and companies. On markets, more than \u20ac4 in every \u20ac10 of our goods exports are earned in the United States. On sectors, more than half those goods are pharmaceuticals, and almost \u20ac6 in \u20ac10 of our service exports come from the IT sector. With companies, a handful of firms pay close to half our corporation tax. The companies behind those numbers have been very good for Ireland, and long may they stay, but it is a lot of eggs in very few baskets. Recently, in my constituency, I addressed a Hong Kong business delegation in Sandyford and a Yorkshire Chamber delegation in Clonskeagh. Yorkshire alone has as many people as Ireland, so even in markets we think we know, there is room to grow and diversify away from the main cities and established trading routes. Both these groups found their own way to us. Imagine what we would find if we went looking ourselves proactively. The difficulty, as I see it, is how we incentivise our agencies. It is always going to be easier to find the next dollar, job or company out of Texas or California, and we should keep prospecting there, but diversification means looking beyond the next dollar. This will not happen unless we give the relevant agencies the mandate and resources to do it. South Korea is the clearest example. As one of the world's 15 largest economies, it trains its biopharma workforce on the model of Ireland's National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training, NIBRT, which is based in Mount Merrion in my constituency. The Taoiseach will recall he was instrumental in bringing NIBRT about when he was Minister for enterprise in 2025. The Korean version, K-NIBRT, trained over 3,500 people there last year, all on UCD- and Irish-branded material. Every one of those newly qualified professionals working in cutting-edge industry knows and trusts Irish expertise as a result. ICON, which is headquartered in Leopardstown, helped Korea grow one of the busiest clinical trial sectors in the world. Korea has one in seven of the world's medicines in development, and they will need a home in Europe. Yet in Seoul, I found just one IDA officer and one Enterprise Ireland officer. Korea imports almost half a million tonnes of beef a year. Last year, we sold it only 358 tonnes, and the Bord Bia post remains vacant. Korea is not unique. Similar opportunity gaps exist across south-east Asia, India, the Gulf, and Latin America. Se\u00e1n Lemass opened Ireland to the world. The opportunity today to double down on this is enormous. Building up our agencies' presence in these markets is a relatively small investment for outsize returns and a stronger, more resilient economy. Will the Government act, rather than waiting, to fill those gaps?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I thank the Deputy for raising in a very informed and insightful way the issues of Ireland's global footprint, the presence of our enterprise agencies in certain key markets and the need to expand that presence in markets, particularly in countries like South Korea. I agree with the basic import and substance of what the Deputy said. We have had Global Ireland 2025, which has been particularly impactful. We have expanded our diplomatic footprint significantly by opening 27 new missions since 2018. The final two missions, the consulates general in Malaga and Melbourne, opened this year. That enabled us to take a more strategic approach to global relations, to better weather the impacts of Brexit and then to deal with the Covid pandemic and Russia's illegal war on Ukraine and so on. We also developed a more proactive team Ireland approach, reflected in the Ireland House model. That will be key. I opened a flagship of that model in Tokyo, during my visit to Japan last year. I saw what a wonderful resource that is for the country and our enterprises. We now have 20 Ireland Houses overseas and we expect this to increase to 22 by the end of 2027 or early 2028. We want to expand the model with new Ireland Houses in London, Toronto, Madrid and so forth. We also need to plan for the next strategy, to 2040. The Presidency of the EU takes up time but I want the next strategy, Global Ireland 2040, ready to be launched in the first half of next year. We need to do that and I will be working with the Department of foreign affairs and my own team to make sure it happens. The Deputy made a fair point about market diversification. The key markets have been the UK, North America, including Canada, and areas of Asia. We have good relations with China. Twenty years ago, I was on a trade mission to South Korea. I take the Deputy's point that our presence is not good enough in South Korea. Ultimately, we need an Ireland House there. Enterprise Ireland in particular needs to be there. IDA Ireland needs to have a stronger team there. A review has been completed and resources will be increased and have increased in South Korea from the IDA perspective. The Enterprise Ireland review is expected to conclude in quarter 4 of 2026. I take the Deputy's point on Bord Bia. The footprint review, aligned with the market prioritisation framework, is still under review with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Research Ireland does have dedicated overseas staff and they are not necessarily needed. South Korea is a market of growing strategic importance. The IDA has strengthened its presence in Seoul with a new chief executive in place since late last year, but we need more."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Shay Brennan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Shay-Brennan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Shay-Brennan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Shay Brennan I thank the Taoiseach for the reply. I appreciate him confirming the delivery of the Global Ireland 2040 report. An international trade and investment strategy depends on having people on the ground to deliver it. At the moment, nobody outside those agencies can really see where those people are. Will the Government publish the staffing and targets of the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and Bord Bia on a market-by-market basis every year or indeed every quarter, so that we can see whether the effort is actually following the strategy? If we are serious about new markets, we need to invest and we need to see and measure that investment. Will the Taoiseach ask those three agencies to direct their focus, sooner rather than later, on Seoul and similar markets, so that, rather than reacting to each lead as it comes in, we have the resources there to make the most of every opportunity in markets like these?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I will. They should be transparent in that regard. For example, Bord Bia has about 50 people working in offices overseas. The numbers vary, with six in China, six in France, three in Germany and four in Singapore, but, to the Deputy's point, I do not think there are any in Seoul. I was very impressed with Bord Bia in China when I visited at the beginning of the year. Irish people were communicating about Irish food products in Mandarin to Chinese media, which was very impressive. We have had a debate this morning on technology. To me, Seoul in South Korea is one of the big capitals for advanced technologies. The IDA has had some success with companies coming to Ireland to work on battery storage for supporting renewable energy. There are very important advanced technologies to be understood and to have their presence in terms of the tasks and challenges we face in technological advancement and investment in renewables."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 na Comhalta\u00ed Eile - Other Members' Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_12","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Pholasa\u00ed n\u00f3 ar Reachta\u00edocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation","counts":{"speechCount":73,"speakerCount":20},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_12","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charles Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James O'Connor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Brennan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Brennan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Brian-Brennan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Mac Lochlainn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aidan Farrelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aidan-Farrelly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aidan-Farrelly.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoghan Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I ask Members to stick to their allotted times and not to interrupt other speakers."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald I put it to the Taoiseach to again hike up toll charges on our roads is unjustified and unjustifiable. If this goes ahead in January, it will represent the sixth such hike in prices in as many years. It will happen at a time when petrol and diesel prices are very high, but also at a time when the Government is also moving to increase public transport fares for buses and trains. The average person is caught every way. For a Government that talks a lot about easing cost-of-living pressures and looking after working families, it is a joke at this stage. I want the Taoiseach to intervene to put a stop to and freeze this or for the State to intervene and cover this. It certainly should not go ahead. It is most unfair at a time when we know that individuals, families and businesses are struggling."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach It is not the Government that is doing this. There are very clear legal frameworks governing the operation of public-private partnerships, PPP, that built our motorways. That is the challenge here and it is related to the CPI inflation figure for the 12-month period to August 2026. Even Transport Infrastructure Ireland does not have the right to unilaterally change the basis on which PPP toll rates are revised."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald They were frozen before."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach There is a framework governing how the public-private partnerships-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald I know how it works."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach If the Deputy knows how it works, then she knows that I cannot intervene unilaterally."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn The M50 is not a PPP."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald I know that for ten years the Government has intervened."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle You know how this works - we do not interrupt."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Gary Gannon Yesterday, families from all over Ireland stood outside the D\u00e1il to campaign for a stronger Government response to drug-related intimidation. On the morning of that day, another family had their home petrol bombed on Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8. In the past ten months, three children have been murdered through petrol bomb attacks on their home. Countless others have been targeted with violence and more are being coerced into engaging in criminality. This is endemic across Ireland. We need a national emergency response. The DRIVE programme referenced earlier by the Taoiseach was funded last year to the tune of \u20ac340,000. We need a response that meets the scale of what is becoming a crisis, where lives are being lost."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Government has been relentless in taking on criminal gangs over many years. We have broken up many big criminal gangs here through very focused action by An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. What tends to happen is that new generations of criminals emerge and they manifest what they do differently. There is no question that this intimidation phenomenon by criminals is abhorrent and there can be no toleration of it. An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na will focus very specifically on this and on those who are committing these murders and very violent attacks and we will bring them to justice."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik This month marks 65 years since the international withdrawal of the drug thalidomide from the market, yet survivors with the Irish Thalidomide Association are forced to continue their campaign for justice. I am so disappointed to be raising this again with the Taoiseach, as I have done over many years. Finola Cassidy, the well-known campaigner on this issue, just turned 65 last week. She said her birthday wish was for the State apology to thalidomide survivors to be front-loaded. Whenever I raise this with the Taoiseach, he says that a resolution process is under way but why are survivors still contending with so many delays? Why are survivors still awaiting a promised date for a next meeting? It is simply unacceptable because, very sadly, we are learning every year of more affected people and their parents passing away, dying without ever seeing the justice they deserve. It is long past time that this 65-year-long saga came to an end. Can we see an apology for survivors and justice along the terms they have sought for so long?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach What has been sought has changed as well in respect of some legal realities governing all of this and the role of the company involved. The delays are not on our side. We have met. We have had some good productive meetings and there continues to be engagement between the legal representatives and officials in my Department, and we are seeking to get a date soon for a further meeting. I want these issues resolved as quickly as we can. It has been frustrating from my perspective that certain aspects of this have not moved on as quickly as I thought they could have."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charles Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charles Ward I am asking the Taoiseach to urgently intervene in the proposed plan for Ballyconnell Estate in Falcarragh. The proposed transfer from \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta to Donegal County Council has been under discussion since 2018. Eight years later, despite continuous efforts, the local community is still waiting. It is about much more than transferring an estate. It is about unlocking the opportunities for Falcarragh and Cloughaneely and the wider Gaeltacht community in Donegal. Ballyconnell Estate could be a countrywide facility with public access to grounds, trails and heritage. It could support tourism, recreation, employment and the retention of young people and our language. The local GAA club is hosting an all-Ireland Gaeltacht competition in 2029, an event that only comes around every 20 years or so. They need facilities and for this estate to be opened with additional spaces put in place. This event could be in jeopardy. Could the Taoiseach intervene in this and get this over the line?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I did not quite get the full title of the estate but-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charles Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charles Ward Ballyconnell."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach T\u00e1 dualgas ar an \u00fadar\u00e1s \u00e1iti\u00fail an cheist seo a r\u00e9iteach le h\u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta. N\u00edor ch\u00f3ir go mbeadh aon mhoill air seo. N\u00edl c\u00falra an sc\u00e9il agam. I do not have the full background to the case. The local authority should resolve this. My understanding is that the Deputy is saying the estate should be transferred to the local authority so that it can be developed and opened up for community endeavour and recreational amenity and as an economic asset to the area. That has happened in many other places. I recall Spike Island. On one occasion, the county manager came to me and asked me whether I could get Spike Island transferred from the Department of Justice to the county council. He did not ask for any money by the way, and all current CEOs should take note of that. He just asked if I could get him the island. Look at Spike Island today. It is a major tourism resort. That is how things get done. I will follow it up."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty The postal service is in tatters. I have heard that it is bad enough in the Taoiseach's constituency. I have heard a lot of stories recently in my constituency. One lady had no post for six weeks. Suddenly ten letters, some of which were from early September, were shoved in her mailbox. A public services card was delivered to the wrong address. This would be typed. Post did not arrive for three days and when the postperson was queried, the post was found to be in the van. I was handed a letter from a postman from another estate with a totally different name. We do have the new longer routes so a lot of staff are leaving. There is also the suggestion that parcels have been prioritised over letters. The service is not great. The Government can attach performance metrics and service retention clauses to An Post and also hold the board and CEO accountable. Will it try to do that given that An Post is autonomous but, at the same time, it should not be allowed to get away with a woeful service?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach That is not our experience. I do not think that is uniform across the country, to be fair, and I would not like to use the phrase \"in tatters\". I will certainly ask the Minister if he can get an up-to-date performance report from the CEO of An Post."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James O'Connor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy James O'Connor I raise the important issue of ambulance response times in the east Cork area. Recently, we have received information that service provision in east Cork is under-serviced. This is causing enormous stress and is a health hazard to people who live in my constituency, particularly in the east and north Cork regions. Thankfully, the Minister for Health is already aware of the issue and has given some commitment that in the near future, we may see improvements. Will the Taoiseach reiterate to the Minister and the Department my concern to ensure that we do something to improve these services for the east Cork region? Of course, traffic congestion and other issues impact the response times but people on the ground are concerned about this. They need to see better provision and we also need to see the development of a new ambulance base, alongside the new ambulance training college in Youghal, to improve the service once and for all."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I thank the Deputy for advocating on behalf of the people of east Cork. I am conscious of the progress made in terms of the training base in terms of Youghal. I will speak to the Minister about this issue. It is an issue that gets raised periodically in terms of ambulance response times and the model that is used. I will certainly reinforce the Deputy's concerns to the Minister and talk to her about them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Brennan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Brennan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Brian-Brennan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Brennan This week last year, Claire Cullen from the small village of Riverchapel just outside of Courtown was preparing for her brother's wedding in the Dominican Republic. Claire, a mother of three, was a beautiful young woman, a well-known hairdresser and a gifted artist and musician. On 7 November last year, Claire was tragically killed in a hit-and-run incident in the Dominican Republic. The driver fled the scene but later handed himself into the authorities. This horrific incident had a devastating effect on the community of Riverchapel. One year on, Claire's family is still awaiting justice. I understand we cannot interfere with the judicial process in the Dominican Republic, but I ask that the Government continue to monitor and provide full assistance to both the Cullen and O'Brien families. Her husband Ronan, her three children and her extended family deserve justice for Claire."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I thank the Deputy for raising this very sad situation. I express my sincere condolences to the husband, children, extended family and friends of Ms Claire Cullen on the tragic loss of Claire in the Dominican Republic almost one year ago. The death of a loved one is a very traumatic loss for the family and the community and when it happens far away from home, it adds another layer to the enormity of the grief of the family. I assure the Deputy that officials in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have been providing extensive consular assistance and support to Ms Cullen's family. The Embassy of Ireland in Bogot\u00e1, Colombia, is accredited to the Dominican Republic and provided extensive consular assistance in the immediate aftermath of her passing. Embassy officials and officials in the Department's consular directorate in Dublin have liaised closely with local authorities in the Dominican Republic to support the family in Claire's repatriation to Ireland. Since that period, the consular directorate has remained in regular contact. A dedicated consular officer in the Department was assigned to the case and remains available to support the Cullen family at any time."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach and Deputy Brennan might need to engage further."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I will talk to the Deputy to see if there is any more we can do."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Mac Lochlainn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Mac Lochlainn The Government needs to end the recruitment freeze in the health services in Donegal. For years, we have struggled with a lack of staff in our hospital at Letterkenny, our mental health services, our disability services and our community hospitals. We have lagged behind the rest of the country. We won a campaign last year on the surgical hub. It was based on the fact that we had been neglected for years. Just as we are starting to turn that around, this recruitment freeze has kicked in. It has to be removed. We cannot continue to allow our people to suffer in the emergency department in Letterkenny, our staff to work in horrendous conditions and our people with disabilities and those using mental health services to be failed. Will the Government remove the recruitment freeze immediately?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Staffing levels have increased very significantly across the entirety of the health service in the past number of years. Budgets have gone up very significantly. There needs to be a degree of realism about this and how we plan sustainably for the provision of our health services. There has been expansion across the board. The surgical hub was a good decision that the Minister took. The Minister listened to Fianna F\u00e1il, Fine Gael, Labour and Independent TDs. There was no campaign. The Minister was readily persuadable in respect of Letterkenny, and indeed other hospitals, because a surgical hub is a good model to try to ring-fence elective beds so that people can get their surgery done more quickly. I will ask the Minister to engage with Letterkenny with a view to seeing what can be done. The staffing has increased all round this year again very substantially."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aidan Farrelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aidan-Farrelly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aidan-Farrelly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aidan Farrelly Over 20 years ago, the Government allocated \u20ac350,000 of sports capital grant to the KDUL, the Kildare District Underage League, for grassroots football. In 2023, that was finally drawn down to develop a state-of-the-art all-weather football pitch. In that time, no KDUL league or cup match has happened on this pitch, which is fully open, because a different entity, the KDUL CLG, has full ownership of it. I do not believe this was the intended use of that sports capital fund. I raised this on the floor of the D\u00e1il last year with the Minister, who said that there was nothing to see here, that the fund had been drawn down, but we are still at a complete impasse. Will the Taoiseach ask the Minister to convene a meeting with all stakeholders? We have the KDUL, the KDUL CLG-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Who is that?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aidan Farrelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aidan-Farrelly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aidan-Farrelly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aidan Farrelly It is a private entity. It is essentially an academy football team and it has full ownership of it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach What team?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aidan Farrelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aidan-Farrelly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aidan-Farrelly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aidan Farrelly Klub Kildare."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach may respond, and he might need further engagement."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aidan Farrelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aidan-Farrelly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Aidan-Farrelly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Aidan Farrelly It is a completely different entity. This means 6,000 kids have no football."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach This is not something that should be resolved in D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann. This is crazy. I do not understand the full background to this. Obviously, someone applied who should not have applied. Is that it, or was there previously an harmonious relationship? I presume there was an harmonious relationship between the two entities when the grant was originally applied for. I will have to find out the background and will talk to the Minister. It is terrible. The kids should be playing on the pitch. We put the money in. It is taxpayers' money. It belongs to the community. That is how it should happen. We will have to watch how that model works because that cannot happen again."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach You cannot have private groups doing that. Sorry."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Here is something that can be resolved by D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann, the Taoiseach will be glad to know. At the start of the year, I raised with the Minister for justice an organisation that provides services to migrants in Meath. I asked for the results of an investigation into alleged financial irregularities. At the time, the Minister, Deputy O\u2019Callaghan, said that there was an investigation and that the Department was concerned about it, so much so that it had paused funding of the organisation. I have asked a subsequent question of the Minister, who again said he had concerns about it, but he said that funding had started. I have also asked for the publication of the investigation. Either there were financial irregularities or there were not. A report was done into it. That report should be published. The name of the organisation is Cult\u00far. Surely taxpayers have the right to know whether State funds were misused in this case. Surely there should be accountability. Will the Taoiseach confirm today that the report will be published so that people will know whether there was wrongdoing in that location?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach First, I do not have the background to that case. The Deputy mentioned an organisation called Cult\u00far. I will talk to the Minister about it, but in situations like this, one cannot just publish a report that could be subject to legal challenge or could be perceived to be defamatory such that people could take action and so on. I do not know the background to it. Obviously, the Minister, if he has expressed concern about it, did pause the funding initially. I cannot give the Deputy the reasons as to why funding might have recommenced. It may have something to do with the content of the report. I do not know. I cannot just unilaterally, without any background to this, condemn people, question them or put a cloud over their character or whatever."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn I understand. The Taoiseach can ask the Minister."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan I want to raise the serious issue of access to endometriosis care for women in the west of Ireland. I recently met Endo Ireland, which highlighted the difficulties facing women living with this debilitating condition. I welcome the Government\u2019s national endometriosis framework, which designated Galway as a regional specialist hub, but over a year later Galway still has no lead clinician and no specialist excision surgery expertise. Women are being referred to Galway, where specialist treatment is unavailable, while Dublin hospitals are reportedly refusing referrals because they fall outside their catchment areas. These women are being left in limbo, suffering chronic pain without access to treatment. Will the Taoiseach commit to an immediate referral pathway for these women, a firm timeline for the appointment of a clinical lead and the full delivery of the Galway specialist service?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I thank the Deputy for raising this very important issue. The Government and I recognise how debilitating endometriosis can be and the impact it can have on those who suffer from it. To be fair, the Minister and the Government have put a particular focus on women\u2019s healthcare over the last number of years, but particularly and more specifically in respect of endometriosis. A national funded plan to improve the care is being delivered. There is a national framework for management and so on. On the specifics in Galway, I will revert to the Minister. Regional specialist centres for moderate cases have been established in the Rotunda, the Coombe and University Hospital Limerick, and I have a note that says there are clinics under further development in University Hospital Galway and the National Maternity Hospital. We also have two supra-regional specialist centres in Tallaght and Cork University Maternity Hospital. My understanding is the funding has been allocated. I am not clear as to why the appointments have not gone ahead in Galway. I will ask the Minister if she could follow up with the HSE on that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Kyne The Government and the Oireachtas have done a lot of good and very important work on limiting the appeal, availability and use of vapes. The single-use vapes Act, which has come into law, bans the sale and distribution of disposable single-use vapes and aims to reduce environmental waste and limit access to low-cost vaping. The Public Health (Tobacco Products and Nicotine Inhaling) (Amendment) Act has banned fruit- and menthol-flavoured vape products and introduced restrictions on flavour descriptions, prohibition of display of vaping products and restrictions on their sale to under-18s. While there is a lead-in period for these Acts to come fully into force and we hope this reduces the number of vape shops, there is still a proliferation. Is the Government planning any additional changes to reduce the numbers of vapes shops on our high streets? There are some small towns with three or four vape shops, often near schools and busy roads and streets, and their visibility to young people is still there."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I accept the point the Deputy is making. I think vapes are shocking. They damage people\u2019s health and more and more research is indicating the very negative impact of vapes on young people\u2019s health and that of adults as well. We need even stronger regulation. The Deputy is correct. The Minister of State with responsibility for public health, Deputy Murnane O\u2019Connor, along with the senior Minister, has introduced these two significant measures in terms of under-18s, narrowing point-of-sale displays, tastes and flavours and so on. On the planning side, however, planning law does not distinguish between types of retail goods, so the regulation of vape sales, advertising and display rests primarily with the Minister for Health. There are retail planning guidelines. They do not allow regulation of shops by the products they sell; however, local authorities can address concentrations or impacts of particular retail uses to protect town centre vitality and visibility and ensure diverse retail offering, including litter, shopfront design and diversity of uses. There is room within those guidelines. I think we need to do more. I am talking to the Minister for housing about this. He has a lot on his plate in terms of the various planning statements his Department has to produce, but there is an issue here and many people are concerned about the proliferation of these shops."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor Sheehan Today is Groundhog Day because I am raising again the Government\u2019s failure to properly engage on the future funding of the CCTV network in Limerick. This is about the fourth time I have raised this. The shortfall is \u20ac660,000. The mayoral forum met this morning again. I know that the Taoiseach was not there, that he sent his apologies and that a number of senior Ministers attended, but the Minister for justice did not send his apologies to the mayor. A submission was made by the mayor and the council to his Department. I am trying to be constructive. Will the Taoiseach at least ensure that the Minister, Deputy O\u2019Callaghan, meets us as local Oireachtas Members, the pr\u00edomh chomhairleoir and the mayor? We need to find a solution to this other than the mayoral fund. We need the Minister to sit down with us instead of continually ignoring our concerns. If we do not find a solution to this, we risk a return to a feud in Limerick."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I thank the Deputy for raising this. In fairness to the Minister for justice, he was here in the House from 10 a.m. to 12 noon to deal with the Private Members\u2019 business, which I think people would expect in terms of accountability. The Minister for housing is more responsible for this. It comes under the aegis of the local authority in terms of CCTV, or maybe not. In early presentations, there was a reference to the local authority fund in terms of the CCTV provision in Limerick. As I said, I will talk to the Ministers involved. These issues should be resolvable, given the increased public expenditure in all Departments and, indeed, towards local authorities."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Callaghan I raise the matter of electricity supply in rural County Carlow, particularly in my home village of Kildavin. Some residents are getting increasingly frustrated by the constant interruptions to their supply. One resident recently told me that on one day in September, they lost their electricity 11 times. This is an issue affecting families, farmers, rural businesses and, in particular, people who are trying to work from home. I absolutely accept that the Government has made significant investment in improving critical infrastructure, grid infrastructure and the work of ESB Networks. When will families and households in rural areas of Ireland feel the benefit of that investment? Is there something the Government can do in the meantime, particularly given the increasing cost of electricity?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I met EirGrid recently with Government Ministers and our sense from the meeting was that resilience had improved overall this year and will continue to do so next year. I do not know whether there are issues specific to rural Carlow in terms of electricity outages, but I will communicate with ESB Networks and EirGrid about this to see what is going on in that location."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan I raise the issue of Col\u00e1iste an Phiarsaigh in Glanmire as well as other school projects, not only in Cork North-Central but across the country. The Taoiseach is familiar with the project. He attended a number of years ago the launch of the proposal for a brand new school. Unfortunately, since then, the school has been stuck in the perennial 2A, 2B log-jam. I recognise that capital spending on education has increased by about 70% since 2022 or 2023. I am not saying that significant investment has not gone in, but many projects like that of Col\u00e1iste an Phiarsaigh in Glanmire, where I live, are looking for confirmation of whether they will be part of any tranche of construction that will be launched next year. As we know, time is money. In the case of many of these capital projects, the longer we leave them on the long finger, the more likely it is that the cost will increase. It would be appreciated if the Taoiseach could bring some clarity to the situation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I thank the Deputy for raising this. He has been raising it for quite some time and there is a degree of frustration on his part and that of the school patrons and community about progressing the school to the next stage. While he is correct in saying that additional funding has been allocated to education, inflation has eaten up a significant amount of this. The cost of school projects generally has increased, per project, by significant degrees. That said, I will keep a focus on this and will engage with the Minister for education on progressing the project as quickly as possible."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Lawless Last night, Donald Trump took a hammering and the reason is that he failed to deal with the cost-of-living crisis. Ultimately, people punished the US Government when they could not pay their bills. I believe the same will happen here if the Government does not deal with the immense pressure people are under. Diesel, for example, is still over \u20ac2.10 per litre and almost 50% of that is taxation. The Government will still take in more this year than in any previous year in carbon tax and VAT. Electricity prices in this country are the highest in Europe, 40% above the EU average, yet the Commission for Regulation of Utilities, CRU, has implemented further network charges in the last number of weeks. Will the Taoiseach address the major pressure so many families are under with housing, rent and energy? It is crippling so many families."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The cost of living is a major issue facing many families and that is why we took a lot of measures in the budget, including cutting taxes, bringing in a new cost-of-disability payment, reducing childcare costs at the commencement of the new childcare year next year and strong social protection increases. All of that, and specific measures for food production, haulage and farmers, were to try to ease and alleviate the undoubted costs of energy, which are caused outside the country by the wars in Ukraine and Iran. They have raised prices dramatically. We have had two crises in the last five years with the wars in Ukraine and Iran and the closure of, and restriction of traffic through, the Strait of Hormuz. Very few governments have been in the position we have been in, to try to alleviate the pressures on the public., but they are significant. The Government cannot deal with every cost increase across the economy. What we can do is try to protect as many people as we people as we possibly can."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoghan Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoghan Kenny Last Thursday evening, I received a phone call from a family of five, including two children aged 16 and 12, who had presented as homeless to Cork County Council in Annabella, Mallow. They were told no emergency accommodation was available. The Simon Community in Cork was also full when they made the call. That night, the family of five slept in a church in Ballincollig. On Friday, they returned to Cork County Council only to be referred back to IPAS. I have seen correspondence in which IPAS directed them back to the local authority, while Cork County Council said it needed clarification from the Department of justice. They were eventually given accommodation last night, so they spent five nights sleeping in the church in Ballincollig. It is difficult to stand over a system in which a family is passed between State agencies while two children remain homeless. Will the Government review the legislation and ensure there is a clear, enforceable responsibility to provide emergency accommodation when families present as homeless?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I do not have the specific background. It is not acceptable that a family of five with two children would have to spend time in a church. I presume that if they had been moved on from an IPAS centre, it was because their residency had been confirmed or they have permission to remain in the State."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoghan Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoghan Kenny Yes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach There have been movements from IPAS centres, but they should be organised and structured better than what happened here. I take the Deputy's point. I will not say it is in any way satisfactory. It is not."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Will the Taoiseach allow people to decide on the Government's proposal to scrap the triple lock by calling an ordinary referendum on the Defence (Amendment) Bill? Why? Because it is a matter of national importance - the Taoiseach himself has said the triple lock is at the core of our neutrality - because people have voted on this in terms of the Nice and Lisbon treaties, and because Fianna F\u00e1il in government promised people that if it were to ever change the triple lock, there would be a referendum. Brian Cowen, as Minister for Foreign Affairs, in 2002 stated: The National Declaration [the civil declaration] confirms...that we will continue to take our sovereign decision...based on the triple lock guarantee of UN endorsement, Government decision and D\u00e1il approval....there will be no change to that situation unless the people first give their assent in a referendum. Will the Government hold to that commitment Fianna F\u00e1il made and allow the people to decide?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Through the referendum on the Nice treaty, we inserted in the Constitution a prohibition on Ireland joining a mutual defence pact in the European Union, so we already have a provision in the Constitution prohibiting Ireland joining any mutual defence pact, which the Deputy never references. No one on that side of the House ever references it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy That is different from the triple lock"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach It is crucial because the Deputy says we want our young people to join a European army. They cannot. We could not do it. No government could because there is a constitutional prohibition on it. The Deputy mentioned an ordinary referendum. We have never had an ordinary referendum. We only have referendums to amend the Constitution, that is, to delete something from the Constitution or to add something to it. The Deputy is endeavouring to create a new form of check or limit on the democratically elected representatives in the Parliament."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Fianna F\u00e1il promised people"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle That concludes questions. I thank the Taoiseach."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach We have a parliamentary democracy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Fianna F\u00e1il promised people."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy, please, show courtesy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Through the referendum on the Nice treaty, we inserted the strongest possible protection-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Taoiseach, your time is up. We have finished."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----against Ireland joining any mutual defence pact."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy There will be no change \"unless the people first give their assent in a referendum\"."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle That is the end of Questions on Policy or Legislation. Taoiseach, please. Do not antagonise him."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy No change. Fianna F\u00e1il promised people."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy Murphy, respect the direction of the Chair. Out of courtesy, I allowed the Deputy in even though we were over time. I might have to review that in the future."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna ar Pholasa\u00ed n\u00f3 ar Reachta\u00edocht - Questions on Policy or Legislation"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_13","debateType":"statement","bill":null,"showAs":"Post European Council Meeting: Statements","counts":{"speechCount":89,"speakerCount":17},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_13","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul McAuliffe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Natasha Newsome Drennan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Natasha-Newsome-Drennan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Natasha-Newsome-Drennan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I welcome the students of Nagle Community College to the Gallery. They are led by the school's principal, Nicholas O'Keeffe, and the son of the Chief Whip, Mary Butler, Jack Butler, who teaches there. All of the students are very welcome to D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann. The meeting of the European Council on 15 and 16 October was the first to take place during Ireland's Presidency term. It was a long meeting with a very full agenda, with leaders having discussions on a number of key Presidency policy priorities. The priorities included competitiveness, the next multi-annual financial framework, Ukraine and enlargement. Other items on the agenda included migration, European security and defence and, of course, the Middle East. I will set out the main results of the European Council meeting on competitiveness, the multi-annual financial framework, Ukraine and the Middle East. The Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, will speak later to the other issues. Leaders reviewed ongoing work to strengthen the competitiveness of the European economy against the backdrop of increased geopolitical uncertainty. I briefed colleagues on the considerable progress being made by the Irish Presidency on the implementation of the One Europe, One Market roadmap, which is the blueprint for European competitiveness, building on the Draghi and Letta reports. The targets set out in the roadmap were jointly agreed by the European Union\u2019s three institutions, the European Parliament, the Council and the European Commission. As the current holder of the Presidency of the Council, Ireland is doing all we can to meet the goals agreed in the roadmap. In this context, the European Council had a useful exchange with President Metsola of the European Parliament on the importance of continued constructive engagement by the European Parliament to advance negotiations with the Council on key files in line with the ambitious timelines in the roadmap. I also took the opportunity to highlight specific priority files where an extra political push is required. This includes finding the right balance on the Industrial Accelerator Act, where compromise will be required to reach political agreement this year. On European Union Inc., our political exchanges at this European Council set the path for the Council negotiating mandate secured by the Irish Presidency on 23 October, with significant progress there. This is a measure that will make a real and practical difference to Europe\u2019s start-up and scale-up potential. It represents a significant milestone for the Irish Presidency, and I thank our hard-working teams in Brussels and Dublin for their efforts in securing this result. As holders of the Presidency, we look forward to early progress in the European Parliament so that we can advance negotiations to conclude the file. On foot of the leaders\u2019 exchanges, we also secured agreement on an important package of measures to simplify European Union digital regulation. We now have agreement on three of the four omnibus simplification packages we are aiming to conclude this year. The discussions among leaders also helped advance the European Union\u2019s savings and investment union. The Irish Presidency has reached an important agreement with the European Parliament on measures to revive and simplify the European Union\u2019s securitisation market. At the ECOFIN Council in October, the member states reached a political agreement on the market integration and supervision package. I pay tribute to the T\u00e1naiste and his team for their hard work in delivering this important agreement. These key elements of the savings and investments union, or the securing a capital markets union, will help to create a truly single market for capital, including stronger financing for fast-growing young firms at the technological frontier. Our October meeting also included important political exchanges on the review of the emissions trade system, ETS, which will inform the ongoing work towards achieving political agreement on this difficult package at the Environment Council in December. Energy was a key focus of discussion in the broader competitiveness context and leaders underlined the critical importance of tackling high energy prices. We discussed the impact of the current geopolitical context on global supply chains, energy security and prices, including the effects on citizens, in particular the most vulnerable, industry and the wider economy. We underlined the urgent need for a co-ordinated European response, with targeted and temporary measures that reflect the specific circumstances of member states and safeguard the Single Market. The Commission\u2019s proposal to postpone the methane regulation was welcomed in that regard. Alongside immediate measures to protect households and industry, we reaffirmed that accelerating the transition to clean, homegrown energy is the most effective way to strengthen Europe\u2019s energy security and structurally lower energy prices. Our discussion on global macroeconomic imbalances at the European Council underlined that China\u2019s economic model is presenting significant challenges for Europe, including de-industrialisation. Leaders welcomed the progress made by Commissioner \u0160ef\u010dovi\u010d during the recent European Union-China trade and investment consultations in Beijing, including agreement by China on an approach to significantly moderate exports of hybrid vehicles and on ways to improve market access for European exports. It is important to acknowledge that these agreements reached with China represent the first step towards achieving rebalanced trade between China and the European Union. In parallel with the ongoing dialogue with China, there was broad support for recent Franco-German proposals that advocated swifter use of existing trade defence tools and the development of new ones to rectify structural imbalances in trade. The importance of unity on this issue cannot be overstated, and we should proceed in a manner that ensures that the European Union remains a strong, innovative economy that is competitive and open to investment, and an advocate for free and fair trade. At the October European Council, I presented the Irish Presidency\u2019s revised negotiating box on the 2028-2034 multi-annual financial framework, in other words the budget for Europe for the next seven years. This meeting marked a significant milestone and achievement by our Presidency, the delivery of a robust compromise proposal on the future European Union budget. In sharing our rationale and approach, I made clear to European Union leaders that the objective of our revision was to present a modernised and flexible budget that invests in new and emerging priorities on the one hand, while at the same time protecting treaty-based policies such as the Common Agricultural Policy, CAP. The proposal also reflects the fiscal realities that all member states face. The Irish Presidency proposal reflects an ambitious budget of \u20ac1.62 trillion, a 30% increase on the current multi-annual financial framework. Our proposal remains future-oriented, with a strong focus on competitiveness, research and innovation while reflecting a greater focus on security and defence in the context of a more uncertain world. It proposes a package of European competitiveness funds totalling more than \u20ac400 billion and the competitiveness heading overall has more than doubled compared with the current multi-annual financial framework. We have also responded to the calls of a very large number of member states that want to see national envelopes under heading 1, Cohesion and the Common Agricultural Policy, protected as part of that positive, future-focused agenda. These are valued, impactful and proven policies that can continue to support and develop our regions, our rural communities and our farmers into the future. We have also sought to ensure flexibility within national envelopes in how member states allocate this European Union funding. We have protected support for recovery and reconstruction funds for Ukraine and also humanitarian assistance for the most vulnerable. We approached our task with an open mind and not with any fixed agenda. We also listened to those member states that contribute most to the budget that the previous proposal was simply too large for our current fiscal circumstances. That is not something that can be lightly set aside if we are to reach agreement. That is why we reduced the overall volume by about 8%, or \u20ac141 billion, compared with the Commission\u2019s proposal. That should not distract us from the very real increases that are being made when compared with the current MFF. This Irish proposal is for a budget that is 30% above our current MFF and almost every programme receives an increase in our negotiating box when compared with the current situation. The revision seeks to bridge the differences between member states on volume, long-term spending priorities and how the European Union will generate its revenue. As is the nature of difficult budget negotiations, our negotiating box was never going to please everyone. However, it has been broadly welcomed by leaders as an important step in the right direction. I am confident that it has advanced discussions further on the path to agreement before the end of the year. I am particularly keen that we get agreement. It now falls to President Costa to take these negotiations forward. The Irish Presidency remains at his service to assist with this complex and challenging task. Russia\u2019s illegal war in Ukraine is deadlier for civilians today than at any point since the start of the full-scale invasion. By August 2026, more civilians were killed and injured in Ukraine than during the whole of 2025. At the European Council, leaders reaffirmed our steadfast support for Ukraine. President Zelenskyy gave an overview of the situation on the ground in Ukraine. We maintained our call for a ceasefire and for Russia to cease its aggression and engage in meaningful negotiations. We strongly condemned Russia for deliberately targeting Ukraine\u2019s civilian, energy and transport infrastructure, healthcare and education facilities. Despite all peace efforts, Russia has repeatedly shown it is intent on escalating rather than de-escalating the conflict. The Black Sea corridor remains blocked as Russian strikes target commercial shipping and weaponises food and global food security. Russia is a direct threat to the global security order beyond Ukraine, repeatedly violating member states\u2019 airspace and territorial waters. Ireland is committed to ensuring Ukraine receives the support it needs to resist Russian aggression, to strengthening pressure on Russia through European Union sanctions and to advancing Ukraine\u2019s pathway to European Union membership. The European Union\u2019s robust targeted sanctions in response to Russia\u2019s war of aggression are impacting on the Russian economy, making it harder to access battlefield foods and to pay for war. Leaders also reaffirmed the European Union\u2019s determination to take forward further measures to raise the costs to Russia, including by targeting the shadow fleet and its enablers. Ireland is working to ensure that Ukraine has access to the finance it needs to defend itself against Russia\u2019s aggression. As a Presidency, we have facilitated the disbursement of the instalments of the European Union\u2019s \u20ac90 billion support loan for Ukraine. However, Ukraine still has significant financing needs for 2027, potentially in the region of \u20ac70 billion. This is a direct result of Russia\u2019s continuing and escalating aggression. The European Union and its member states will need to rise to this challenge. Leaders will return to this issue at a special meeting of the European Council in late November. As part of the enlargement process, Ireland launched negotiations on clusters 2, 3, and 6 for Ukraine, in addition to the launch of cluster 1 earlier in the year. We are working to achieve the opening of the remaining two clusters and hope that this can achieved before the end of our Presidency. Moldova is also feeling the impact of Russia\u2019s war of aggression and its threat to the security of the entire region. The people of Moldova are suffering daily from Russia\u2019s hybrid activity. It is therefore important that the European Union also works to advance Moldova\u2019s path towards European Union membership. The European Council leaders welcomed progress made on its accession negotiations, with the opening of four of six negotiating clusters to date. The opening of all clusters is a priority of our Presidency. The European Council expressed its grave concern about the deterioration in the security situation across the Middle East and the continuing military escalation in the region. We agreed on the importance of all actors avoiding further escalation. Dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path forward. Maritime security was a particular focus. Freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea is vital for global trade and energy security. We also reiterated that Iran must never be allowed to acquire a nuclear weapon. The Council clearly condemned human rights violations in Iran and the European Union must continue to take measures targeting those responsible for these violations. On Yemen, Ireland joined the Council in strongly condemning continued Houthi military escalation, including attacks against Saudi Arabia, including civilian infrastructure, and repeated attacks on civilian shipping. Leaders discussed the deteriorating situation in Gaza and the West Bank, and again called on Israel to allow immediate, unimpeded access and sustained distribution of humanitarian assistance at scale into and throughout Gaza. We reiterated the European Union\u2019s commitment to the two-state solution. Indeed, a key focus of Ireland\u2019s Presidency of the Council is to reaffirm the European Union\u2019s commitment to a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East based on a two-state solution that guarantees the right of both Israeli and Palestinians to self-determination and to live in peace and safety within secure borders. We are now at the fifth month into Ireland\u2019s Presidency term. The October European Council meeting marked both a significant milestone with the presentation of the Irish negotiating box and a significant opportunity for progressing our other Presidency priorities. I look forward to welcoming my fellow European Union leaders to Dublin next week for an informal meeting of the European Council. This will be preceded by the European Political Community summit the day before, which will be the largest meeting of international leaders ever hosted in Ireland. I look forward to updating the House on these events and future meetings of the European Council, and on the results of the Irish Presidency as we head into the most intense and pivotal phase of our term in office."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire In the first instance and before I go into the substance of it, it is important to acknowledge that during the course of the Presidency many members of staff in the Department of foreign affairs spent a considerable amount of time organising it. We must pay tribute to the enormous initiative of those people and acknowledge that. I will begin with Palestine. I just left a meeting with Francesca Albanese, who met the foreign affairs committee yesterday, informally. She will appear before the European Union affairs committee today. The statement the Taoiseach made acknowledges it, but a great deal more is needed. The situation in Palestine remains profoundly serious both in a humanitarian and political sense. Depressingly, the recent Israeli election shows that while there are differences in policies, ultimately, both the Israeli Government and opposition are dedicated to expanding settlements and undermining the pathway to a sovereign and independent Palestinian state. That needs to remain our position. Clearly it is, but it is the way that the politics of Israel remain focused on undermining that. There is a great deal more that this State can do. There is more Europe can do. The continued existence of the EU-Israel Association Agreement is a stain on the reputation of the EU. The idea that the human rights clause could not have been invoked, dozens and perhaps hundreds of times in recent years, is absurd. The Irish Government is also at fault. It is appalling that so many licences were given for dual-use items that went on to go directly to the IDF during the height of the genocide. Products produced here in Ireland were effectively going on to assist the genocidal policies of the Israeli Government. It is shameful and wrong. Questions remain as to how that sign-off would have been given. In relation to the Middle East, I echo what the Taoiseach has said about human rights abuses with Iran. I have never felt that there is any contradiction between condemning an illegal war in Iran and the chaos that is caused in that region. It is very clear that there are human rights violations. There were executions of protestors in recent days. It must go on the record again that it is a repressive and ruthless government. Nonetheless, the war that was encouraged by the Israeli Government and supported by President Trump has caused chaos in the region. There is no disputing that. At the time, I and many others said that ultimately American workers and families would pay the price for the attacks on Iran through the impact on the cost of living. That is clearly seen in the elections yesterday. It has caused chaos throughout the world. It is important to state that we will watch in the coming days the response from the US Administration. I hope that it will not see a further escalation. I will touch on the issues in Sudan. It is too often neglected, both in these Houses and internationally. It has been a bit longer than a year since the massacre at El Fasher, with some of the worst scenes of violence that we have seen in this century. The numbers who were killed in that slaughter are not yet fully known, even at this stage, but it was certainly over 20,000 and hundreds of thousands of people were displaced. It is the most appalling humanitarian situation in the world. In this area, we have leverage and things we can do. A candidate from the United Arab Emirates is putting themselves forward for Secretary-General of the United Nations. The Irish Government must rule out support for Lana Nusseibeh. There has to be a price paid for the United Arab Emirates' complicity in the appalling slaughter we have seen. She has been part of the Emirati cover for the ongoing supply of drones, weaponry and other support for the RSF, which is responsible for these slaughters. The Government has the option of stating it will not support that candidacy and it must do so. I again condemn recent attacks on civilians in Ukraine by Vladimir Putin. It is clear the statements he is making are paying lip service to negotiations and he is not interested at this point in meaningful negotiations. Sanctions need to continue to be part of it. I have raised time and again with the Taoiseach and the Minister the need for Ireland to raise its voice. The Taoiseach referenced the energy situation. Russia continues to have significant influence because of its grasp on energy. Ireland could put forward sanctions in relation to Rosatom, the Russian atomic agency. That is a clear demand of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ireland should be more vocal in supporting that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Crowe Another European Council meeting has taken place that signally fails to grasp the geopolitical realities facing the world. While Iran is rightly criticised for its attacks in the region, the conclusions of the European Council read as though it simply launched spontaneous attacks on its neighbours. Nowhere in the conclusions is the United States or Israel criticised for starting a war that has worsened an already critical cost-of-living crisis in Ireland and across the EU. Why are we so afraid to call out the United States for its warmongering? Why does it have carte blanche to destabilise entire regions, sit back and point the finger at those it attacked? If we are too cowardly to assign blame where it belongs, how can we be surprised when the US and Israel do the same thing over and over? It is cowardly. The Iranian regime is not to be defended but if we are to have a serious conversation about peace in the Middle East, it was US and Israeli warplanes that dropped bombs on 28 February this year. That is why the Strait of Hormuz closed and why a tank of diesel suddenly costs \u20ac30 or \u20ac40 more. Now that the US Republican Party has been embarrassed in the mid-term elections, the world is holding its breath for Donald Trump's reaction. It is an irrational actor we are dealing with and we are too afraid to call it for what it is. The conclusions on Gaza similarly fail to grasp the severity of the situation. We are still urging Israel to allow humanitarian aid to reach the Palestinian people unimpeded. It is clear Israel is waiting for winter to kill those Palestinians it could not bomb. Starvation, dirty water and collapsing buildings can kill as readily as a bullet or a bomb. Diseases are rampant, especially those affecting young children, but the European Council is more concerned with Hamas's political future than children who are dying right now. I question the priorities and motives of the Council. I question its humanitarianism. In the West Bank, the Palestinian Authority is criticised for not scheduling elections as settler violence spills out of control. Again, we urge Israel not to continue to steal land in the West Bank and ethnically cleanse its rightful inhabitants. Israel must be held to account; it must be sanctioned. Israel cannot be treated with kid gloves while the crimes against humanity play out before our very eyes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathy Bennett I was very disheartened to hear the Taoiseach. He hardly mentioned the proposed cuts to CAP. What does this say for the farmers and what they face? Today is a major milestone for the Irish Presidency, said the Minister for agriculture following last week's meeting of the European agricultural council. It is a major milestone all right in that under the Irish Presidency the agricultural council has proposed dismantling CAP as we know it. The IFA is going around lobbying TDs to say this. The proposal involves scrapping the two-pillar structure and folding agricultural funding into wider national and regional partnership plans. Pillar 2 would no longer be protected by a dedicated funding structure, leaving vital rural development and environmental programmes competing for money. Farmers must be properly rewarded for being good stewards of the land. Environmental protection must go hand in hand with farm profitability and not come at the expense of it or of regional development. What has the Minister of State, Deputy Byrne, done to secure this for Irish farmers? What will he do in the fight for them? We want to hear about it. Is the Commission proposal of a 20% to 25% CAP budget cut still on the table? The Government, Minister of State and Taoiseach should not stand for this. If a cut to our farmers of one quarter, or even one fifth, is coming, this will not work for our farmers. The Government cannot sign off on any European budget which contains a single euro less for our farmers. According to analysis by farming organisations in my constituency of Cavan-Monaghan, these cuts would reduce family farm incomes by \u20ac2,100 to \u20ac2,300. Our rural communities and family farms cannot be left paying the price for a weakened CAP. We need the Minister of State to stand up. They cannot afford a weak Government advocating for them. Now is the time to fight and I ask the Minister of State to do that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan I appreciate the chance to share a few thoughts I have following the European Council meeting. Primarily, credit is due to the Taoiseach, the Minister of State and the team across government for steering our Presidency of the EU. In a world that feels increasingly turbulent, Ireland is not just sitting at the table making up the numbers. We are helping to set the agenda and that is really important. We come from an island on the western edge of the Continent and it matters that we have our voice heard and can enact change. EU membership has shaped a modern Ireland. It built our economy, opened doors for generations of young people, backed our family farms and gave homegrown businesses the muscle to trade globally, yet we all know the Union cannot rest on past achievements. The playbook that brought us stability over the past 50 years will not automatically guarantee it for the next 50. That is why the focus on competitiveness, energy costs and a working Single Market hits the right note. Wearing my hat as Fianna F\u00e1il spokesperson on enterprise and the circular economy, I want to talk straight about what competitiveness looks like on the ground. In Brussels, people talk endlessly about directives, frameworks, roadmaps and benchmarks, but drive through Athenry, Tuam, Gort or Loughrea and ask a shopkeeper or engineering firm owner what competitiveness means. It means opening an electricity bill without dread, finding and keeping decent staff and spending Friday evening running your business or with your family instead of drowning in compliance forms and box-ticking. Ultimately, it is about whether the doors stay open on Monday morning. If we want businesses across Europe to thrive, we have to stop tying their hands behind their backs. Progress on initiatives such as the One Europe, One Market roadmap, the EU Inc. model and the savings and investments union is welcome, if it allows Irish firms to scale without hitting an artificial wall or having to flee across the Atlantic for capital. We need a bonfire of red tape. Every duplicated declaration, unnecessary audit and overlapping rule drains energy from enterprise. Cutting back on administrative friction is not an ideological debate; it is simply common sense. One practical example is the packaging and waste regulations. In Galway East there is a small business called Mishn\u00f3c that makes the most beautiful leather goods. As there is no one-stop shop for European waste and packaging regulations, it would have to independently go throughout member states to find a company to deal with it. That administrative burden is massive. The one-stop shop for VAT has worked so well and we need to see that rolled out for the waste regulations. Mishn\u00f3c has essentially stopped selling into all the other European districts because of this and it has hampered its ability heading into the Christmas season. In terms of energy, the Council was right to highlight how war and global instability have wreaked havoc on power prices. Nowhere is the pain felt more acutely than right here. Energy is not just an abstract line item for businesses; it is something that hits every home, business and department. The energy bill is loud and present. It has to be dealt with systemically. For a manufacturing organisation in Galway, it is the difference between hiring five more people or shelving an expansion. For a family in a rural parish, it dictates what is left in the bank account come the third week of the month or for farmers, it is a crushing overhead eating away at already razor-thin margins. A long-term pivot away from unsustainable fossil fuel imports makes strategic sense but let us be clear - the green transition cannot become a luxury tax on ordinary people. We need renewables, a modern grid and storage capacity but communities will rightly push back against massive infrastructural upheaval if all they see at the end of it is higher standing charges or dearer bills. The public has to feel the dividend in their pockets, plain and simple. The regulations have to be up to date for the technology and scale of the proposals we are dealing with. I raised that with the Minister of State during Topical Issue Matters around wind energy guidelines. On agriculture, discussions around the post-2027 CAP framework are critical. I grew up on a farm in County Galway. I am a member of Macra na Feirme. I do not need a briefing document to explain to me how vital CAP is to rural communities. It is not a handout. It is an economic bedrock that keeps schools open, local shops trading, adds high-quality food to our tables and ensures there is resilience in our country for our own food supply and in our rural economies. The Government's fright to ring-fence CAP and cohesion funds in the multi-annual budget has my full backing but the money alone will not fix what is broken if the schemes continue to remain an administrative nightmare. Farmers want to be out in the yard and in the sheds. They do not want to be sitting under fluorescent lights trying to decipher bureaucratic jargon or upload endless geotagged photos of progress on the farm. This is not what they wanted to be a part of or what they signed up to. They need to be given their time back so they can do what they do best, which is keep the farm going. The Council once again confronted brutal international realities. The ongoing devastation in Ukraine is a grim reminder that peace and sovereign borders can never be taken for granted. Europe must stand firm behind Ukraine's right to defend its territory and secure a durable and just peace. Equally, the catastrophe unfolding across Gaza and the West Bank demands unyielding moral clarity. Ireland has always been respected because we call things as they are. We must keep pressing for full compliance with international humanitarian law, unimpeded aid delivery, the release of hostages, an immediate halt to civilian bloodshed and a viable political path to a two-state solution. Pushing for that is what will define who we are. Next week, when European leaders gather in Dublin for the EPC summit and the informal Council meeting, it will be a proud moment for our diplomatic standing. However, the measure of our Presidency will not be recorded by group photos or standing on the steps of Dublin Castle. It will be judged by whether apprentices across Europe can afford an apartment, a small manufacturer can keep employing more people, delivering more in their own communities and keep trading better. It will matter when a farmer working seven days a week can get a fair wage for the work they do and the next generation feels Ireland and Europe offer them a future worth staying for."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy It is time we had a serious and honest discussion about the direction in which the European Union is heading. There is clearly a growing drift towards militarisation and the centralisation of power, a growing democratic deficit and overreach by EU bureaucrats and unelected officials. These are all the things we warned about during the Nice and Lisbon treaty referendums. which Fianna F\u00e1il, Fine Gael and the Labour Party told us at the time would not happen. We now see that EU funds are moving away from cohesion funding, CAP and regional development funding towards greater military spending. That is a very worrying signal in respect of the EU's direction. Under the proposals brought forward by Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael, Ireland is expected to pay more into an EU budget but get less back on the most important programmes such as CAP. Instead, EU funds will benefit EU arms companies and a militarisation that does not have the support of the Irish people. That runs contrary to Ireland's tradition of military neutrality, a position that has allowed us to pursue an independent foreign policy, stand up for international law and contribute positively to peacekeeping and conflict resolution. The Government's decision to dismantle the triple lock cannot be viewed in isolation from all of that because it comes alongside deeper involvement in EU military structures and an increasing focus across Europe on rearmament. At a time when the EU is prioritising military expenditure, Ireland should be at the forefront of defending our independent voice, not weakening the safeguards that have protected our neutrality for decades. Sinn F\u00e9in and communities all over Ireland will resist any attempt to undermine Ireland's military neutrality. We will ensure the demand for a referendum. If the Government is confident about dismantling the triple lock neutrality protection, then it should be confident enough to put it to the people. We will continue to demand that it does so. Next week, as Ministers will dine and wine with members of the European Political Community, it now appears likely that our SNAs, nurses and care workers will be on the picket lines once again. They are just asking for a fair wage and for Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael to recognise the financial pressures ordinary workers and families are under. The tone-deaf approach of this Government is galling. It is forcing vital workers to the picket lines but the bankers, developers and vulture funds have never had to strike for sweetheart deals. The head of Dublin Airport did not have to strike for the Government to give him a pay hike of \u20ac95,000, nor did the head of Uisce \u00c9ireann for approval of a \u20ac118,000 annual increase. The head of the ESB did not have to strike for \u20ac92,000 extra, neither did Iarnr\u00f3d \u00c9ireann's for \u20ac75,000 extra nor the head of the National Stud for a \u20ac60,000 pay rise. All were gifted by Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael. It is very easy to see whose side this Government is on. The Irish people are clearly on the side of our SNAs, nurses and other public service workers. We will stand if we have to alongside our striking workers next week until the Government sees and realises the real struggles workers and families are living under."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik October's EU Council meeting came at the midway point of Ireland's Presidency. In May and June, while dotting the i's and crossing the t's on plans for the Presidency, the Government might have thought of the public sector workers servicing these events and keeping the country running. Instead, it let the public service pay agreement lapse for the first time in decades. After months of delay and insulting low-ball offers, the Government is now set to host a crucial meeting of the European Political Community next week in the midst of yet more strike action, potentially, unless a resolution is reached at the eleventh hour. That failure delay lies squarely at the feet of the Taoiseach and Government Ministers. European leaders may fly here next week only to be greeted by picket lines of workers asking the Government for a fair deal. The October Council meeting we are here to discuss was a mixed bag. I welcome the Taoiseach's speech in which he emphasised the focus upon Ukraine, ensuring effective sanctions against Russia and the fast-tracking of Ukraine's accession to the EU. In the Labour Party, we very much welcome all of those things but I ask that the Minister of State convey to the Taoiseach our ongoing concerns about the issue of Aughinish Alumina. It is unconscionable that any exports from Ireland would feed Putin's brutal war machine particularly now as we see the people of Ukraine, civilians and children, under an ongoing onslaught from Putin. I ask that the Minister of State bring that issue in particular back to the Taoiseach. Speaking of effective sanctions, clearly, on the Israel-Palestine issue we need to see more effective sanctions against Israel. The EU is undermining its own mission as a peace project while we still see trade ongoing with Israel. While the eventual passage of the weakened occupied territories Bill was a late but welcome step, the trade Ireland and other EU countries does with illegal settlements is peanuts compared with the value of the EU-Israel Association Agreement. It is a stain on the EU that that agreement remains in place. Will the Minister of State ask the Taoiseach to update us on whether he took the opportunity at the European Council meeting in October, given that Ireland holds the Presidency, to make a clear case for ending the agreement, for ensuring it should no longer stand, and to work with like-minded countries to build a coalition against the association agreement to ensure that effective EU pressure would be brought to bear on Israel's genocidal regime? In his speech the Taoiseach also referenced the climate crisis and the climate catastrophe, but in reality it received only lip service in the read-out of the Council meeting. This is an existential crisis. It necessitates urgent action and co-operation across member states. We welcome the Commission's recent proposal for an EU climate resilience law, but we need to do much more to deal with the climate transition and energy crisis double whammy. Will the Minister of State ask the Taoiseach if he ensured discussion of the proposal from the S and D group in the European Parliament for a temporary energy emergency regulatory tool aimed at fast-tracking the rapid roll-out of renewables? As the Labour Party has said many times in this House, renewable energy is not just about climate protection; it is also about energy security and ensuring better cost-of-living measures. We have seen socialist governments in Spain accelerating the roll-out of renewables, bringing down energy costs for struggling households. Will the Government ensure the renewable energy transition is top of the agenda for the remainder of Ireland's Presidency? Another issue that needs to be prioritised in the Presidency is housing. It was notably absent from the post-meeting read-out. Again, this is a real concern for the Labour Party. It is a pan-European problem. The work of our MEP, Aodh\u00e1n \u00d3 R\u00edord\u00e1in, through the S and D group, has shown what is possible through EU structures. Aodh\u00e1n \u00d3 R\u00edord\u00e1in made it clear in his election in 2024 that housing was his number one priority. We saw, thanks to the S and D group, as the Minister of State will know, the establishment of the Parliament's first housing committee last year and the appointment of Dan J\u00f8rgensen as housing Commissioner. Young people across the EU are stuck in their childhood bedrooms, locked out of any aspirations to home ownership or even to renting their own home. Next week, the Minister of State and the Taoiseach will be welcoming leaders of every member state to a city with more than 12,000 people in emergency accommodation and homelessness. While clearly Ireland has squandered the opportunity of this Presidency to date to push for EU action on housing, will the Minister of State ask the Taoiseach to ensure investment in social and affordable housing will be at the heart of the next multi-annual financial framework and at EU budgetary level? I am aware the Taoiseach focused on that in his speech. Before I finish, I will speak briefly about workers' rights. It is concerning, in a country with some of weakest collective bargaining rights in Europe, to see so little emphasis on workers' rights and the use of the EU buzzword \"competitiveness\" often being used now to suppress the protection of workers' rights. That is a real concern for the Labour Party, the party of European Socialists, of which we are a member, and the S and D group. Will the Minister of State ask the Taoiseach how he is going to stand over the Irish Government's lack of action on workers' rights, particularly when we are likely to see strike action and people on the picket line because of the Government's failure to agree a public sector pay deal next week?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Keira Keogh I welcome the opportunity to contribute following the European Council meeting of 15 and 16 October, particularly as Ireland continues its Presidency of the Council of the European Union. I will focus on three areas today, namely, the future of rural communities and farming, children's online safety and Europe's responsibilities in international development. I will begin with rural Ireland and the future of CAP. As a TD representing Mayo, I know just how important European investment is to our rural communities. I think of programmes such as LEADER. We have so many projects in Mayo run under LEADER. I think of the South West Mayo Development Company, which recently completed a project, Cabots Cookery School, that has completely reinvigorated a rural area. These projects, which are vital in Mayo and rural communities, are investing directly in communities and allowing local people to identify their own priorities. As our negotiations continue on the next European budget, it is essential that rural development remains a priority. I particularly welcome the hard work and progress being made by the Minister for agriculture, Deputy Heydon. He secured agreement on the Council's partial negotiating position for the Common Agricultural Policy on 26 October. He is over his brief, is having regular engagements with the Irish Farmers Association, IFA, the Irish Natura and Hill Farmers Association, INHFA, and other interested parties and I know he understands the realities facing Irish farmers on the ground. We know the upcoming changes to CAP are causing huge concerns. We know there is a proposed reduction in expenditure, but I have every confidence that our Minister will fight tirelessly to support the best possible CAP agreement for farmers. This agreement represents important progress recently, but we know that financial negotiations are far from concluded. I recently met representatives of the IFA in Mayo and I acknowledge the constructive engagement we had and the very real concerns they raised. The figures they presented to me are deeply concerning. According to their analysis, Mayo farmers could face a cumulative loss of \u20ac131.1 million over the next CAP period under one proposed payment scenario. This rises to \u20ac219.4 million under a lower payment scenario. These potential reductions are highly concerning. The IFA is calling for an increased CAP budget, proper recognition of active farmers, simpler regulations and appropriate transition arrangements. These are concerns that deserve to be heard. I strongly support the Minister's efforts to secure a properly funded CAP that protects farm incomes and the future of rural communities. Second, on children's online safety, I am chair of the Joint Committee on Children and Equality in the Oireachtas. We recently launched our online safety report with a focus on well-being. In this regard, I welcome the European Council's conclusions on protecting children online. We are looking forward to the EU KIDS Act being examined fully and the proposals concerning a minimum age for social media access being expanded further. We have 45 recommendations in our report and we look forward to them being considered when the EU KIDS Act is transposed into national law. One of the strongest messages from our work is that responsibility for protecting children cannot simply be placed on parents or schools. Platforms must be designed with children's safety and well-being in mind from the outset. Christmas is coming and people will go to the shops to buy toys. When we go into a shop we can see a stamp on a toy to show that it is safe and we are then happy to give it to our nieces and nephews or our children. Yet, we have our children on platforms that are designed, or look like they are designed, for their age but carry huge risks. Safety by design must be built in from the beginning. With that, considerable importance must be placed on hearing directly from children and young people. At two meetings of our committee, we spoke directly to young people. That is important under Article 12 of United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The children talked to us about how much they use the online world for learning, communicating and creating. We have to get the balance right between children's right to privacy and right to safety but also their right to connection, creativity and learning. Ireland has an important opportunity during this EU Presidency to advance meaningful European action on age assurance, platform accountability and harmful design features. We must ensure that children's rights, safety and well-being are central to the development of a European digital policy. Finally, I will address international development and official development assistance. Last week, I travelled to Ethiopia, with two of the Members in the Chamber, on a cross-party visit that focused on maternal and child health and nutrition. It was a very inspiring but deeply sobering visit. Ethiopia is a country with enormous potential, but one facing serious challenges arising from conflict, displacement, food insecurity and climate shocks. Having spent almost two decades working in childhood development, I know the importance of the first 1,000 days of a child's life, from pregnancy to the age of two. Adequate nutrition during this period is fundamental to healthy physical growth and brain development. Supporting children's nutrition is about much more than providing food, however. It requires access to healthcare, clean water, maternal health services and functioning community support systems. What stuck me was the importance of co-ordination between communities, healthcare workers, governments and international partners. While we were there, we saw absolutely amazing work being done in advancing the digital agenda. We visited a neonatal intensive care unit where there were not enough ultrasounds or tracing machines for the babies but it had already transitioned to paperless data and that data was fed back in at the national level. We also heard how data is being used in refugee camps to give real-time data on available stocks, but then, quite starkly, one can visit a primary care centre where a mother may have walked two hours to get some nutrients and which has no clean water or there is a lack of gloves. There was a stark contrast between some of the aims they had and some of the realities on the ground. This brings me back to the European Council's discussion on the next multi-annual financial framework. The European Union, and Ireland more specifically, have a long-standing development partnership with Ethiopia. That partnership supports longer term development, including in areas like agriculture, renewable energy, healthcare and education. These investments matter because humanitarian assistance and long-term development must go hand in hand. We cannot expect a child to thrive without access to basic services and we cannot build sustainable development without peace and stability. As Europe negotiates its next seven-year budget, there will understandably be competing demands. We must invest in our own security, our competitiveness, agriculture and rural communities, but I do not believe that investing in Europe's future and investing in the well-being of vulnerable children elsewhere in the world are mutually exclusive. Development co-operation is also an investment in peace, stability and opportunity. I therefore ask the Government how Ireland intends to ensure that poverty reduction, maternal and child nutrition and humanitarian assistance remain priorities for us in these negotiations. How can we strengthen our co-operation between the EU, Irish Aid, UNICEF and other partner organisations to ensure that funding delivers measurable and lasting improvements? I returned from Ethiopia with an even greater appreciation of the importance of this work, and of UNICEF and our embassy on the ground. Ultimately, Europe's success must be measured not only by its economic strength but also by the difference it makes to people's lives both within Europe and beyond."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Gould Yesterday there was an announcement by the Minister for justice, Deputy Jim O'Callaghan, and the Irish Prison Service that they recognise the importance of the old Cork detention barracks, or the old Cork prison, as it is called. People like Thomas Kent were imprisoned, executed and buried there. Terence MacSwiney started his hunger strike there, and many other republicans, not only Cork republicans but also nationalist republicans, were imprisoned there. The Minister has recognised that there is historical value in that building after Cork City Council voted to preserve it and to have it enshrined that it be protected. The Minister, however, has now come out in favour not of totally demolishing the prison but of the majority of it being demolished, with some parts of it being kept because of their historical value. Those parts, however, will be locked behind the new prison walls of the two new prisons being built, so people in Cork or anywhere else who want to visit this site of republican history will be barred by large prison walls and a Government that does not care about our history and our republican heroes but instead only pays lip service to them. I ask the Minister of State to take that to the Minister. To give the Minister of State an idea, at the European Council, Pedro S\u00e1nchez might tell him about the regret Spain feels following the demolition of Carabanchel Prison in Madrid, or perhaps the Minister of State's Polish counterparts could fill him in on Pawiak Prison in Warsaw, what that means to Polish people now and how much they regret decisions they made. I ask the Minister of State to take that on board and reach out to his European colleagues and ask them about that. Another issue I want to raise is the huge issue with Cork city's active travel scheme and the traffic in Cork at the moment. The Government is trying to encourage people to get out of their cars and get the cars off the road, but what we have is a bus service that does not arrive on time, one that is delayed and that does not work. At the same time, we have no light rail, we have cycle lanes that go nowhere and end abruptly, and there is no alternative for people. People therefore have to get in their cars, and now they are being stuck in them for hours. There is absolute gridlock in Cork in the mornings and evenings. What we need is a dependable bus service. Can we look at putting emergency park-and-ride facilities in GAA clubs and other sporting organisations' car parks to get people off the road? We have targets to meet, emission targets in relation to global warming and energy, and at the same time we are driving more and more cars down the road. I will leave the Minister of State with two things. A man contacted me who had - the Minister of State is kind of shaking his head-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne It is just that this was not raised at the European Council."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Gould Do you know what it means? You are not reaching your targets in relation to emissions, getting cars off the road or global warming. You are driving more and more people into their cars. That creates gridlock, so if you want to know what it means, it is that you are not doing your job here because you are going off to Europe, where you can be the good boy over there, saying, \"Oh, we are doing all this.\""},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Thank you, Deputy. I call Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Gould No. The Minister of State asked me a question and I answered him. I will give this example."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Your time is up, Deputy, and you are starting to eat into other people's time."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Gould It took a man two hours and 45 minutes to travel from the northside-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) I call Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Gould -----to get to Ballincollig for a job interview and he missed the interview by 45 minutes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Deputy, you will respect the Acting Chair."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Gould You might ask what that has to do with Europe. If you were doing your job, it would have something to do with it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Go raibh maith agat. I call Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett When European leaders come here on 12 November, they should consider that the US voters have just rejected Trump's agenda of warmongering against Iran and complicity with Israel's genocide against the Palestinian people and the cost that all of that has had for ordinary people in America, who are hammered with the cost of living. When the American people are rejecting Trump's warmongering and complicity with Israel, the European leaders coming to Dublin on Thursday week are embracing that agenda - to discuss the plan of Europe to double arms expenditure and continue its complicity with the Israeli regime while it commits an ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people. That is what the Irish Government is planning to do: trash our triple lock, trash our neutrality and join European leaders who, at the bidding of Donald Trump, want to double the European arms budget from \u20ac400 billion to \u20ac800 billion and continue trade with the Israeli regime while it massacres Palestinian people, continues the campaign of ethnic cleansing and continues the regime of apartheid. Europe is the biggest trading partner for the Israeli regime, and Ireland is the biggest trading partner in Europe with the Israeli regime that continues that genocide. Then the Government prattles on about a two-state solution, which is a dangerous alibi when the Israeli elections make it clear that there is no political party in the Israeli regime interested in peace or justice for the Palestinian people. They all want to just continue with the genocide and the ethnic cleansing. The Irish Government, however, pretends as if the Israeli regime is a normal one. It does billions' worth of trade with it and it allows Europe to sell weapons to it as it massacres Palestinians. Now the Irish Government wants to extend that logic to hundreds of billions more being spent on weapons and arms while there is no money for workers, who are going out on strike, while there is no money in Spain for housing, and while there is no money for education so that French students have to come out on the streets. Working people are paying for the warmongering and the complicity with genocide. We will protest next Thursday week, marching to the convention centre to say no to war and genocide in Europe."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy It is, incredibly, almost five years since Putin invaded Ukraine. The death toll is utterly horrifying, running into the hundreds of thousands of people. However, we cannot close our eyes to the abuses of human rights that are taking place in Ukraine. The Government should not continue to close its eyes. When President Zelenskyy is here in Dublin in a couple of weeks' time, the Minister of State needs to ask him about the policies of internment and forcible conscription into the Ukrainian army that have been rolled out across Ukraine. People are being taken off the streets in unmarked vans to enlistment centres if they cannot produce the right exemption documents in a policy known as busification. Those conscripted have been reported to be injured by the officers enforcing this practice. One man, Andrii Dombrovskyi, who is 26 years old, reported having his leg broken during detainment. This is conscription for the working class, for ordinary people; it is not for the rich because the rich can bribe their way out of conscription. We cannot ignore this. The Minister of State needs to call out the abuses of human rights. The other thing, though, is that the Irish Government needs to not be complicit in these abuses of human rights because right now Ukrainians are suffering under the new temporary protection rules, which require proof of military exemption in order to be able to get temporary protection in the European Union. Ukrainians who do not have it are forced back into a war that they do not support and that they do not want to fight in. The Irish Government is currently complicit by sending back people who have come here seeking refuge, saying they do not want to fight. If they do not have the military exemption documents, they are sent back by the Irish Government to fight. It flies in the face of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, which says that refugees cannot be returned to a country in which they are likely to face a threat to their life. Hungary has opted out of these new rules. The Irish Government should as well. We should also be counting the years Ukrainians have been here under temporary protection towards naturalisation. There is no reason for these people to be denied citizenship while under this protection."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul McAuliffe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul McAuliffe I welcome the opportunity to contribute to these post-European Council statements. I welcome the fact that it is a standing item. It gives us, as TDs, the opportunity to contribute to the debate, albeit after the discussion, in the hope that it sticks in the minds of the Minister of State and other Ministers as they participate in other meetings of the European Council. I also note the event that is going to take place on Thursday week with a very significant presence from European leaders, that is, the meeting of the European Political Community. It is an important opportunity to discuss many of the issues facing the Continent at the moment. None of them are simple. They are complex. It is often forgotten in this country that there are many different views on all of these issues. Countries that are in closer proximity to threats that Ireland is not exposed to may understandably have very different approaches. It is the sovereign decision of the Irish people to participate in a Union that features all of that complexity. In joining the European Union, one of the things we joined was the complexity of the Continent. It has been complex for hundreds of years. It is about trying to navigate those differences and the different agendas different countries have. Having said that, I would like the most recent meeting of the European Council to have said more with regard to the situation in Gaza. The ceasefire, if it can be called a ceasefire, has provided some breathing room but there has not been enough progress on any side. The Palestinian election has been deferred. The Israeli election has taken place but we do not yet know what the outcome will be. Europe has a role. This House has said that. In calling for a review of the European trade agreement, the Taoiseach has also said it. Europe can do more with regard to the conflict in the Middle East. I would like to have seen some of that in the European Council's statement. I also want to see more on the implementation of a single market for financial services and financial products. I will go on to talk about the different freedoms we have in the EU in a moment but, alongside the free movement of people, the free movement of goods and capital is a cornerstone of what the European Union actually means. My inability, as a consumer in the European Union, to procure a mortgage, an insurance product or another financial product from any EU member state is a restriction. It is a failure of the European Union as a whole to grasp some of these issues, which I agree are very thorny, to deliver a single market for financial products. I know some steps have been taken with regard to regulatory oversight and so on but this is something that would really give consumers value. I accept that we also want to protect consumers but this would give consumers value. It is an example of how we have to move more. We have been able to do it in many other spaces, such as telecommunications and data roaming across the EU. All of these things have given benefits to consumers. It is important that we get the single market for financial products across the line. I urge the Government to do what it can within the remaining period of the Presidency. I understand that the EU budget is probably the biggest issue facing the Union. From my observations, it appears that Ireland is not taking the easy answer of just passing it on to the next holder of the Presidency. We are doing our very best to find a solution. I know the Government is respected for its ability to bring different countries together. Along with some of my colleagues, I recently had the opportunity to travel to Westminster to meet with some of the political parties in the UK. I also had some engagements in Belfast as part of an event at Stormont. There is definitely a change in the debate on Britain's role with the European Union. That is welcome. As somebody who really regretted Britain leaving the EU, it is welcome to see that it wants a greater and deeper connection with the EU. I also note Ursula von der Leyen's offer for Canada to become an associate member. I know that Britain and Canada are in different positions, with one being on the European Continent and one not, meaning that one is eligible for membership and the other not, but we have to be very careful about what European Union membership means, particularly in the context of British politicians considering this matter. The four freedoms of the EU exist for a very valid reason. The social justice check on the free movement of capital and goods is the free movement of people. If you allow capital and goods to be traded, they will be attracted to different centres around Europe. You have to allow Europe's population to avail of the benefits wherever those benefits arise. I would hate to see any dilution of that social justice check on the free movement of capital. The European Union is not just a financial or economic arrangement. It is an arrangement for the people of Europe and it must be of benefit to them. The Irish Government should protect that free movement within the European Union at all costs. We should not allow others to cherry-pick the benefits of membership, whether they are associate members or have a new relationship with the Union. It is not about being inhospitable or not seeing the benefit of common agreement on things. However, the European Union means something and we should protect that. That leads on to the matter of the candidate countries. I know there will be moves during our Presidency with regard to Montenegro and other countries. There is sometimes a rush to push for EU membership. In some ways, I am glad that it takes so long to become an EU member country. It should. There should be alignment, constraints and minimum standards to be reached in order to become an EU member. That applies to Ukraine as much as to any other country. The aspiration of EU membership should be there but I caution against having any sort of fast-track mechanism. I do not think anyone would argue that Montenegro has been on a fast track."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Ukraine is."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul McAuliffe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Paul-McAuliffe.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul McAuliffe If I may make my point without interruption, I would argue that what is valuable about Europe and what is important to it should be criteria for all member countries. As I have said, the aspiration of membership, association with the European Union and sharing our values are all important but, if the European Union is to mean something, we need to protect those freedoms that are so important. We also need to protect the process by which countries become members of the European Union."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Natasha Newsome Drennan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Natasha-Newsome-Drennan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Natasha-Newsome-Drennan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan We are at a time of great uncertainty across the globe. The actions of the United States are having a devastating impact on our economy. It continues to pursue its policy of endless wars in the Middle East and ordinary workers across Ireland and the EU are forced to pay the price. Where is the strong leadership from the European Commission to stand up to this bully and say that enough is enough? Other world leaders have shown leadership but the EU, along with Ireland, continues to approach the United States with cap in hand. As I have said, we are in deeply uncertain times. This is a time when we should be increasing supports for domestic producers rather than increasing our outsourcing of food production to third countries that are beyond our control. Food security is fundamental to a strong and secure state. At present, we import 85% of our fruit and vegetables. I was recently at the launch of Talamh Beo's policy proposal for basic income supports for local food producers. This group has shown that we have enormous potential in this area. In the same year in which the Irish taxpayer is spending upwards of \u20ac300 million so that the Government can wine and dine EU officials as part of the EU Presidency, our farmers and primary producers are being told that a 24% reduction in the CAP looks likely. Our farmers are already struggling, and the EU now wants to drive that blade further in. Farming in Ireland and across the EU can be viewed as just an expense or just another business because unlike other businesses, when a farm ceases or goes under, it is not just layoffs. It is empty shelves and a generational loss of knowledge. I have to question how the European Commission sets its priorities, driving up military spending while stripping the spend on food and agriculture. The Minister of State should have a look at China, a state three times the size of the EU in almost every respect from population to landmass. It spends far less than the EU on its military budget. Rather than wasting endless money on weapons, China is driving forward investment in food production and food security, and as China has overtaken the EU on almost every front from research and innovation to manufacturing, maybe it is time that the EU stopped following the United States in its blind policy of weaponising and stockpiling and started looking at China's policies in investing in agriculture. Where has the Government's voice been in advocating for an increased CAP and in stopping the stripping of CAP to boost the military industry? Every \u20ac1 of Common Agricultural Policy funding spent in Ireland generates \u20ac1.44 of economic output back into the wider rural economy. This money does not just stop at the farm gate. The funds immediately circulate through secondary rural businesses. Unlike some of the Fine Gael members who said here today that they have faith in the Minister for agriculture, and that we will see a better deal, I unfortunately do not have that same faith."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne China has 2 million soldiers. Is that what the Deputy is talking about?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins The Minister of State should not say anything. He sold us out with the triple lock, so we will not go down that road right now. The European Council has acknowledged the problem of soaring energy prices and has asked the Commission to examine further measures-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Natasha Newsome Drennan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Natasha-Newsome-Drennan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Natasha-Newsome-Drennan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan This is agriculture."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins -----but the reality is that people in Ireland cannot heat their homes, fill their tanks or pay their electricity bill. European statements and reports require real action. The figures tell a very worrying story. According to the CSO, diesel was averaging \u20ac2.06 per litre in September. Petrol stood at \u20ac1.96 per litre. Diesel prices have increased by 22% in just 12 months, while petrol is up 14%. For somebody filling the standard 60 litre diesel tank, it now costs \u20ac123.60 . That may not mean much to people living in cities with public transport options but in rural Ireland and places like west Cork, a car is not a luxury. It is a necessity for getting to work, school medical appointments and everyday services. The Central Statistics Office, CSO, reports that heating oil prices increased by a staggering 58.6% over the past year and the Government's budget threw people \u20ac40; my God. Many households have no realistic alternative to oil heating. Older people, families and those on fixed incomes are facing enormous pressure to simply keep their homes warm. However, the most alarming figure of all is perhaps electricity. Eurostat's latest figures show that Ireland now has the highest household electricity prices in the European Union. Irish households are paying on average 39 cent per KWh which is almost 40% higher than the European average of 28 cent per KWh. To put that into perspective, a household using 4,200 KWh a year pays roughly \u20ac462 more than the average household across Europe. At a time when households are paying some of the highest electricity bills in Europe, the chief executive of the ESB was awarded by the Government - it patted him on the back - with an increase of \u20ac91,917 to bring his annual salary to \u20ac410,000. It is astonishing. The Government is so out of touch. People trying to pay their energy bills will find it very difficult to understand that decision, and what is the Government's answer in the budget? It came forward with a very good idea of grants worth \u20ac9,000 for solar and batteries. We now find, although the Minister of State has no interest in what I am saying and there is nothing new there, that people in social or council housing will be unable to get that grant. People in community houses will also be unable to get that grant. It is the same as the targeted agriculture modernisation schemes grant for farmers in relation to solar. One hundred will apply, four or five will get it, and the rest will not. However, the Government will put out a glossy story that it is going to be a big give away. This is an outrageous attack on ordinary people in social housing. At a time when families are already struggling with mortgages, rents, insurance and every day living costs, that is simply not acceptable. These costs are also hitting key sectors of the economy such as our fishing fleet. The Minister of State is out in Europe long enough to bring something home to the fishermen in this country. The Government has walked away from the Rockall situation because it is cowardly. It will take on the real factions out there. I know of a fisherman - I have already brought it up in the D\u00e1il but it is falling on deaf ears - who paid \u20ac22,850 last week to be out fishing for five days. That is not sustainable. That is the end of the fishing industry, and Fianna F\u00e1il stands over that following many decades of turning its back. The Minister of State is out there in Europe, and what has he done? Deputy Timmy Dooley was appointed to a junior Ministry but what has he delivered? It looks like Fine Gael has tied Fianna F\u00e1il's hands on this. I am also worried about the CAP going forward. It is another serious issue as well."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Incredibly, EU energy costs are way higher than practically every trading block in the world. High energy costs are a self-inflicted wound for the EU. They are a form of self-harm for the EU and are happening for a number of reasons. First, energy is overtaxed. We are talking about a staple that people need and yet if a person goes into a petrol station today and spends \u20ac100 to fill their car, \u20ac45 of that will go into Government taxation. The Government took in \u20ac4.3 billion from taxes on fuel last year. Some \u20ac1.1 billion was on carbon tax. These are the highest figures in the history of the State and came in the jaws of a cost-of-living crisis. The other element, and this is seldom said, is that this is not just bad for households and families but it is bad for the economy, business and enterprise. Another aspect that is really frustrating and has been mentioned since the start of the Ukraine war is the way the European Union charges for electricity. It charges on the basis of marginal pricing. The last unit of electricity is based on the last unit of production, which is gas. We have been listening to Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael talking for nearly four years now about how that needs to be decoupled at some stage but, of course, we ceded that to the EU, so we can do nothing about it, and this is the Minister of State who wants us to cede our military objectives to the EU as well in terms of a defence union. It is really important that we keep power and control over issues such as energy costs in this country. It is important that we get a devolution of power back from Brussels to Ireland on these issues as well."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) We now have 20 minutes for questions and answers. There will be one minute for each."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire One of the largest issues I raised was in relation to Sudan and there were statements on that at previous European Council meetings. I put it to the Taoiseach that the Government should make a statement that it will not support Lana Nusseibeh, the candidate for the UN Secretary General. A statement needs to be made to the Emirates that Ireland and the world rejects its facilitation, support and complicity in the genocidal actions of the Rapid Support Forces, RSF, particularly in El Fasher but throughout this war."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne The Taoiseach raises Sudan at every Council meeting. It has been in the conclusions in the past and is regularly on the agenda for the Foreign Affairs Council as well. The EU is very much focused on that crisis. It is more than a crisis really. We are talking about millions of people affected by it. It is one of the gravest humanitarian crises the world has ever seen. This is something the Taoiseach keeps coming back to. Regarding the next Secretary General of the UN, that is a matter for the Taoiseach and Government. As the Minister of State for European affairs, I cannot speak to that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett As I was saying earlier on, people in the United States have rejected Trump's warmongering against Iran, his complicity with Israel for its genocide and the cost that it has had for ordinary working people in America in terms of the cost of living. I put it to the Minister of State that European leaders should be rejecting that agenda but instead they are embracing Trump's agenda with the plan to double arms and military expenditure across Europe. It is also continuing to trade with Israel despite the fact it is committing genocide against the Palestinian people, as well as continuing to allow the flow of arms to Israel and treating it as if it is a normal state. Ireland is also guilty of that. It is Israel's biggest trading partner in Europe and is ramping up military spending while working people are being forced to go out on strike because the Government will not give them a decent pay increase. Should the Government not learn something from what is happening in the United States and the fact that ordinary people in the United States are turning against this agenda of warmongering, complicity with Israel and the cost that has on ordinary working people?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne There is no warmongering by the European Union. It is an institution of peace. There is no warmongering by the Irish Government. We do not have a sufficient military. We want to spend more on our own military. Within the EU, decisions on military spending are matters for the member states themselves. Why are some member states deciding to massively increase their military spending? It is because of the huge threat they face from Russia, a threat the Deputy continually underplays. Today his colleague wanted us to investigate Ukraine. That is what we were asked to do on the floor of this Chamber today, to investigate Ukraine."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett We are asking not to send Ukrainians back to fight in a war they do not want to fight in."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne No, the Deputy's colleague wanted an investigation and for us to tackle Zelenskyy about the allegations that were made here on the floor of the D\u00e1il. This is at a time when Russia is blowing missiles into civilian populations in Kyiv and around Ukraine, and when we see all sorts of what is called hybrid activity, although some of it is very much kinetic activity, happening on the boundaries of the European Union and within European Union member states. We saw a cyberattack across the European Union just the other day. When we talk about military spending, some countries are rearming for sure because they want to make sure nobody can get past them and particularly Russia, but we are also talking about increases in spending on cybersecurity, protecting ourselves from these types of threats and making sure we have full vision of what is happening on our seas. That is what is happening at the moment. The European Union is not a defence alliance."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Not yet."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne NATO is a defence alliance. We are not part of NATO and are not joining NATO."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett We are aligned."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne We would not even be able to reach the spending targets NATO members are required to meet."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Why are commanders coming to Ireland regularly?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne It will not arise on our side or on their side. There is no ramping-up of military spending. What we are trying to do in Ireland is ensure we have a military that can protect this country. On trade and relations with Israel, foreign policy is a matter for unanimity at the Council table. Every time there is a referendum, we have a discussion about the veto, the Lisbon treaty and the Nice treaty. The Deputy will have been very strong about protecting the veto. That is the veto in action. If you cannot get every single member state to agree, you cannot implement something at a European Union level from a foreign policy point of view or a sanctions point of view. That is simply the reality. The veto and unanimity is something every member state holds dear. As regards this country's trade with Israel, we have brought in the occupied territories Bill - that is in - but the Deputy is looking for full trade sanctions on Israel and a complete end to trade."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Yes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne The Deputy has to tell the workers in Ireland who would lose their jobs because of that what the consequences would be for them. I do not know the details but I read in the newspaper about Intel employing thousands of people and it actually seems to be, according to newspaper reports, the main source of trade with Israel because of the supply chains that are there. If the Deputy wants to go down to the factory and tell people what the consequences of his proposal would be, then he should do that. However, the Government has to make decisions that are not just in the interest of good foreign policy, which is what we always try to do, but are also in the interests of the Irish people."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Obviously, I condemn the Russian war against Ukraine. It is an horrendous loss of life and limb. It is a meat grinder of a war, unfortunately and shockingly, at the moment. Both Ukrainian and Russian soldiers are losing their lives in horrendous numbers. The truth is that peace will come through a negotiated peace at some stage. The Government is now the President of the Council of the European Union. Has it made any efforts to create a negotiated peace between Russia and Ukraine? Has it spoken to the Russian ambassador? Has it reached out to Putin's Government? Has it asked Zelenskyy whether there is any way, as holding the Presidency of the European Union and in that role, in which talks could be facilitated towards developing a peace process? I would say \"No\". I do not think this Government has done that. I do not think it has lifted the phone to anybody on that. I will explain why. The EU does want peace, but it wants peace on its own terms in relation to this. It does not want a peace to happen immediately. It wants to make sure Russia is well defeated in terms of this war. My worry is that this particular policy of the European Union is actually prolonging the war in Russia and Ukraine. What steps has the Government taken - any steps - to see if it can form negotiations between Russia and Ukraine?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne It is not a case of peace on the EU's terms; it is peace on Ukraine's terms. It has been invaded and its sovereignty has been attacked. Its territory has been taken by Russia, completely in breach of the principles of the UN we hear about all of the time in the Chamber. There have been offers of peace talks. Zelenskyy has offered to talk peace with Putin, but Putin has constantly refused to talk peace. The Deputy is shaking his head at that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn The Americans-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne This is one thing that lost out in America, by the way, the whole pro-Russia thing. The far left and the far right are identical on Russia. They are absolutely identical. They are always asking, did you not ring the Russian ambassador? It is a crazy question. As if he has any power in the Russian system."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn The Government has the Presidency of the European Union."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne From the far left, we have heard Ukraine should be investigated. From the far right, we have heard we had better ring the Russian ambassador."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn \"Far right\" is rubbish. Will the Minister of State stop calling people names? It is stupid."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne We want peace on Ukraine's terms. Look at what is happening there today. Missiles and drones, probably as we speak, are being sent into civilian buildings by the Russians."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Has the Government picked up the phone?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne The Russians need to stop doing that, and that message is clear and consistent from the Taoiseach-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn It is not working."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne -----the President of the European Council, the President of the Commission and the high representative for foreign policy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Is it working?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne In recent weeks, we have seen talks talking place between the Finnish President, the Norwegian Prime Minister and Putin. They have debriefed their colleagues on that, but there is absolutely no evidence that Putin wants to end this war. He should and he must. The principles of the UN Charter dictate that he should."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn The Government has taken no steps."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Sorry, it is not the Deputy's time. I call Deputy Se\u00e1n Crowe."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Crowe In his opening statement, the Taoiseach talked about a long meeting and full agenda. The priorities included competitiveness and the next multi-annual financial framework, MFF. There was scant detail about the negotiations around the MFF, but we know development aid and development partnerships are on the chopping block. One of my colleagues talked about how we have just returned from Ethiopia as part of a cross-party visit organised by UNICEF Ireland, where we saw with our own eyes the positive impact of this aid and the dire consequences should it be withdrawn, like USAID under President Trump. I have seen hunger and poverty in Ireland but not on the same scale or to the same extreme. Will the Minister of State outline what the Government's position was on maintaining the development budget as it is? Will we fight for this life-saving, life-changing assistance? The Taoiseach talked about the proposals for the increase in the budget and so on, but this area of funding looks as though it may be cut. When we talked to a lot of the groups within Ethiopia, the big concern was who will replace USAID, but more important, what the response of Europe will be to that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne I will set out the national position first because it is very important to say this. It is accepted around the world. We are one of the few countries that are not cutting development aid. In fact, we are one of the few that are increasing it in our national budgets. It is important to say that. In that sense, I agree with the Deputy. On the MFF, I can talk all day about that because I had the privilege of chairing the negotiations at my level before they went to the leaders. We were the honest broker and we had to get a negotiated agreement. It is not misinformation. We have set out the figures and it is extremely complex. Specifically on Global Europe, which incorporates foreign aid, the negotiations are still under way and I say that to our colleagues in agriculture as well. Under Global Europe, the current figure in the current multi-annual financial framework, what we are spending at the moment over the seven-year period, is \u20ac120 billion. Under our negotiating box, it goes up to \u20ac178 billion. While that is not as high as the \u20ac215 billion figure the Commission wanted, at current prices it is still a 48% increase on what we are spending at the moment. That message is very difficult to get across because there is a range of figures and they all relate to different things in the negotiating box. Even some experts are picking the wrong figure to compare things. We should compare what we are spending already and what we are proposing, and that is a 48% increase under current prices. On what the Commission proposed, yes, we have reduced the \u20ac215 billion figure, under current prices, which the Commission looked for, but we will still be spending a lot more than what we are spending at the moment. These negotiations have a way to go. I cannot guarantee that figure will stay; it is up to the leaders. We have protected agriculture and the Common Agricultural Policy. I had a very good meeting with the IFA and I know the Taoiseach has also discussed things with the president of the IFA. The negotiations are not finished and I have to be very careful about that. Why do we protect the Common Agricultural Policy? It is because all the member states, with the exception of a small number, want to. Even some of the contributor countries want to protect the Common Agricultural Policy. Within the national and regional partnership plans, there are other funds where flexibilities have been introduced that could potentially help the agriculture situation and make up some of the difference between the last MFF and this MFF. A lot of that remains to be worked out, but I am confident we will reach a situation where the Common Agricultural Policy will be protected and I will certainly apprise the IFA of that position. I am happy to meet Sinn F\u00e9in TDs who have talked about 20% cuts to CAP. I am more than happy to meet and talk with them about that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Let us be clear: Putin is a warmonger, authoritarian and imperialist. However, so are many of the powers in the European Union whose leaders will be here next week and who the Minister of State will be meeting with. Many of the European leaders' hands are dripping with the blood of dead Palestinians massacred by Israel, courtesy of the trade, arms, funding, political support and impunity given to it by the European Union. The EU is every bit as culpable and guilty as Vladimir Putin but the Government does not say that. In fact, it welcomes the EU with open arms and embraces its agenda to rearm Europe. It has renamed it so that it is entitled ReArm Europe. That is the agenda. The reference made by Deputy Paul Murphy was to the fact that if refuge means anything, it means the right of people not to fight in a war they do not want to die in. As of August, Ukrainians coming here will not get temporary refuge if they do not have their military exemption from the Zelenskyy government, which is currently rounding up people and insisting they fight even if they do not want to. That is conscription. Part of why there was an Irish revolution was because people were against conscription in the First World War. We are now enforcing conscription against young Ukrainians who do not want to fight in a slaughter. The Government is assisting in that and if it does that to Ukrainians, it will probably do it to Irish people in the future."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne Thankfully, our ancestors battled against the conscription of 1918, which was conscription on behalf of a different country and an oppressor. It is a wrong comparison."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett And you are joining in with the imperialist war effort."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne It is also gravely wrong to compare EU leaders, who are our friends, neighbours and in some cases almost our cousins, to Putin. That is wrong."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett You are assisting a genocide."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne That is wrong."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett It is wrong that they are assisting a genocide."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne It is also wrong of the Opposition to describe this meeting as wining and dining our leaders. When you bring your neighbours and friends to your home, you put on a good show. You tidy things up, you invite them in, you have a conversation and you put the best food and wine that you have out. That is common courtesy; it is normal practice. I am certainly looking forward to this meeting next week, which will bring together almost 50 countries of the world. Almost all of the democratic world will be in Ireland. They are our friends, our allies and most of them share the same values as us."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett They are arming a genocide."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne It is wrong to compare them to Putin. It is crazy to do so."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett They are arming a genocide."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Aont\u00fa is stronger on workers' rights, the cost-of-living crisis, public services, tax justice, Gaza and Irish unity than anything in Fianna F\u00e1il. Fianna F\u00e1il is closer to Trump on all these issues than Aont\u00fa. Calling people names, no matter what side of the political divide they are on, shows an intellectual deficiency on the Minister of State's side of the debate. Albert Reynolds and Charlie Haughey reached out to the IRA in the eighties and early nineties for the purpose of trying to create peace negotiations. Many within the political establishment here landed on them and on John Hume like a tonne of bricks. They said there was no way republicans had any interest in peace whatsoever, but they did so anyway. They took a chance, tested the republican movement in the effort of peace and the peace we enjoy today is a result of those individuals taking that chance and making that effort. However, here is the Minister of State today, in the dying days of the European Presidency, admitting that his Government has made absolutely no effort whatsoever to see if we could create peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine. That is a disgrace."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Deputy T\u00f3ib\u00edn, I will allow the Minister of State to come in very quickly, and then Deputy \u00d3 Laoghaire."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne If I heard the Deputy right, he suggested we are fast-tracking the EU application for Ukraine, which he seemed to be critical of, but we are not fast-tracking it. He also suggested we call the Russian ambassador. We are not going to do either of those things and we do not land on people like a tonne of bricks. We supported the efforts of the USA to try to get peace. We supported conversations that President Stubb had with the Norwegian Prime Minister and Putin. We support any lines of communication that would be open-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn What does that mean?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne -----but Putin has to stop this war. There is an invasion going on, so it has to be stopped. That has to happen."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Through negotiations."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne I will not just talk about Russia. The contribution from Sinn F\u00e9in today about how we should be emulating China was one of the strangest statements I have heard in this House in some time. Deputies were favourably talking about China's military and agricultural policy. If that is the Sinn F\u00e9in policy now, I think it should explain that to the people. If it is talking about neutrality on the one hand and then telling us how great China's military spending is - 2% of its GDP is on two million soldiers - something very strange is going on in Sinn F\u00e9in."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire I think that is probably one of the milder examples of putting words into people's mouths in the past 40 minutes. The Minister of State knows himself that it was scutter, but we will move on from that. I recall the Minister of State in the media about a week and half ago talking about bringing debate in these Chambers to a new depth. It was about two days later that his Taoiseach accused the Opposition variously of being Nazi sympathisers, in the pocket of Putin and acolytes of Trump. The Minister of State will forgive the Opposition for taking his appeals for high-minded debate with a grain of salt."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) Deputy, we want to hear the Minister of State reply, instead of storytelling. We want questions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire Deputy Boyd Barrett is right. There is profound complicity on the part of the EU in relation to what is going on in Israel. Can I get an update on the EU-Israel trade agreement and the need for that to be suspended? That human rights clause has been broken dozens upon dozens of times."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) The Deputy's time is up. I will allow the Minister of State 30 seconds to reply to that question before he moves on to his statement."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne Again, I answered that question earlier. With foreign policy, there are rules on the veto in trade policy and other rules, and it has not been possible to get agreement around the table. It is as simple as that. Ireland has been in the vanguard of trying to get the strongest possible action there. That is recognised across Europe and the world, except of course on the Opposition benches of this House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Erin McGreehan) That is the end of the question-and-answer session. I call on the Minister of State to give his final statement and reply."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne Ba mhaith liom bu\u00edochas a ghabh\u00e1il leis na Teachta\u00ed as a gcuid r\u00e1itis agus ceisteanna. Tap\u00f3idh m\u00e9 an deis seo labhairt go gairid faoi mh\u00edreanna eile ar chl\u00e1r ghn\u00f3 Comhairle Eorpach mh\u00ed Dheireadh F\u00f3mhair. Rinne na ceannair\u00ed pl\u00e9 strait\u00e9iseach maidir le m\u00e9ad\u00fa. Thug an Taoiseach faisn\u00e9is do na ceannair\u00ed maidir leis an dul chun cinn at\u00e1 d\u00e9anta againn le linn t\u00e9ama Uachtar\u00e1nachta na h\u00c9ireann, lena n-\u00e1ir\u00edtear d\u00fanadh tr\u00ed chaibidil bhreise le Montain\u00e9agr\u00f3 agus caibidil breise amh\u00e1in leis an Alb\u00e1in. D\u2019\u00e9asca\u00edomar freisin d\u2019oscailt dh\u00e1 bhraisle eile leis an \u00dacr\u00e1in agus leis an Mold\u00f3iv. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 de r\u00fan againn d\u00fanadh na gcaibidl\u00ed uile leis an Montain\u00e9agr\u00f3 a \u00e9asc\u00fa faoi dheireadh na bliana, ar choinn\u00edoll go gcuirfidh Montain\u00e9agr\u00f3 na hathch\u00f3irithe uile at\u00e1 f\u00e1gtha chun feidhme. T\u00e1 an pointe seo an-t\u00e1bhachtach, agus d\u2019ardaigh an Teachta McAuliffe \u00e9 sin. Mhalartaigh na ceannair\u00ed tuairim\u00ed freisin faoi thogra\u00ed an Choimisi\u00fain Eorpaigh maidir le hathch\u00f3irithe inmhe\u00e1nacha an Aontais Eorpaigh i bhfianaise tuilleadh m\u00e9adaithe, comhth\u00e1th\u00fa de r\u00e9ir a ch\u00e9ile agus cl\u00e1sail chosanta le haghaidh conartha\u00ed aontachais amach anseo. Bh\u00ed pl\u00e9 strait\u00e9iseach ag na ceannair\u00ed maidir le cur chuige cuimsitheach an Aontais Eorpaigh i leith imirce, agus mheas siad dul chun cinn i gcur chun feidhme a gconcl\u00faid\u00ed roimhe sin. T\u00e1 an tAontas Eorpach in \u00e1it n\u00edos fearr anois \u00f3 thaobh imirce neamhrialta de n\u00e1 mar a bh\u00ed s\u00e9 le breis agus deich mbliana anuas \u00f3 tharla go bhfuil laghd\u00fa ag teacht ar l\u00edon na ndaoine a thagann isteach, go bhfuil an comhshocr\u00fa maidir le himirce agus tearmann i bhfeidhm \u00f3 mh\u00ed an Mheithimh, agus gur ghlac an Chomhairle leis an rialach\u00e1n maidir le filleadh go foirmi\u00fail go luath i m\u00ed Dheireadh F\u00f3mhair. Ceann de thosa\u00edochta\u00ed uileghabh\u00e1lacha at\u00e1 ag Uachtar\u00e1nacht na h\u00c9ireann is ea lean\u00faint de chur chuige at\u00e1 c\u00f3ir, daingean agus bunaithe ar rialacha a chur chun cinn maidir le himirce, tearmann agus filleadh. T\u00e1 an m\u00e9id sin bunaithe ar cheithre phr\u00edomhthosa\u00edocht: an Comhshocr\u00fa maidir le hImirce agus Tearmann a chur chun feidhme go hioml\u00e1n; cosaint theorainneacha seachtracha an Aontais Eorpaigh a neart\u00fa; ullmhacht do gh\u00e9arch\u00e9imeanna ag na teorainneacha sin a mh\u00e9ad\u00fa; agus lean\u00faint de chomhph\u00e1irt\u00edochta\u00ed a choth\u00fa le tr\u00ed\u00fa t\u00edortha. Ina theannta sin, t\u00e1imid ag obair leis na ballst\u00e1it agus leis an gCoimisi\u00fan chun gn\u00edomha\u00edochta\u00ed a chur chun cinn, ar gn\u00edomha\u00edochta\u00ed iad a bhuna\u00edtear sa Phlean 5 Phointe chun Cosc a Chur ar Theacht Isteach Neamhdhleathach L\u00edon Ollmh\u00f3r Daoine, chun Teacht Roimhe agus chun Freagairt d\u00f3, rud a foils\u00edodh tar \u00e9is na n-imeachta\u00ed in Ceuta. D\u2019fhill na ceannair\u00ed ar thopaic shl\u00e1nd\u00e1il agus chosaint na hEorpa ag Comhairle Eorpach mh\u00ed Dheireadh F\u00f3mhair. Ar fud an Aontais Eorpaigh, t\u00e1 n\u00edos m\u00f3 \u00e1 infheisti\u00fa ag na t\u00edortha ina gcumais sl\u00e1nd\u00e1la agus cosanta n\u00e1isi\u00fanta. T\u00e1 na cinnt\u00ed \u00e1 nd\u00e9anamh acu ina dt\u00edortha f\u00e9in. T\u00e1 siad uile ag d\u00e9anamh amhlaidh ar bhealach lena bhfuil ciall d\u00e1 staid agus d\u00e1 gcur chuige beartais f\u00e9in ar leith, agus do shaintr\u00e9ithe sonracha bheartas eachtrach gach ballst\u00e1t. I gc\u00e1s na h\u00c9ireann, is \u00e9ard at\u00e1 agus a bheidh ann n\u00e1 beartas neodrachta m\u00edleata. Mar sin f\u00e9in, t\u00e1 sineirg\u00ed ann ar f\u00e9idir linn iad a bhaint amach tr\u00ed bheith ag obair le ch\u00e9ile ar leibh\u00e9al an Aontais Eorpaigh ar bhealach lena gcomhl\u00e1na\u00edtear a bhfuil \u00e1 dh\u00e9anamh againn ar an leibh\u00e9al n\u00e1isi\u00fanta, inar th\u00e1inig m\u00e9ad\u00fa 43% ar mhaoini\u00fa le haghaidh cosanta \u00f3 bh\u00ed 2020 ann. Chuir na ceannair\u00ed f\u00e1ilte roimh an gc\u00e9ad tuarasc\u00e1il ullmhachta cosanta bhliant\u00fail mar mheas\u00fan\u00fa bonnl\u00edne t\u00e1bhachtach ar ullmhacht chosaint na hEorpa. Uirlis luachmhar at\u00e1 ann chun faireach\u00e1n a dh\u00e9anamh ar dhul chun cinn ar fud na r\u00e9ims\u00ed cumais tosa\u00edochta agus pr\u00edomhchumas\u00f3ir\u00ed ullmhachta cosanta a shainaithint; lena n-\u00e1ir\u00edtear ceanglais chumais a chomhchuibhi\u00fa, rochtain ar mhaoini\u00fa don tionscal a fheabhs\u00fa, sple\u00e1chais ar an slabhra sol\u00e1thair a laghd\u00fa agus aml\u00ednte sol\u00e1thair a gh\u00e9ar\u00fa chun tac\u00fa le nu\u00e1la\u00edocht. Le roinnt seachtain\u00ed agus m\u00edonna anuas, bh\u00ed tionchar suntasach ag gn\u00edomha\u00edocht hibrideach ar na ballst\u00e1it, ar gn\u00edomha\u00edocht \u00ed at\u00e1 ag titim amach n\u00edos minice agus at\u00e1 n\u00edos m\u00edstuama n\u00e1 riamh. T\u00e1 treocht shoil\u00e9ir ann: feachtas hibrideach comhordaithe at\u00e1 ann at\u00e1 d\u00edrithe ar shl\u00e1nd\u00e1il, athl\u00e9imneacht agus boinn dhaonlathacha an Aontais Eorpaigh, a bhallst\u00e1it agus a chomhph\u00e1irtithe a chur i mbaol, agus ar an mbonn a bhaint d\u00edobh sin. Is mian leis an R\u00fais muid a scaradh \u00f3 ch\u00e9ile agus \u00e1r dtaca\u00edocht don \u00dacr\u00e1in a lag\u00fa. N\u00ed \u00e9ir\u00f3idh l\u00e9i. Th\u00e1inig an Chomhairle Eorpach ar choncl\u00faid\u00ed l\u00e1idre maidir le feachtas gn\u00edomha\u00edochta hibrid\u00ed na R\u00faise. F\u00e1ilt\u00edm roimh ghlao na gceannair\u00ed go dtreiseodh an tAontas Eorpach \u00e1r n-iarrachta\u00ed agus go mbainfeadh s\u00e9 \u00fas\u00e1id ioml\u00e1n as na hionstraim\u00ed agus na s\u00e1sra\u00ed uile at\u00e1 ar f\u00e1il chun cur i gcoinne na gn\u00edomha\u00edochta sin. Bh\u00ed ruda\u00ed eile ar an gcl\u00e1r, ar n\u00f3s ch\u00farsa\u00ed COP31, c\u00farsa\u00ed faoin Artach, agus Ceuta agus Melilla. Bh\u00ed an Taoiseach ag caint faoin tS\u00fad\u00e1in freisin."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Cuireadh an D\u00e1il ar fionra\u00ed ar 3.04 p.m. agus cuireadh t\u00fas leis ar\u00eds ar 4.04 p.m."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Sitting suspended at 3.04 p.m. and resumed at 4.04 p.m."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Post European Council Meeting: Statements"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_14","debateType":"debate","bill":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/101","event":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/101\/dail\/2","houseCode":"dail","stage":"2","isBillStage":true,"showAs":"Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026: Second Stage (Resumed) (D\u00e1il)"}},"showAs":"Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026: Second Stage","counts":{"speechCount":12,"speakerCount":12},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_14","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin \u00d3 Broin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Daniel Ennis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","memberCode":"Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jen Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin Hayes","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James O'Connor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Clendennen","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cormac Devlin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cormac-Devlin.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cormac-Devlin.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (Deputy Peter Burke) I move: \"That the Bill be now read a Second Time.\" I am pleased to introduce this important legislation to the House. The publication of this Bill represents a significant milestone in the development of a modern regulatory framework for short-term accommodation rentals in Ireland and in the fulfilment of our obligations under the EU Short-Term Rental Regulation. That regulation, which came into effect on 20 May, provides for the collection and sharing of data relating to short-term accommodation rental services and aims to enhance transparency and oversight across the sector. At its core, this Bill is about establishing a clear, fair and effective framework for the regulation of short-term letting in Ireland. It will ensure that hosts and platforms operate within a consistent set of rules, that public authorities have access to the information necessary to perform their functions effectively and that policymaking is informed by reliable evidence. Over the past decade, the short-term letting sector has undergone significant expansion. The emergence and growth of online platforms have transformed the way accommodation is marketed, booked and provided creating new opportunities for tourism and generating additional income for many property owners. As a result, short-term letting now forms a substantial and increasingly important part of Ireland's tourism accommodation offering. The scale of this activity is considerable. Pending the establishment of the national register, F\u00e1ilte Ireland continues to produce monthly estimates of online short-term letting activity based on data derived from online listings. These estimates indicate that as of September 2026, approximately 31,770 short-term letting properties were advertised across two of the largest booking platforms operating in the Irish market. Despite this growth, the State has lacked the tools necessary to obtain a complete and accurate picture of the sector. To date, there has been no comprehensive national register of short-term letting properties and limited mechanisms for gathering consistent information about activity in the market. As a result, policymakers and regulators have faced challenges in monitoring the sector and understanding its impact at national and local level. This Bill addresses that gap. It will establish for the first time a national registration framework for short-term lettings involving stays of up to 21 consecutive nights and will give effect to the data-sharing arrangements required under European Union law. The Bill designates F\u00e1ilte Ireland as the competent authority responsible for administering the framework. It will establish and maintain the national register, operate the single digital entry point required under the EU regulation and oversee the collection and sharing of relevant information. Together, these measures will provide a more comprehensive understanding of short-term letting activity across the State and support effective regulation of the sector. The benefits of this approach are significant. It will provide clarity and certainty for hosts regarding their obligations, establish consistent requirements for online platforms and ensure that public authorities have access to the information required to support informed decision-making in areas such as tourism, housing and regional development. Importantly, the framework also supports the Government's broader objective of ensuring that long-term residential accommodation is prioritised in areas experiencing housing pressures. In that regard, the Bill supports both tourism and housing policy objectives. Under the Bill, all hosts providing short-term accommodation rental services will be required to register with F\u00e1ilte Ireland, which will issue a unique registration number for each registered unit. Registration will be straightforward and fully online. The system has been designed to minimise administrative burden while ensuring that the information necessary for effective regulation is collected. A nominal registration fee of \u20ac25 will apply, which will be prescribed by F\u00e1ilte Ireland through regulations. Once registered, hosts will be required to display their registration number on all advertisements and listings relating to the accommodation unit. F\u00e1ilte Ireland will verify information submitted by hosts to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the register. The obligations established by the Bill do not rest solely with hosts. Online short-term rental platforms will also be required to play an active role in supporting compliance. Platforms must display registration numbers, conduct random checks on listings, submit specified rental activity data to F\u00e1ilte Ireland and remove or disable access to listings, where required by law. These obligations reflect the central role played by platforms within the short-term accommodation market and are fully aligned with the requirements of the EU short-term rental regulation. A regulatory framework is only as effective as its enforcement mechanisms. For that reason, the Bill provides F\u00e1ilte Ireland with the powers necessary to monitor compliance and investigate suspected breaches. The legislation provides for the appointment of registration officers and authorised officers with powers to conduct inspections, carry out investigations and require the production of records and information, where necessary. These powers are proportionate, practical and essential to the effective operation of the framework. The Bill also establishes a graduated enforcement regime. In the case of hosts, enforcement measures include fixed payment notices and summary offences. For online short-term rental platforms, the Bill provides for an administrative sanctions process where contraventions of legal obligations occur. Where appropriate, matters may be referred to an independent panel of adjudication officers that I will appoint. The panel will have the authority to determine whether a breach has occurred and, where warranted, to impose financial sanctions of up to 2% of annual worldwide turnover. This approach ensures that enforcement measures are proportionate, effective and accompanied by appropriate procedural safeguards. A key requirement of the registration process is that hosts must confirm that their accommodation is planning compliant. The Government recognises the importance of clarity and consistency in this area. Accordingly, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne, obtained approval to publish the national planning statement for short-term letting activity on 3 November. The statement establishes a clear and consistent planning framework for the sector and provides certainty for hosts, local authorities and communities. The planning framework set out in the statement restricts the approval of new planning permissions for short-term letting activity in cities and larger towns with populations exceeding 20,000. At the same time, it provides a pathway for existing operators to regularise their position through a presumption in favour of granting retention permission in specified circumstances where properties have operated continuously as short-term lets for at least seven years and no enforcement action has been taken. A simplified administrative version of the application process for retention specifically for these short-term lets was introduced on 29 September 2026. The Bill does not alter the existing arrangements for genuine home-sharing. The letting of a room or rooms in a person's principal private residence will remain exempt from planning requirements. A home-sharer may also continue to let their entire principal private residence for up to 90 cumulative days per year while temporarily absent. Beyond that threshold, planning permission for change of use will continue to be required. The Bill also incorporates an important transitional arrangement for existing hosts. Hosts operating in locations with populations below 20,000 have a two-year period within which to regularise their planning position. This provides a proportionate pathway to compliance while supporting an orderly transition to the new framework. The legislation contains a number of additional reforms. It strengthens co-operation between F\u00e1ilte Ireland, public authorities and other competent bodies in the performance of their functions under both national and European legislation, including the short-term rental regulation and the Digital Services Act. The Bill also establishes a dedicated registration framework for limited visitor stays in purpose-built student specific accommodation. This is not a new activity. Many student-specific accommodation providers already accommodate visitors outside academic term time, making productive use of otherwise vacant capacity. Nationally, the supply of purpose-built, student-specific accommodation continues to expand, with 16,704 beds delivered since 2017, bringing total stock to more than 49,700 beds. Current projections indicate a need for approximately 42,000 additional student beds over the coming decade. The purpose of these provisions is to place existing practice on a clear statutory footing through a proportionate registration framework. Registration will operate on a three-year cycle and is designed to complement, rather than duplicate, existing registration requirements with the Residential Tenancies Board, which are focused on the landlord-tenant relationship. The new framework will provide greater transparency and regulatory oversight of visitor accommodation activity and is strategically important for tourism as it provides a clear regulatory basis for the continued use of otherwise vacant student accommodation during holiday periods. This supports accommodation capacity at times of peak demand, improves the efficient use of existing assets and contributes to a more resilient and sustainable tourism sector, while preserving the primary role of these developments as student accommodation. The Bill also modernises elements of Ireland's wider tourist accommodation regulatory framework. It updates provisions governing hotels, guesthouses, hostels, holiday camps, caravan sites and camping sites to reflect contemporary operational, administrative and regulatory requirements. At the same time, the legislation repeals a number of outdated provisions relating to accommodation categories that no longer reflect current tourism practices. A key element of these reforms is the introduction of an independent appeals process for decisions relating to statutory registers established under tourism legislation. While the original legislative framework, dating back to the Tourist Traffic Act 1939, did not provide for such a mechanism, modern regulatory systems place a strong emphasis on transparency, accountability and procedural fairness. The new appeals process will ensure that all registered accommodation providers have access to an independent review of registration and grading decisions, strengthening confidence in the administration of the registers and bringing the framework into line with modern standards of good regulatory practice. This Bill represents a practical and proportionate response to a rapidly evolving sector. It will establish, for the first time, a comprehensive national framework governing short-term letting activity across the State, strengthen regulatory oversight, improve the quality of information available to public authorities and ensure that Ireland fully implements its obligations under European Union law. Critically, the Bill will provide, for the first time, a comprehensive picture of tourist accommodation provision across the State. Through the establishment and modernisation of statutory registers, public authorities will have access to more complete, accurate and up-to-date information on accommodation providers and accommodation capacity. This enhanced visibility will support better policymaking, more effective enforcement and a stronger evidence base for decisions affecting tourism, housing and regional development. Beyond short-term letting, the Bill delivers the most significant modernisation of Ireland's tourist accommodation registration framework in decades, updating legislative provisions, strengthening governance arrangements and introducing independent appeals processes across a range of statutory registers. Most importantly, it reflects the Government's determination to address the impact that the growth of short-term letting can have on housing availability in areas facing significant housing pressures, while continuing to support a vibrant and sustainable tourism sector. By bringing greater transparency and oversight to the sector, the Bill will help ensure that homes are used for their intended purpose, provide policymakers with the information needed to respond to emerging pressures and support a more balanced approach to the use of accommodation across the State. In doing so, it will contribute to protecting housing supply for local communities, while maintaining the important role that tourism plays in our economy and regions. I look forward to engaging constructively with colleagues across the House as the Bill progresses through the legislative process. I thank Members for their time."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh I put on record my complete opposition to the Minister's plan to rush the Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill through the House. Doing so will severely hinder our collective ability to properly scrutinise this legislation. The Government has made an absolute shambles of this. Having had two and a half years to prepare the legislation, the Minister is now scrambling to meet his own deadline of 1 December, forcing through a Bill with serious implications for tourism, rural employment, local businesses and housing. The EU regulation was adopted in April 2024. The Government knew what was required and when it had to be delivered, yet the Minister has scheduled Committee Stage, Report Stage and Final Stage of this Bill for one single day next week. He has had two and a half years to prepare the legislation and is providing one day in the D\u00e1il to scrutinise it. That is simply unacceptable. What makes this particularly disgraceful is the treatment of the organisations and individuals who took time and participated in the pre-legislative scrutiny. In the past year, at the Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment, we engaged with stakeholders and listened to detailed evidence from tourism providers, housing organisations, local authorities and industry representatives. These organisations committed considerable time, resources and expertise to that process. They attended hearings, prepared submissions, answered questions and raised legitimate concerns about how these regulations would operate in practice. They did so in good faith, believing their input would contribute to the committee's recommendations and be laid before the Minister before the final legislation was published. Yet, the Minister went ahead and published the Bill on budget day - on budget day of all days - before our committee had even completed its pre-legislative scrutiny work or published the report. What message does that send to the groups and individuals we engaged with? It is that their time was wasted, their expertise was irrelevant and that the Government was simply going through the motions. There is considerable frustration among those stakeholders who feel completely disrespected by how the Minister has treated this process and they have every reason to feel that way. Pre-legislative scrutiny is supposed to improve the legislation, identify problems and ensure those affected have a meaningful opportunity to be heard. Instead, the Government has made a complete farce of this important parliamentary process. To make matters worse, much of the committee's work took place without the national planning statement being available - we begged and begged for it time and again - despite planning being one of the most contentious aspects of the entire framework. How could stakeholders properly assess the implications of the Bill, when such a fundamental part of the regulatory regime was missing? I will let my colleague, Deputy \u00d3 Broin, who will speak next, highlight the concerns Sinn F\u00e9in has about the planning elements of the Bill but it is important to point out that the Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage did not have any role in the pre-legislative scrutiny of this Bill. Beyond the treatment of the Oireachtas and the stakeholders, another issue demands attention. It is the absolute disaster that has been the Government's communication with short-term letting providers about their new obligations. Across Mayo and throughout the country, people are contacting us because they simply do not know where they stand. These are people running legitimate tourism businesses, many of them small family operations, which have served their communities and visitors for years. They are worried about whether they will be able to continue trading. They are unsure whether their properties meet the new requirements, whether they need planning permission and what evidence they must provide. Up to now, they were also wondering what costs would be put on the planning process. I see that the Minister said it will be \u20ac25. The Government expects people to navigate these changes within an extraordinarily tight timeframe. The F\u00e1ilte Ireland register is due to open on 1 December, with the short-term letting operators required to register before 31 December. Who thought it was sensible to introduce such significant changes with a deadline falling during the Christmas period? What will happen if an application encounters difficulties when public offices are closed or operating reduced services? Where are the providers supposed to turn for reliable advice? People are being left to piece together information themselves, relying on industry groups, public representatives and conflicting interpretations of Government announcements. That is no way to treat people whose livelihoods depend on getting these decisions right. It is not simply uncertainty about paperwork. For some providers, it is uncertainty about their income, their investment and the future of their family businesses. These people feel completely disrespected. They have spent years providing accommodation, supporting local tourism and contributing to their communities. The least they deserve is clear information, reasonable timelines and a Government willing to engage properly with their concerns. I will turn briefly to the wider implications for tourism, particularly in rural Ireland. Tourism is an economic lifeline for communities in the west of Ireland, including places like Mayo. It supports thousands of jobs directly and indirectly and sustains hotels, restaurants, caf\u00e9s, pubs, shops, transport operators and visitor attractions. In many rural communities, tourism is one of the few industries capable of generating substantial local employment and keeping young people living and working in the area. Self-catering accommodation is an essential part of that tourism economy in some areas. Traditional holiday cottages, converted farm buildings and family-run properties provide visitor accommodation in places where hotel capacity is limited. When visitors stay in Achill, Westport, Belmullet or Ballina, their spending supports businesses throughout the local economy. If that accommodation disappears, the impact will go far beyond the individual provider. This is where I have serious questions about the Government's approach. Has the Minister assessed how many tourism beds could be lost if providers withdraw from the market because of these regulations? What assessment has been carried out of the consequences for rural employment, visitor numbers and local businesses? Crucially, what is the Government's plan to mitigate any reduction in tourism accommodation capacity. Will there be incentives to encourage investment in additional hotel beds in rural and high amenity areas? Will small hotels, guest-houses and family-run accommodation providers be supported to expand? We cannot spend millions promoting the Wild Atlantic Way and encouraging tourists to visit the west and then fail to ensure there is sufficient accommodation for them. Building new hotel capacity takes time, investment and certainty. The Government needs to demonstrate it has thought this through and is not just hoping the market will adjust. Sinn F\u00e9in has consistently supported the regulation of short-term letting. We want properties returned to the long-term, residential market in areas where housing demand is acute. In recent decades, huge commercial investors have been allowed to buy up huge portfolios of properties in communities. These vulture funds make huge profits and pay very little tax. There has to be a clear distinction between that activity and legitimate rural tourism accommodation. Removing a traditional holiday cottage from the tourism market does not automatically create a permanent home but it could mean lost visitors, lost spending and lost employment. That distinction must be reflected in the implementation of these regulations. We support a national register, proper standards and effective enforcement but we also need a practical, affordable process for existing operators, sufficient resources for F\u00e1ilte Ireland and local authorities and a clear plan to protect local tourism capacity. Will the Minister explain how local authorities are expected to process thousands of additional planning applications or how F\u00e1ilte Ireland will have sufficient resources to enforce these new regulations? On 1 January next, will enforcement officers be out in force to inspect short-term let properties to ensure they are compliant? That gets to the heart of the fear and uncertainty that genuine short-term letting operators are feeling. This is not how legislation affecting thousands of businesses and communities should be handled. People deserve clarity, not confusion and they deserve proper legislation, not a last-minute rush to meet Government-imposed deadlines. I ask the Minister to provide that clarity this evening and to please reconsider his intention to rush this through the D\u00e1il next week. It is far too important. The Minister needs to trust the local authorities, which know their areas, to be able to make decisions about getting the balance right between housing that is desperately needed for staff in hotels and other tourism amenities and the amount of accommodation needed in an area to support the tourism objectives in that area. Rushing this through is a mistake and it is one that will be regretted by the Government."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin \u00d3 Broin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoin \u00d3 Broin It is hard to over-estimate the extent of the mess the Minister and his colleague, Minister for housing, Deputy Browne, have made of this entire episode. We have been discussing the need to regulate short-term letting in this House for a decade, since I was elected in 2016. During that entire period, thousands of homes that were built for long-term residential occupation, predominantly in urban areas, but also some rural parts of the country, have been acquired by commercial interests and flipped into short-term letting. They have been breaking the planning laws of the State, in many cases for a decade. In turn, they have been having an enormous impact on our housing and homelessness crisis. This is the not the first time the Government has botched regulation of short-term letting. The Minister's party colleague, Eoghan Murphy, made a mess of his regulations in 2019. The proposal in front of us today started life in 2022. Deputy Conway-Walsh was absolutely right to highlight the absurdity of the length of time it has taken to get here compared with the amount of time we have to address the Bill in the House. It has been more than four years in the making and yet here we are. While there is virtually no opportunity to scrutinise the Bill, the planning policy statement that was agreed by the Cabinet yesterday has not undergone a single second of Oireachtas scrutiny. This planning policy statement is not a policy statement. It includes new planning law agreed by Cabinet without any debate, without any Oireachtas scrutiny or any opportunity for Members of the House to amend it and without a single vote. That is an utter disgrace. Not only has the Minister caused enormous confusion among the providers of much-needed tourism product in predominantly rural high-amenity areas, people who are using properties on their own land, properties that would never be in the rental market, but there is nothing at all in this planning policy statement that will see the return of long-term residential properties in housing estates in cities, towns and villages to long-term use. Let me explain why. The population threshold of 20,000 is utterly absurd. It is not based on any objective criteria of housing need, rental supply or homelessness. It is a grubby political fudge to keep this Government together and we are all the worse for it. There should be a lead-in period for folks in rural communities to be able to regularise planning. I have no issue with that, but I think two years is probably too long and much longer than I would have proposed. The really appalling part of James Browne's planning policy statement is a seven-year grandfather clause. What this document says is that regardless of being in an area population above or below 20,000, someone who has been breaking the planning rules of this State for seven years or more up to 1 December will get a get-out-of-jail-free card and will get a presumption to grant planning permission. This applies even to a large commercial entity that has snapped up family properties all over the State and is letting them out on short-term lets for higher amounts of money. That is particularly bad in our large urban centres, but it will also be really bad for communities in the Connemara Gaeltacht, parts of the Cooley Peninsula and elsewhere. This is not about supporting much-needed tourism product - we support that. It is about allowing people who have broken our planning laws consistently to be rewarded and allowed to do so into the future. How do I know? It is because the report the Government commissioned from the Housing Agency, produced by Indecon, found that 70% of those people advertising properties, particularly home properties, on Airbnb have been trading for over seven years. Unless a tiny number of these have been hit with enforcement under the Eoghan Murphy rule - that really is a very small number - they will all get through straight away. Those of us who were on the housing committee together discussed these issues for a long time before the Minister moved to his current portfolio. In addition to the genuine concerns that my colleague Deputy Conway-Walsh raised with respect to the tourist economy in rural and high-amenity areas, this will not do a single thing to assist those of us whose primary interest is the supply of long-term residential homes to buy or rent and addressing growing levels of homelessness. That is why the Minister has got this so wrong. We set out an alternative; we showed him time and time again how this could be done properly to get that balance in those rural high-amenity areas but also get those properties that got planning permission for long-term residential use back into long-term residential occupation. The Minister has ignored us, just as Eoghan Murphy did in 2019. As a consequence, not only will this planning policy statement and the planning regime be as much of a failure as its predecessor in 2019, but we will end up with the weakest short-term letting regulations in Europe. That is not something for the Minister to shout about. It is a bad day's work in the Oireachtas, and it is why he should not be proceeding on the basis that he has outlined today."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathy Bennett Many short-term letting operators offer a great service that people enjoy. They offer alternatives to traditional accommodation, often enhanced, or unique options and experiences for tourists in particular that fill gaps, especially in rural communities like the one I come from. They might otherwise not sustain a more traditional commercial accommodation operation, but the unregulated nature and the proliferation of short-term lets in both urban and rural communities have in effect incentivised the conversion of family homes into commercial short-term lets, as well as impacting the private rental sector. In the midst of a housing crisis, that is not in any way sustainable and it should not have been tenable for so long. However, for a long time, the Government has allowed these negative impacts to fester and proliferate through its failure to regulate the sector appropriately. This, of course, has contributed to the housing crisis where we now have upwards of 18,000 people homeless in this country. It has also fostered confusion and concern among short-term letting agents. I welcome the fact that the Government is finally seeking to regulate short-term lets, but it should not be at the cost of long-term homes. Unfortunately, even at this point the Minister's approach is beset with a seeming lack of transparency. There is fake urgency on the part of the Government, while it continues to beget concern and uncertainty within the sector itself. Sinn F\u00e9in supports regulation. We believe that people should be able to utilise their principal private residence for short-term letting for up to 90 days per year when they are not present, or spare rooms throughout the year, with no planning requirements. In more rural and high-amenity tourism areas, a flexible approach is justified for family-run tourism products in buildings that are not suitable for long-term homes while restricting the flipping of family homes into short-term lets. In urban areas where there is high demand for long-term housing, communities where few homes are available for rent and homelessness is at record levels, homes should be used for the purpose for which they were granted planning permission, to be people's homes. This is a common-sense and practical approach. Sinn F\u00e9in supports the creation of a short-term letting register to ensure compliance. What has lacked common sense until this point has been the Government's approach. There has been a failure to take action for many years, which has caused frustration and consternation among both housing bodies and short-term letting agencies conceived for the tourism industry, yet we see a fake urgency manufactured through the Government's inaction, which saw the Bill published before the enterprise committee had even concluded pre-legative scrutiny. Nor has the housing committee had an opportunity to weigh in yet regarding the planning aspects of the Bill. Now the Minister wants to proceed to Report and Final Stages next week. This is very poor legislative practice. It is an affront to the Oireachtas committee and the role the D\u00e1il plays in scrutinising legislation. It is in effect treating these Houses as an annoying rubber stamp to the policy proposals. The Irish people deserve a high standard of legislative practice from their Government and so do short-term letting operators. I appeal to the Minister to reflect on this and meaningfully engage with both the Opposition and committees before we go any further with it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rory Hearne I echo the points made. The Social Democrats are concerned about rushing through this legislation despite years of the Government dragging its feet. It is very poor governance and it is not taking the Oireachtas seriously. Doing things like this actually undermines our democracy. After years of failing to act, suddenly the Minister is saying we have a very short period in which to offer amendments, put in changes and debate it. It is a failure to take the Opposition seriously and to take this D\u00e1il seriously. The biggest social issue facing this country is the housing disaster. Our housing system is dysfunctional in many ways, but nowhere is that more stark than in the use of short-term lets in our housing market. Thousands of complete homes are being let out on a permanent basis as short-stay accommodation on platforms like Airbnb when young people and increasingly older people who cannot find a home to rent or buy are either in emergency accommodation or stuck in what is really hidden homelessness. A generation of adults are stuck living in their childhood box room. I spoke to a pensioner in Santry in my constituency last week. She is 65 years of age and she is couch surfing with different family members every other week because she cannot afford to rent somewhere. I spoke to teachers and nurses on the pickets who are in their late 20s and are still living at home, or commuting crazy distances and then doing a day's work or a night shift. They were from Wexford, Louth, Monaghan - all places - spending hours in a car to get to Dublin because they cannot find a home to rent or buy. Young people are unable to stay in the places that they come from, especially our Gaeltacht areas, because there is not a home to find, yet there are 34,000 homes to rent out as short-term lets on Airbnb and other platforms. This is almost as many homes as the Government delivered in terms of supply last year. Almost an entire year of housing supply, thousands of homes, are being let out short term on a permanent basis. This is not about a room in your house. It is about landlords, multiple property owners and, increasingly, various property companies and property investors who have turned homes, which should be available on the long-term rental market to provide a home to a nurse or a teacher, into cash cows for property investors on Airbnb and other short-term platforms. Across this city and country, every area is affected and has had homes removed from the rental market, which instead have been maxed out on Airbnb. The best evidence of this, where the negative impact of short-term lets and Airbnb on our housing market became so clear, was during Covid. The Minister might remember that Airbnb and short-term lets could not function during Covid. What happened? Thousands of properties suddenly became available. People were able to move from emergency accommodation into these rental properties. For the only time in a decade, homelessness was reduced significantly because Airbnb and short-term lets could not function. They could not operate. It is direct evidence that Airbnb and short-term lets are contributing to the homelessness and housing crisis. If they did not exist, thousands of homes would be available for people. The previous Government actually recognised that four years ago. Darragh O'Brien said, \"We know that significant numbers of properties have been withdrawn from the long-term rental market in recent years and diverted for use as short-term lettings, negatively impacting on the supply and availability of private residential rental accommodation\", and he was right. The Government then introduced planning requirements that aimed to return 12,000 short-term lets. Those planning requirements were never enforced. Short-term lets continued. In April 2025, the Government stated that there would be a requirement for short-term lets to get planning and register in the case of towns with a population of greater than 10,000, which is also in the housing plan, but what happened? It was increased to 20,000 because of the Healy-Raes and their involvement in government. They are gone, but the Government is continuing their legacy with gusto. Imagine a family with young children who are renting a home and receive a notice to quit from a landlord, or imagine a couple in their 30s still living in their childhood bedrooms. They are desperate to find somewhere to rent and they look on Daft but there is nothing. If they look on Airbnb, however, there is property after property. I am contacted by people who say this to me. They are absolutely frustrated, broken and angry. They cannot find somewhere to rent, but Airbnb lists thousands and thousands of properties. It is enraging and depressing our young people. The failure to act on short-term lets has a particular negative impact on our Gaeltacht communities. T\u00e1 an gh\u00e9arch\u00e9im tith\u00edochta in\u00e1r gceantair Ghaeltachta ag cur thodhcha\u00ed na Gaeilge mar theanga bheo i mbaol. Our Gaeltacht areas are facing an existential crisis as there is nowhere for young people growing up there to live, while what they see are short-term lets everywhere. I ask the Minister to go on Airbnb and then daft.ie . Today, on Airbnb for Gaoth Dobhair in D\u00fan na nGall, you can choose 22 properties to stay in, but not one is available on daft.ie . In Corca Dhuibhne in Kerry, including Daingean U\u00ed Ch\u00fais, 139 properties are on Airbnb and just one is on daft.ie , which is actually a two-bedroom apartment available for only eight months of the year at \u20ac1,600 per month. Mar is gh\u00e9archeantair turas\u00f3ireachta cois c\u00f3sta iad cuid mhaith de na ceantair Ghaeltachta is l\u00e1idre sa t\u00edr, t\u00e1 drochthionchar ag Airbnb ar an nGaeltacht sa mh\u00e9id is go mb\u00edonn s\u00e9 an-deacair agus costasach ar chainteoir\u00ed Gaeilge \u00f3n nGaeiltacht n\u00f3 ag obair sa Ghaeltacht \u00e1it ch\u00f3naite a aimsi\u00fa. That is why we will be putting forward a number of amendments to this legislation, which are also supported by Conradh na Gaeilge, Threshold, the Simon Community, Tinte\u00e1n and B\u00c1N\u00da. These amendments will look to bring these areas under the restrictions. It is unacceptable that these areas will not be subject to any restrictions or planning requirements for another two years. These organisations have highlighted these areas. This is Conradh na Gaeilge and the Simon Communities. The Government is not listening to these organisations. They are very serious. They are representing people who are either in Gaeltacht areas or in homelessness, and the Government is ignoring them. I really hope the Government will take on board their amendments. One of the most obvious flaws of the legislation is that it is not providing for towns and cities with populations under 20,000, which will leave large parts of the country with no new controls. The Government promised four years ago, even longer ago, that it would clamp down on short-term lets, yet here we are and it is giving another two years. It has been years and years of delay, which shows that the Government is not serious about clamping down on short-term lets. What it actually wants to do is give the pretense of doing something but not actually doing it at all. It appears that this is another policy designed to fail. The question is about enforcement. How will these rules actually be enforced? The Minister mentioned fines and other aspects, but who is going to enforce them? There is no clarity around that. If a declaration is made by a short-term let owner, what does that declaration involve? We need clarity on that. Why should the declaration not be clear and show the planning permission that has actually been achieved? There is not clarity on that, and we need to see that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney One of the greatest challenges faced by both employers and communities is the current lack of housing in this State, and a key aspect of this legislation is the impact this has on enterprise and on businesses. When it comes to questions of regulation and the facilitation of tourism, we can often get siloed in our thinking and see the benefits and challenges faced only by a particular kind of business without focusing on our wider economy. In pre-budget submissions, conversations with business owners and wider society, we constantly hear that one of the biggest challenges facing businesses in Ireland, particularly in the tourism sector, is that they cannot get staff because those staff cannot find anywhere to live. In areas best known for tourism in this country, the local communities who make up the workforce of our caf\u00e9s, hotels, shops and tour companies have been pushed out of their own areas. If there is no community, there is no workforce. This is the balance that needs to be restored across our country. It means that a caf\u00e9 with the demand to open seven days a week that only has the staff to open four days misses out on the benefits of tourism in its area. Regulation of short-term lets ensures proper balance between allowing for holiday rentals and ensuring that the number of holiday rentals is not creating a situation whereby nobody can live in areas popular with tourists. It is that simple. I welcome the fact that there are steps in this Bill to address this issue, but they must go further. I have serious concerns with the overall approach from the Government. This issue has a particular impact, as my colleague said, on rural and Gaeltacht communities. M\u00e1 labhra\u00edonn an tAire le daoine i gCorca Dhuibhne, sa Daingean, i gConamara agus in iarthar Chorca\u00ed d\u00e9arfadh siad leis nach f\u00e9idir le daoine \u00f3ga fanacht sa mbaile. N\u00ed f\u00e9idir leo clann a th\u00f3g\u00e1il. N\u00ed f\u00e9idir leo saol a dh\u00e9anamh d\u00f3ibh f\u00e9in mar n\u00ed f\u00e9idir leo tithe a fh\u00e1il mar gheall ar l\u00edon na Airbnb sna ceantair Ghaeltachta seo. I will return to this later, but particularly in the context of a grandfathering role, I need to highlight that this is far from a new problem. T\u00e1 an fhadhb seo ann le fada agus t\u00e1 tionchar aige ar thodhcha\u00ed na teanga agus meath na Gaeltachta. Caithfear an reachta\u00edocht seo a athr\u00fa le cuimsi\u00fa go mbeidh ceantair Ghaeltachta faoina mbr\u00e1id. It is not good enough that there would be like light-touch rules in the Gaeltachta\u00ed and a two-year delay because they have no areas with a population over 20,000. The purpose of this Bill should be to provide them with the proper oversight and protection they need so that Irish speakers will be living and growing there into the future. That is a clear gap in this legislation that must be addressed on Committee Stage. It is important to acknowledge that not every short-term let is appropriate to be turned into a long-term rental, but we know that many properties on Airbnb and similar platforms are normal residential homes. Currently, the system does not distinguish at all between a heritage railway cottage that could not be occupied year round, a log cabin that is fine for a weekend but inappropriate for permanent occupancy, or a three-bedroom semi-detached house in a residential estate that could and should be a much-needed home. The only way to ensure we distinguish between these is proper regulation and planning. This kind of policymaking will deliver well beyond the acute housing challenges we face. It will also level the playing field in the tourism sector such that accommodation providers using appropriate properties and complying with the rules will be able to run their businesses. This is only possible where there is balance within communities so that the sector works for our communities and our society. We need policy to reflect that goal. We have a long tradition of self-catering accommodation as part of our tourism sector. In particular, it has facilitated an income stream for women in rural Ireland, who had limited opportunities in decades past. However, platforms like Airbnb and the short-term lets boom have turned a sector that could have been sustainable and worked for communities into one rife with exploitation and which disadvantages businesses and ordinary people in those communities. Let us remember these same companies continued to export services to the occupied territories due to the failure of our occupied territories Bill to cover services. Proper legislation of short-term lets is long overdue. We have required planning permission since 2019 but, due to weak enforcement and a lack of resources for planning authorities, we have had an incredible level of non-compliance. Of the tens of thousands of short-term lets in this country, only 1.3% have applied for planning since 2019. This is frustrating for ordinary people who comply with planning rules to build their homes and for other businesses that must use properties with the appropriate planning permission and pay rates on them to boot. It is also frustrating that this long-overdue action was only sparked by the impending introduction of EU rules, despite the clear effect unregulated short-term lets were having on Ireland. This leaves untouched those communities who have faced this problem for longest. It leaves off the hook the operators who have already gone seven years without complying with the planning requirements and it locks us into a situation that has proved disastrous for so many communities across this island."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Daniel Ennis","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","memberCode":"Daniel-Ennis.D.2026-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Daniel Ennis Let us be honest: this Bill goes nowhere near far enough. We are in the middle of a housing emergency. The measure of this legislation must be how many homes it brings back into use for people who desperately need them. Almost 17,000 properties are being used entirely for short-term letting in areas of high housing demand like the one I represent in Dublin Central. Thousands of those could potentially be returned for long-term housing. Think about what that would mean. Families would get out of emergency accommodation where they are living in some of the worst circumstances of anyone in the country. Young people would get a chance to move out of their parents' box rooms - people in their 30s, 40s, 50s and even 60s still living at home. People would finally have somewhere to build a life. Two houses on the North Strand, which back on to where I live, have lock boxes outside them. We see them all over the city. Anyone who lives in this area will see the high number of Airbnbs littered around. These houses are vacant for six, seven or eight months of the year. Two homes that could be used by families and be part of a community are just lying vacant for most of the year. There are huge issues with Airbnbs in the north inner city and in Dublin Central as a whole. This week I got an email from a resident of a building that contains an Airbnb. He described weekly disruptions from parties, fire alarms being triggered, security doors being broken and drug use by those staying in the apartments. It has got to the point where these incidents are affecting residents' safety, security and enjoyment of their own homes and communities. Instead of doing everything possible to bring those homes back, the Government is proposing to favour granting permission to properties that have operated as short-term lets for seven years without enforcement action. Where an operator has failed to get the permission they needed, why should the State's failure to act now count in its favour? What are we saying to the people who follow the rules? What are we saying to the families who have spent years in hotel rooms or bed and breakfast accommodation and in some of the worst living conditions anywhere in the country, if not Europe at this stage?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jen Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jen Cummins As a TD for Dublin South-Central, I have two conflicting issues. Dublin South-Central has massive tourist attractions. Dublin 8 is blessed to have so many attractions but there is also a massive housing issue. Every one of my clinics has people coming to me who are living in emergency accommodation or where generations of people are living in one home so they do not have to go to emergency accommodation. They are in overcrowded and unacceptable housing situations. In September, there were 15,005 people on Dublin City Council's housing list. When we have short-term lets, as we currently do, around the city, they could be people's homes. In Dublin South-Central there is a conflict. We want the tourists to come but we also want people to have places to live in. If you are a student in Dublin 8, you will have plenty of accommodation but it will not be affordable. That is only for the international students who can come. If you are a tourist, you will have loads of hotels to stay in. Before coming into the Chamber, I had a look at some of the short-term letting platforms. There are almost 250 places I could have stayed in for a couple of nights if I was a tourist, but they could be somebody's home. This city is becoming vacant as a place to thrive and live because people cannot afford to live here. Young people cannot afford the rents and they certainly cannot afford to buy a home. That is why we have shortages in our healthcare and education services. I have also spoken to business owners who cannot get staff. Soon we will have an empty facade. There will be nobody in the pubs except the tourists. I do not know who will work in them. We have to do something about housing in this city."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin Hayes","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoin Hayes I attended the enterprise committee for the Bill's pre-legislative scrutiny last year. Since I moved into my current brief, it appears there have been delays and changes. It is hugely disappointing to see the shape the Bill has taken since I attended that committee. Let me be clear: the unmanaged growth of short-term lets needs to be halted. A register is required, with lettings subject to planning compliance and a system of enforcement. To the extent those things are provided for in the Bill, it is to be welcomed, but the regulatory impact has been watered down significantly. Of the approximately 20,000 full homes being used for short-term letting, F\u00e1ilte Ireland estimates 10,000 could be brought back into long-term use. That would be a huge injection into the long-term rental market, providing homes for thousands of families, but there is a real risk the Bill in its current form will not achieve that. The exemption of towns with populations under 20,000 represents a cynical approach to regulation by the Government. It completely undermines the purpose of the Bill and will neutralise its impact in some of the worst affected areas, towns like Dingle, Dalkey, Westport and Kinsale. The Bill will require significant amendment on Committee Stage. Planning exemptions are problematic. It appears the clause in section 47 exempting short-term lets in those smaller towns from planning compliance requirements for two years only mandates regularisation for lettings that already exist at the time the legislation is brought into effect. In Dublin City Hall there is a statue to Thomas Drummond with the inscription, \"Property has its duties as well as its rights.\" We would do well to heed that warning and strengthen this legislation on Committee Stage."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James O'Connor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy James O'Connor I am standing here in my capacity as Cathaoirleach of the Joint Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. I commend and thank Members from Government parties and from the Opposition. I recognise the contribution of Deputy Conway-Walsh. I am joined by Deputy Clendennen and others from the committee who have spoken on this matter. Unfortunately, I have to report to the House and the Minister that there is a general sense of disappointment at how the committee has been treated by the Department, while taking into account that two Departments are involved, namely, the Department of housing and the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. I believe the body of work we did was significant. As Cathaoirleach of the committee, I want to acknowledge and thank everybody who came before us to argue for their side of the debate, including those who decided to invest in Airbnb accommodation as a source of subsidiary income, whether they did it out of economic necessity or choice. Around rural Ireland, farmyards and cottages have been done up and an accidental landlord may have come into ownership of a residential property with the intention of making an income from it in retirement or of staying at home and taking it on as a second career. There are many different lanes to this debate. I acknowledge what Opposition Members have said and take into account the fact that Ireland is a country with 18,000 people who are homeless. There is an huge difference between high-pressure areas in cities like Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick, as well as places in rural Ireland where homelessness is an issue, and communities that rely on tourist accommodation to bring economic activity into their areas, which must be separated out. My home town is Youghal. We were victims, quite frankly, of blatant disregard in the acquisition of hotels for use as IPAS centres. We lost over 60% of our bed capacity to an IPAS operator that took away the largest hotel in the town. This had a detrimental impact on Youghal's economic activity, which really relies on having visitors coming to the town and supporting pubs, restaurants and tourism amenities there. It is a coastal location where we have always welcomed tourists. This has had a huge impact. In parts of the country that have permanently lost hotels, where not only were they in contracts with existing owners but they were also purchased by IPAS operators, these problems still exist. I heard references to the Healy-Raes and to Deputy Michael Healy-Rae in the House today. To be fair, Deputy Michael Healy-Rae has spoken quite positively about the impact of short-term letting in many rural communities and for families that rely on it. I agree with what is being been pushed in terms of the threshold being increased from 10,000 to 20,000. That is quite a good balance in the context of where it should sit. It will do what is necessary when it comes to having a positive impact, helping to bring more accommodation back into use as residential housing stock and allowing the use of the types of properties I have described for tourism purposes. I am critical of the fact that the three Stages of this Bill will dealt with in one day. This is not a healthy practice and it undermines the work of the Oireachtas committees. I work with the Minister and the Opposition as collegially as I can, but, unfortunately, what I have to say here today is not positive or welcome. I hope it does not happen again. I know it will be very difficult for us to get to the bottom of the rationale for that because there are two Departments involved, but it is something that does concern me. For families that might only have one Airbnb property or that have renovated a farmyard or farm buildings, there is a lot of concern about the 30-day limit, getting the necessary paperwork ready and the cost involved. This is something that has not been properly thought through."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Clendennen","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Clendennen I thank the Minister for bringing forward this Bill in relation to short-term lets and acknowledge the work that the Government has done in relation to housing. We are not coming at this from a standing start. There has been a huge amount of work done in terms of improving our delivery of housing but also in ensuring that vacancy and dereliction are addressed through the likes of cro\u00ed conaithe. Progress is definitely being made, and that has to be acknowledged. This Bill is not just about housing; it is also about tourism. We need to protect our housing as much as we protect our tourism. I do not want to make this an issue regarding an urban-rural divide, but many of the urban TDs have spoken about housing, emergency accommodation and so on. From the perspective of rural tourism, what we are discussing is a lifeline for many people. It is their revenue and their income stream. For many farmers I know who have diversified into alternative streams of income, this has been one really positive and effective way of maintaining the viability of their land and their family units and ensuring that they can remain in and continue to make a positive contribution to rural Ireland. We have seen the likes of thatched cottages and old farm houses brought back to life. They have brought back the character of Ireland, which we try to conserve in so many ways through the work of the Heritage Council. It also involves large heritage buildings that - let us be realistic - are not suitable for long-term family living but that are an absolutely exceptional offering as short-term lets. It is important that we are working with these stakeholders to ensure that they can continue to offer the charm and uniqueness that people travel from all over the world to see and experience first hand. The register will be critical not just in the context of its implementation but also when it comes to ensuring its ongoing upkeep and the accuracy of the information that is shared. There is a concern among individuals in the short-term letting sector regarding regulation. There are also concerns about compliance. We need to take a pragmatic approach to that. The Irish Self-Catering Federation has stated that there is grave concern that many of those in the sector will just pull out. These lets could be used to create weekend jobs for a student or a few important jobs in local communities where there is no foreign direct investment or input from multinationals. We need to see where this will sit in terms of that national planning statement and the journey we will go on regarding planning regulation and compliance. There are concerns out there. If I look at county councils at the moment, we can see that one could be waiting three months for a pre-planning meeting. We need to ensure that local authorities are adequately resourced and are going to work favourably with stakeholders to ensure that they are compliant. I have no doubt that the vast majority of stakeholders in this sector want to comply, want to have decent offerings and want to ensure that they offer their guests a safe stay. I do not think we should be dividing this between housing and tourism. We need to ensure that there is compliance on both sides, but we also need to protect our housing and our tourism. The Minister has taken a pragmatic approach and all I would ask for is that he provides the necessary and adequate resources to ensure that the sector feels a sense of reassurance that he will work with it along with the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ensure that this can be achieved."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cormac Devlin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cormac-Devlin.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cormac-Devlin.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cormac Devlin I welcome this debate on the Short Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026. This Bill gives hosts something they have been asking for, namely clarity. For the first time, the State will have a national register of short-term lets. Every host will have one registration number, every platform will have to display it and F\u00e1ilte Ireland will have the powers of enforcement. In light of publication of the national planning statement yesterday, there will be one clear set of rules across the country. Hosts play an important role in Irish tourism, particularly outside Dublin. Last year, a record 8.4 million guest nights were booked in Ireland through online platforms. Most were outside Dublin. In many rural and coastal towns, hosts keep visitors and their spending in the local economy. That is why the two-year window for hosts in towns of under 20,000 people is sensible. It gives them time to regularise their planning while they keep trading and welcoming visitors to towns and villages across the country. We must recognise why this legislation is needed. The sector has grown significantly in recent years, often with no way to identify or contact hosts. The State cannot plan for what it cannot count or assess. In our cities and larger towns, too many full homes have left the long-term rental market. In D\u00fan Laoghaire in my constituency, the average new tenancy costs over \u20ac2,600 a month at the start of this year. That is almost \u20ac800 above the national average. Every home that is returned to long-term renting makes a difference. More generally, I welcome the direction of travel on housing. In the 12 months to September, more than 32,500 new homes were commenced. Last year, over 9,000 new-build social homes were delivered, which is the largest number since the foundation of the State. Supply and developing new services are the key to tackling the housing crisis. That means more homes that are built faster with the necessary water, energy, transport, childcare and education services that new communities demand and need. I ask the Minister to ensure that every host, particularly the small host in rural Ireland, gets clear guidance from F\u00e1ilte Ireland and his or her local authority before the register opens on 1 December. Genuine hosts want to comply. We should make it easy for them and keep red tape to an appropriate minimum. This Bill brings clarity for hosts and fairness for communities and I will be supporting it."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026: Second Stage"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_15","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Visit of Hungarian Delegation","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_15","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Before I move to Deputy \u00d3 Murch\u00fa, I ask Members to join me in offering a warm c\u00e9id m\u00edle f\u00e1ilte to our colleagues from the National Assembly of Hungary: Mr. M\u00e1rton Hajdu, chair of the foreign affairs committee; and Mr. Csaba Bakos, president of the Hungary-Ireland Friendship Group. They are guests of Senator Mary Fitzpatrick, convener of the Hungary-Ireland Parliamentary Friendship Group. They are most welcome."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Visit of Hungarian Delegation"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_16","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026: Second Stage (Resumed)","counts":{"speechCount":44,"speakerCount":27},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"George Lawlor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Cooney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Cooney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Cooney.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Edward Timmins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Edward-Timmins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Edward-Timmins.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Cahill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Carol Nolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mattie McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Niamh Smyth","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question again proposed: \"That the Bill be now read a Second Time.\""},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa I often wonder about all these conversations we have regarding housing and whether we ever actually get anywhere. There is an element involved of being like a hamster on a wheel, but there is also a need to put certain things on the record because one eventually wants to see circumstances where we actually see real and meaningful movement. When we are looking at a figure very close to 18,000 in relation to homelessness, everything has to be addressed. We are talking about significant numbers of children in this scenario. Obviously, none of this is acceptable in any way, shape or form. We heard from the Minister, Deputy Browne, in recent times about what local authorities cannot do in relation to turnkeys. We understand the logic behind that, in the sense that no one wants a local authority going up against a first-time buyer, but the only reason some of those local authorities, like the one in my constituency, have been able to deliver on the targets set for them by the Government - as much as I think the targets should be higher - is because of that. The other issue is reducing the ability of AHBs to deliver on housing. While we would all prefer that the councils themselves would do it, there are issues in relation to capacity, but I would like to see a more holistic solution introduced. We all agree on the necessity of a short-term letting register but, again, are we going to see any return of properties to the long-term residential market, either to rent or buy? That is for those who would be in a position where they would be able to either rent or buy. We all know Airbnb and other platforms have facilitated the movement of what literally could be family homes, either through rental or purchase, into the short-term letting market. The fact is the short-term letting market in particular in big urban areas is taking away from a supply that is needed. We would like to be coming from a different place where we are not dealing with the issues that we are, but the fact is that we are starting from where we are starting from. The Minister has also managed to anger housing organisations and those who advocate on behalf of those who have difficulties in getting housing, be it through rental or purchase, and also those who are representing the people who are engaged in short-term letting. We have had the arbitrary population figure of 20,000 \u2013 although \"arbitrary\" is probably the wrong term. That was decided for political reasons. I think that is fair to say. While we would all like to see flexibility in those areas that require short-term letting from a tourism point of view, we have to take into account the housing and homelessness issues in those areas. We have all seen short-term lettings that work, which are in the correct place. We have also seen where that is not the case and they are in large residential areas and they have impacted detrimentally on the neighbours around them. My issue is that this is another bit operation. It is an element of confusion. I would like to think that we would have something with a bit more clarity. We do not have a holistic solution across the board to deal with housing and homelessness and we are going to continue having these conversations. I do not know when we are going to see success and deliver for people who have a housing issue."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Deputy\u2019s time is up. I thank him. I give a cautionary warning about using the name of commercial entities in the Chamber which are not here and no allegations have been made against them. It is just a warning."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"George Lawlor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy George Lawlor I will take your advice on board, a Cheann Comhairle. I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this Second Stage debate. At the outset, I want to acknowledge that there is a legitimate public policy objective behind this legislation. Every Member of this House is deeply conscious of the housing crisis. Every one of us knows families who cannot find accommodation, young people who have been locked out of home ownership, workers travelling enormous distances because they cannot access housing near their jobs, and, most tragically, the growing number of individuals and families forced into emergency accommodation. No responsible politician can ignore those realities. For that reason, I understand the Government's argument that the regulation of short-term letting should not be confined solely to our largest cities. I can appreciate the rationale behind including towns with populations of 20,000 or more. Housing pressures are no longer restricted to Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. We are seeing increasing pressure in large regional towns throughout the State. However, if we are serious about tackling homelessness and increasing housing supply, then enforcement resources must be focused primarily where the crisis is at its most acute. The figures speak for themselves. Today, more than 17,000 people are living in emergency accommodation. Of those, almost 15,000 are concentrated within the major urban centres of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford and their surrounding metropolitan areas. That is where the pressure is greatest. That is where the demand is greatest. That is where homelessness is most severe. That is where enforcement must be most vigorous. If local authorities and regulatory bodies have finite resources - they always do - those resources should be directed first to those areas where the return is highest and where even modest increases in long-term housing supply could make a meaningful difference. I fear that this legislation risks creating a situation where scarce enforcement resources are spread too thinly across the entire country. In policymaking, there is always a danger of trying to be everything to everyone. Sometimes the result is that we end up being effective nowhere. I want a system that targets abuse. I want a system that addresses large-scale commercial operators who have effectively removed housing stock from the private rental market. I want a system that ensures compliance, but I also want proportionality. There is a world of difference between a major investor operating multiple short-term rental properties in a city experiencing severe housing shortages and a homeowner who occasionally rents part of their principal primary residence. Those distinctions matter. Good legislation recognises such distinctions. Poor legislation ignores them. The Government itself recognises that housing pressures are not uniform across the country. If that is true, and it is, then enforcement priorities should not be uniform either. A one-size-fits-all enforcement approach risks imposing significant administrative burdens on smaller communities where short-term letting may play an important role in sustaining local tourism while yielding very little additional housing supply. The central question must always be this: where can intervention deliver the greatest public benefit? The answer is obvious. It is in the major cities. It is in the areas where emergency accommodation numbers are highest. It is in the areas where rental shortages are most acute. It is in the areas where housing demand vastly exceeds supply. I therefore believe the Government must make it absolutely clear that enforcement policy will be targeted and prioritised according to housing need. There is another issue with this Bill that deserves much greater scrutiny. That issue is planning. Throughout this debate we have heard the Government speak about planning compliance. We have heard Ministers say that short-term letting activity must comply with planning requirements, yet I have to ask a very simple question. Why now? Why has this suddenly become the great planning issue of our time? Short-term letting has existed in one form or another for years. Platforms have operated openly. Properties have been advertised publicly. Successive Governments were fully aware of the sector, so why are we only now being told that there is a planning crisis associated with short-term accommodation? Why was this not addressed years ago? Why was it not clarified years ago? Why did government after government fail to provide certainty? Why were homeowners, small tourism providers and local authorities left operating under a cloud of ambiguity? These are not unreasonable questions. In fact, they are questions the public have every right to ask. The Government now wants us to impose additional requirements and regulation, but where was the urgency when clarity was needed? Where was the urgency when local authorities were seeking guidance? Where was the urgency when people were trying to understand what rules applied? One cannot help but feel that this legislation is attempting to cure symptoms rather than address causes. That brings us to the heart of the matter. Why is the spotlight being trained so heavily on self-catering accommodation and short-term lets? Why has this become such a major political focus? The answer is uncomfortable for the Government, but it needs to be stated. It is because it provides a convenient distraction from the Government's failure to build enough homes. That is the uncomfortable truth behind much of this debate. Successive Governments have presided over one of the most severe housing crises in the history of the State. Housing completions failed to match demand. Planning systems remained cumbersome. Infrastructure delivery lagged behind. Affordable housing targets were missed. Social housing waiting lists continue to grow. Private rents have spiralled. House prices escalated beyond the reach of ordinary working families. Homelessness reached record levels. Those are the facts. Against this backdrop, the Government has increasingly looked for explanations elsewhere. Migrants working in our essential services are blamed. Planning appeals are blamed. Vacant homes are blamed. Now, short-term lets are increasingly being blamed. Of course, all of these factors can play a role but none of them explain the scale of the crisis. The primary reason Ireland has a housing emergency is painfully simple. We have not built enough homes for a very long time. That is the central failure. No amount of regulatory activity aimed at short-term letting can hide that reality. No amount of administrative enforcement can substitute for housing delivery. No amount of political spin can alter the basic arithmetic of supply and demand. The Government cannot regulate itself out of a housing shortage. It must build its way out. That is the challenge and the test and that is where the focus should remain. Indeed, I find it extraordinary that some of the loudest voices calling for even more planning scrutiny of homeowners were remarkably silent when genuine planning abuses were occurring in years gone by. It is an awful pity that the Government, Fianna F\u00e1il in particular, was not nearly as energised about planning enforcement during the days of the Galway tent. It is an awful pity they were not displaying the same level of enthusiasm for regulation when developers appeared to enjoy extraordinary influence over planning and development decisions. It is an awful pity they were not demanding rigorous oversight when powerful interests seemed able to secure rezoning decisions and planning outcomes that benefited them enormously. Many people remember those years. People remember an era when ordinary citizens often felt disconnected, and some still do, from the planning process. People remember a culture in which development frequently appeared to proceed with inadequate scrutiny. The irony is striking. Today, the Government wants us to believe that the great planning challenge facing Ireland is the retired couple renting a self-catering property. Today, the Government wants us to believe that the central planning priority is the homeowner engaging in occasional short-term letting. Where was this zeal when genuine systemic planning issues demanded attention? Some still do today. Where was this relentless focus on compliance? Where was this passion for enforcement? Where was this determination to regulate? The public are entitled to ask those questions and they are entitled to receive answers. I want to be clear that this is not an argument against regulation. It is not an argument against registration, transparency or enforcement. Rules are important and compliance matters. Consumer protection matters, as does public confidence, but good regulation must and has to be proportionate and it must be evidence-based, targeted and fair. Above all, it must recognise that not every short-term letting arrangement is the same. Home sharing is not the same as commercial investment. A principal private residence is not the same as a professionally managed portfolio. An occasional host is not the same as a corporate operator. Legislation that blurs those distinctions risks doing real damage to ordinary people who are simply trying to supplement household income at a time of extraordinary financial pressure. Many homeowners are facing significant mortgage repayments. Many families are facing soaring costs. Rural tourism providers are struggling with rising operating expenses. For some, short-term letting provides an important supplementary income stream. For others, it supports local employment and local tourism. For many areas, particularly outside the major cities, self-catering accommodation forms an important part of the tourism offering. That reality should not be overlooked. Ireland's tourism product depends on diversity. Hotels play a critical role. Guesthouses play a critical role. Bed and breakfast accommodation plays a critical role. Self-catering accommodation plays a critical role, as does home sharing. A successful tourism sector requires all of these components working together. Therefore, while I support reasonable regulation, I do not support the assumption that every short-term letting property represents housing stock that would otherwise immediately enter the long-term rental market. That assumption is often overstated. It is not always supported by evidence and, in many cases, it simply does not reflect reality. The challenge for legislators is to distinguish carefully between properties that genuinely impact housing availability and those that do not. This requires nuance and balance. It requires a willingness to move beyond simplistic narratives. As legislators, we should be capable of that. The housing crisis, of course, deserves serious solutions and the public deserve serious solutions. Headlines will not solve homelessness. Scapegoating will not solve homelessness. Only increasing housing supply on a substantial and sustained basis will solve homelessness. That simply means building more homes. It means accelerating infrastructural delivery, addressing construction capacity and providing certainty within the planning system. As we know, of course, that also means that the local authorities have the resources they absolutely need. However, it means first and foremost focusing relentlessly on housing delivery. If we fail in those tasks, no amount of regulation of short-term lets will compensate. As this Bill progresses, I hope the Minister will carefully consider amendments that strengthen the distinction between large-scale commercial operators and genuine home-sharing arrangements. I hope the Minister will provide greater clarity regarding planning requirements. I hope he will commit to targeting enforcement where housing pressures are genuinely most severe, and I hope the Government will recognise that while short-term letting may form part of the wider housing debate, it is not the primary cause of our housing crisis. Ultimately, the answer to Ireland's housing emergency is not to search endlessly for new villains. The answer, once again, is to build more homes. It always has been and it always will be. Until we confront that reality honestly, the housing crisis will persist regardless of how many regulations we introduce. For that reason, while I recognise the intention behind this Bill and support targeted efforts to return the housing stock to areas of greatest need, I believe it requires further refinement, greater proportionality, stronger differentiation between categories of providers and a much clearer focus on genuine housing pressures in our major urban centres. That is the approach that will best serve both housing policy and tourism policy, that is the approach that will best serve communities, and that is the approach I urge the Minister and this House to adopt."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor Sheehan T\u00e1im bu\u00edoch don Aire agus don Aire St\u00e1it as a bheith anseo inniu. I welcome the opportunity to speak on this Bill as the Labour Party housing spokesperson. I also belatedly welcome the fact that the Government is moving, albeit with great reluctance, to regulate short-term lets, which is primarily to comply with EU data sharing rules, which obligate the Government to set up standardised digital registration system for short-term rental accommodation. There has been zero to little urgency from the Government on this despite the overwhelming evidence of the damage the unregulated short-term letting system in this country is causing to the private rental market. F\u00e1ilte Ireland set the infrastructure up for the register nearly four years ago and the previous Government initially said it had intended to do this in 2023, nearly four years ago. Threshold report after Threshold report has shown how the unchecked growth of short-term lets strips homes from long-term rental supply, drives up rents and forces workers, students and families out of their communities, and these warnings were repeatedly ignored. Now, it has taken the Government nearly two years to come up with these proposals that, albeit well intentioned, and I acknowledge that, have more holes in them than the hull of Titanic . It is nearly a decade ago that the Seanad first debated a Private Members' Bill by my colleague, former Minister of State, Kevin Humphreys, which would have ensured at the time that these lets would be classified as a commercial enterprise and would require planning permission, which would have reversed a trend that has exploded in urban areas of homes being used as hotels in the middle of a housing crisis. The restrictions that were introduced in 2019 by Eoghan Murphy could have worked if they had included any meaningful sanctions, which they did not. The issue here is with multibillion-euro hosting platforms robbing our cities and towns of housing and hollowing out communities with no structural enforcement or financial liabilities. It is not with individuals running an Airbnb or a small business. Politics is about choices and my priority and my choice here is housing and, unfortunately, what is being proposed here is not going to bring enough housing back into long-term use. I am disappointed that the Government has continued with its proposal to exempt towns of less than 20,000. This is a disappointing retreat from the initial proposed cap of 10,000. At present, we are in a situation where rents have spiralled out of control, where there are only 12 properties available to rent on Daft within HAP limits and when homelessness has never been higher. Our priority and political choice must be long-term housing. There are anywhere up to 35,000 properties advertised for rent as short-term lets in this country. Threshold carried out research in 2025, which showed up to 8,000 entire properties where the host operated more than one property. These are not humble B and B operators. These are landlords masquerading as hoteliers. They should be treated, from a legislative point of view, as professional accommodation providers. A serious response to this crisis must come with meaningful teeth. It must deal with the role of platforms in the first instance, and I welcome the fact the Bill will provide for a graduated enforcement framework with fixed-payment notices, summary offences and sanction regimes. I also welcome the financial sanctions that will include fines of up to 2% of annual worldwide turnover . That is welcome, because companies such as Airbnb continue to allow unregulated and, frankly, illegal properties to be advertised despite clear obligations under the 2019 legislation. That is unacceptable. Platforms need to be held accountable for what they host, and illegal short-term lets must be removed and not quietly tolerated. This is where I am more critical and where the Bill falls short. The two-year transition period for areas with a population of 20,000 is far too long. If you have been knowingly operating a short-term let that is not compliant, then you do not deserve two years in which to rectify what you know is wrong. That is simply a joke. This allows those who may ultimately fail to obtain planning permission to continue trading in breach of planning until 2029. As for the seven-year grandfather clause, that might as well be called a great-grandfather clause because of the length of time it will continue to lock properties out of the long-term rental market. Exempting operators who have run short-term lets for seven years contradicts the entire purpose of the Bill, which must be to return homes back into the long-term rental or purchase market during a severe housing crisis. This is where the Government is being captured by lobbyists. Let me be clear: the grandfathering or the long running of ipso facto hotels in a housing crisis will render this framework well-meaning but useless, with more holes in it than the Titanic . We also need to make sure that we protect Gaeltacht communities. T\u00e1 g\u00e9argh\u00e1 chomh maith le leas\u00fa chun ceantracha Gaeltachta a chosaint mar t\u00e1 fadhb ollmh\u00f3r ann sa Ghaeltacht maidir le l\u00f3ist\u00edn gearrthr\u00e9imhseach. Is bagairt ollmh\u00f3r \u00e9 l\u00f3ist\u00edn gearrthr\u00e9imhseach don Ghaeltacht. Beidh m\u00e9 in ann teacht ar ais chuig an leas\u00fa sin ag C\u00e9im an Choiste."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan I welcome this Bill and the Government's intent to bring clear rules and transparency to short-term letting. However, we have to call a spade a spade: a blunt urban approach will not work in rural Ireland. The housing pressures in our major cities are entirely different from the reality on the ground in rural communities, and our planning framework must recognise that. In Galway East, from Kinvarra and Gort to Athenry, Tuam and Loughrea, tourism is an economic lifeline. When visitors stay in rural, self-catering accommodation, they sustain a village, the local pub, the cafe and independent attractions. In areas without major hotels, like those I represent in east Galway, these properties are our tourism infrastructure. The vast majority of these lets in settlements of fewer than 20,000 people are not really corporate operations. Rather, they are primarily dual-use properties such as renovated farm outbuildings, vernacular cottages or annexes within the curtilage of a family home. They are used by the family part of the year and let out the rest to supplement farm or household income. They were never going to be long-term residential rentals. It is important to recognise that. If an apartment in Dublin city is being rented out as an Airbnb and was originally built and granted planning permission as an apartment, that is how it should operate - as an apartment and not as a short-term let or as hotel accommodation. However, in rural Ireland, a lot of innovative ideas have come forward with old farm buildings being converted into really nice experiences for people to have an old Irish cultural experience. I welcome the two-year transition window and the distinction drawn in the national planning statement for towns of fewer than 20,000 people, but if we want families to step forward and regularise their position, we must address the planning mechanics. If the proposed retention process inadvertently reclassifies a home as a purely commercial property, the unintended consequences could be severe. It could lead to the devaluation of properties, the blocking of standard residential mortgages from the pillar banks, and the triggering of disproportionate commercial rates and certifications on what is essentially a part-time activity. If that happens, people simply will not engage and rural Ireland will risk losing vital tourism bed capacity overnight. That is where my main concern would be - if we were to lose capacity. In the spirit of constructive engagement, I put three specific questions to the Minister of State and the officials so that small operators have absolute certainty. On the planning status, will the simplified retention process grant permission as a residential property with ancillary commercial use rather than a full outright change to purely commercial use? On the finance and future sale elements, what explicit protections are being put in place with the Department of Finance and the pillar banks so that dual-use properties, particularly those within the curtilage of a primary residence, can still be bought and refinanced on standard residential mortgages without destroying their asset value? Regarding reversion, if an operator subsequently decides to stop short-term letting, will there be an equally simple automatic mechanism to revert the planning status back to standard residential without requiring an expensive, uncertain, full planning application? My objective here remains balanced. We have to protect long-term residential housing supply where the demand is critical while protecting rural tourism where it keeps communities alive. I urge the Minister of State to take these technical clarifications on board as the Bill progresses to ensure that rural enterprise is supported but not inadvertently undermined."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Kyne The Minister of State is welcome. This Bill is a balance of competing demands and viewpoints on housing and tourism. It recognises that in our large urban areas, there are particular pressures where the housing situation is more concentrated and problematic. Therefore, the Government has decided as part of this Bill to support those individuals. However, rural Ireland is different. In my area of Galway West, particularly in the Connemara area, the Aran Islands and Inishbofin, it is a different scenario. Things have evolved over time to a situation whereby, without any great fuss being made, people started doing short-term lettings. That has not gone through the planning process. There was a genuine concern among many people that this would be a clamp-down, so I welcome the initiative in the Bill to protect these businesses, which is what they are, because tourism is hugely important as an indigenous industry in Connemara in particular and on our offshore islands. If there was an absolute clamp-down, as some would like, it would decimate those rural communities. We are talking about small rural communities where tourism is hugely important. I am not talking about the cities or large towns, but the small rural communities. For example, you have situations on the Aran Islands where somebody had their family home and they have since moved away but come back every so often. They come back at Christmas or for summer holidays with their family. In the intervening periods, they may rent the house out for a number of weeks. Those situations have to be protected. You have many situations whereby people may have inherited the family house. They want to keep that for their children and for the future, and in the meantime, they rent it out for short-term letting to generate a few euro for themselves. There is nothing wrong with using the assets you have. However, there is a difference in the cities and the Government has recognised that in this Bill. I have met with Gaeltacht groups. T\u00e1 a fhios agam go bhfuil deacrachta\u00ed acu agus go bhfuil siad ag lorg athruithe sa Bhille seo. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 sin ceart go leor agus beimid in ann \u00e9 sin a phl\u00e9. However, the Connemara and Aran Islands Tourism Network is very much concerned with what could have happened with this. The seven-year grandfathering is certainly welcome. The understanding that there is a difference between the urban and rural situations is also certainly welcome. This is a balanced approach. Some people have talked about delays. I suspect that the Department of housing may have a stronger view on this. The Department of tourism also recognises that tourism is a hugely important indigenous industry for rural Ireland, which needs to be protected. The impact of a blanket ending of short-term letting would have been huge and consequential in a negative fashion for those businesses. There are a number of things. There is reference to Galway city and suburbs. I assume that refers to the area of Galway city itself and those areas just outside. Even though they are rural, they would not be included in this because they are proximate to Galway city. There are some concerns about the timeline, the one month for registration. If someone has to get planning permission and that is pending, do they have to stop the listing come 1 January? There are a number of issues that need to be clarified as the Bill progresses, including on Committee Stage. However, the general thrust of the Bill, which presents a balanced approach to urban areas and large towns and smaller rural communities and offshore islands, is hugely important. I welcome the engagement the Minister has had and the decisions made by the Cabinet that we see in this Bill."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Keira Keogh I commend the Minister of State and the other Ministers in the Department on their work on this Bill. I come from a hospitality background and so I understand the enormous contribution that tourism makes, particularly in Mayo, from Westport and Achill down to Belmullet and Ballina, but also in communities right along the Wild Atlantic Way. However, I also acknowledge the very real housing pressures in Mayo and across the country. In my weekly constituency clinic, housing is consistently the biggest issue. Young people cannot find anywhere to rent. Families are searching for long-term accommodation. Employers are struggling to find housing for their workers. We must protect homes for people who want to live and work in our communities while also recognising that tourism accommodation supports local jobs, family businesses and people's right to earn an income from their property. Short-term letting is not the sole cause of our housing difficulties. This balanced approach is essential. I welcome this Bill's introduction of a national registration system for short-term lettings up to 21 consecutive nights. When I book a taxi and it is on its way, I can see the registration details of that taxi. When I get in, I can see the identification card of the driver. That gives me transparency, accountability and a system by which I can identify the operator. Even when I go to the country markets and buy a cake, I know food safety standards have been complied with. In the same vein, it is reasonable to expect similar transparency in the short-term accommodation sector. I also welcome that this new system will give us reliable data to work with. It will help local authorities and policymakers to better understand the scale, location and nature of short-term letting, which will then help us to make informed decisions around housing, tourism and regional development. We can all agree that the sector has transformed across the last decade. Our regulatory framework needs to reflect that. I welcome what is perhaps the most important thing, which is that we are moving closer to certainty for accommodation providers. Many constituents have contacted me since I was elected looking for certainty. I particularly think of a retired woman who lets out her chalet to supplement her pension. She was unsure about planning requirements, about the rules and about the future of her very small business. These are real people who need clear answers and certainty. When this legislation is enacted, we have to be really proactive about the requirements using straightforward language and not just in the online space. I welcome that F\u00e1ilte Ireland has been appointed as the body to oversee the registration system. I also welcome the confirmation we have been given that the registration fee will be \u20ac25. However, perhaps we could look at the application process. Right now, the Bill says it will be online only. I think of people like those women who are in their retirement and who may not be as tech savvy. There must be simple ways for them to do it. I also support proportionate inspections and enforcement by F\u00e1ilte Ireland alongside consistent obligations for hosts and online platforms. When accommodation is operated commercially, appropriate standards and accountability matter, especially for the tourists who are coming into the country. I know that registration and planning permission are two separate matters. The two have been a little bit conflated over recent months. I welcome the proposed transitional arrangements under section 47. These will allow for a 24-month period for people to comply with national planning requirements. I also welcome the measures that will make it easier for established operators of seven years or more to have that proposed presumption in favour of planning permission. I also welcome the introduction of the simplified retention application process. That is a vital step. However, I ask the Minister of State to look at whether the local authority planning departments will receive additional resources to deal with the volume of applications that might arise. We cannot promise providers more certainty and then leave them waiting months for decisions. I welcome this Bill. It offers an opportunity for greater transparency, fairer regulation and clarity. I know that Mayo needs thriving tourism and thriving communities as well as housing."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Gould There are many people who are running legitimate short-term lets but the Government's delays and chaotic approach to tackling this legislation have left them in limbo for years upon years. If this had been done years ago, there would have been certainty by now. People would have known the position they are in. Many of these homes could have had families in them by now. I just checked today and there are 404 entire homes in Cork city on Airbnb for January. I am not talking about west Cork, east Cork and north Cork but about Cork city alone. I also checked Daft today and there are only 158 homes to rent in Cork today. The problem is clear. Those statistics speak for themselves. There are countless families in Cork who are looking for somewhere to rent. These families are being driven out of their homes by the rental legislation the Government brought in earlier this year. People have been given notice to quit but have nowhere to go. The Government has driven people out of their homes and they now have nowhere to go. Does the Minister of State know what the crazy thing about this situation is? There are families in emergency accommodation, hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation. Children are growing up in such accommodation. At the same time, there are tourists coming to Ireland, including to Cork city, and staying in the homes these families should be in. The system is upside down. The tourists are staying in the homes and the homeless are staying in the bed and breakfast accommodation and hotels. How can that be right? That is a fact on the ground at the moment. I was contacted by a woman today. She has been in homeless accommodation for over a year. She is a very young woman. She is seemingly trying to get her life back together. She has no family support. She does everything for herself. She is not looking for anything special or anything extra. All she wants is to be able to rent a safe home and to have a key for her own front door and to be able to lock it. She wants to build a home for herself. Is that too much to ask? People are now living with their parents in their 20s, their 30s and even their 40s. How can it be right for adults to be living at home with their parents because they cannot find anywhere to rent? If they did find anywhere to rent, the rents are so high that they are blocked from going in. These houses should be made available to those people and the thousands of others across the State who are looking to rent or who are in emergency accommodation in bed and breakfast accommodation and hotels. We have short-term lets in places like Blarney Street, North Main Street and Dennehy's Cross. The Government has failed to tackle them. That is where families should be living. Instead, the Minister of State and her Government have tied themselves up in knots. It is not because they are worried about the small business owners or rural Ireland. It is because they are worried about the big corporate companies and agencies that are always at the heart of their decision making. They are tying up properties in Cork and in many other towns and cities. As always, the Government has done everything possible to protect those who are only in it for profit and for greed. When will this Government bring in legislation that puts people at its heart?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Roderic O'Gorman For too long, the State simply has not known with any degree of certainty how many homes are being used for short-term letting, where they are located or what impacts they are having on local housing markets. That is not a sustainable basis for policymaking in the middle of a housing crisis. We have to be honest about what this means. Housing is not just another commodity. In a housing crisis, every full house advertised as an Airbnb let is a potential family home lost. When teachers cannot find accommodation near the schools where they work, when healthcare workers cannot find rental properties and when young families are forced to leave areas where they have roots because housing is unavailable, we have a social and economic problem that requires intervention. Housing must, first and foremost, serve the needs of communities. That does not mean demonising every short-term letting host, because many are letting space within their own homes, which are already occupied. However, it does mean recognising that in a housing emergency, those who make public policy have a responsibility to ensure that homes are used in a way that supports sustainable communities as well as tourism. It has become clear in many counties that things have gone too far in one direction and that the Government has been too slow to address the imbalance in that regard. If a property is being offered for short-term letting, the State should know that it exists, local authorities should know where it is located, planning authorities should be able to determine whether it is operating within the law and policymakers should be able to understand the impact that short-term letting is having on housing supply, tourism accommodation and the local community. A clear lesson from the past decade of housing policy is that planning rules without enforcement are not enough. Ireland already has planning requirements relating to short-term letting. The difficulty has been that local authorities have had no effective way of identifying which properties are operating, where they are located or whether they have the required planning permission. The result has been a system that has really struggled to command any degree of confidence. There is a question to be asked and answered in this Bill, which is whether the register will have an impact if the Government does not create an enforcement framework around it. From our experience to date with the vacant sites register, it is fair to say right now that this is unlikely. A register that is not backed up by proper inspection, verification and enforcement risks becoming little more than a catalogue of errors. The success of this legislation will depend not simply on the collection of information but on the willingness and capacity of the State to act on that information. F\u00e1ilte Ireland must have the resources to monitor compliance, local authorities must have the resources to investigate breaches and platforms must be required to remove listings that do not comply with this law. There is one aspect of this Bill that I have a particular issue with. As we know, the legislation provides for different treatment depending on whether a property is located inside or outside larger urban areas, with a transitional approach applying outside the 25 built-up areas with populations of more than 20,000. This Kilgarvan carve out - I have no idea why it is being called that - suggests that in certain parts of the country some people are more deserving of housing than others. The evidence suggests that some of the most acute impacts of short-term lettings are not only found in our largest towns and cities but also in rural communities, coastal areas and in parts of the Gaeltacht where housing supply is already under enormous strain. By raising the population threshold to 20,000, the Government is showing a serious lack of backbone. This leaves only 24 towns on the island able to avail of new short-term letting laws and it leaves most of the towns in Ireland completely at the mercy of Airbnb or other short-term let companies. This points to a deeper trend on the part of this Government of leaving rural communities to fend for themselves. The housing crisis is just as devastating in rural Ireland as it is in built-up areas but what the Government is saying is that some places deserve housing more than others. Counties with majority small towns and villages are suffering exponentially due to short-term rentals taking over the market. Figures have shown that there were 1,009 short-term rentals in Kerry but only 22 homes advertised to rent. The situation is equally dire in other counties. In Clare, there were 532 short-term lets available but only 19 long-term rentals, while in Donegal there were 24 short-term lets for every single long-term rental. It is also imperative to protect our Gaeltacht areas, which are already disproportionately affected by the explosion in the number of short-term lettings. Between May 2019 and September of this year, the total number of Airbnbs in Gaeltacht areas increased by 88%, which is a completely soul-destroying number for those looking for long-term lets in their local communities. There is a distinct need for this legislation, as drafted, to be amended to protect Gaeltacht areas specifically because short-term lets act directly against regions focused on the sustainable renewal and regeneration of the Irish language. This Bill will ultimately be measured by one clear metric. Does it help to make more homes available for people who need them? We do not need more empty administration, yet another register or another report. We need homes for families, for workers and for people who want to stay in the communities they grew up in. If we are serious about tackling the housing crisis we must be equally serious about enforcement where serious problems exist. Ultimately, homes should be for living in, communities should be places where people can build their lives and public policy should put those principles first."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger It is unbelievable that we are discussing short-term lets in the midst of a housing crisis that has been going on for about 13 years, if not longer. Some of the figures are stark. While short-term lets are not the cause of the housing crisis, they are certainly contributing to the problems caused by this Government and that which preceded it not building enough affordable and social homes for the past number of years. It is estimated by one consultancy that there are 28,342 short-term lets available but that there are only 12 houses available through HAP, which says it all. There are ten times as many short-term lets as full-time rentals, and 75% of these homes are often empty. They are sitting idle during a housing crisis. Having listened to some TDs talking here, I am obliged to wonder about their priorities. How much tourism do we actually need? We need homes for everybody, including essential workers, teachers, nurses and all of the people who we cannot get to remain in the country. We are being so flaithi\u00falach in our legislation governing short-term lets. The majority of them are in high-demand housing areas. In Dublin, for example, there are around 2,000 short-term lets but only 1,200 long-term rentals available at the moment. I want to make a very quick point about rural areas, because I have heard some TDs talking about that. There is a homelessness and housing crisis in rural areas. I know so many people who are affected by it. In the Gaeltacht specifically, we have been asked by Conradh na Gaeilge to take into account that there are 100 times more short-term lets than full-time rentals available and not to allow this grace period to apply in Gaeltacht areas in order to protect the Irish language, apart from anything else. I want to talk about my constituency of Dublin West, which has always been a housing and homelessness blackspot. It is a very young constituency with a great many migrant workers. There are several hundred short-term lets available in Dublin West but practically no HAP accommodation. There are 97 short-term lets available in Dublin 15. I could not get the figures for Ashtown, but there are nearly 300 in Cabra and Glasnevin, some of which would be in Ashtown. That is nearly 100 houses that could be available to rent but are not. I spent last Saturday with a homeless couple - I am sure lots of TDs could say the same - trying to help them navigate the humiliating system that we have in this country. People present as homeless and often get a terrible reception. They are sent off to get loads of forms together. They might have to couch surf or sleep in their car while they are waiting. They go through these hoops to get onto homeless HAP but then there is no HAP accommodation available. It is nearly embarrassing explaining this system to people. What is the point in trying to jump through hoops to get HAP when there is no HAP accommodation available? One of the reasons for this is that people see the profits that can be made from short-term letting. I do not have time to go into the detail of the Bill now. It should worry people that the only thing that we can do to help anyone who is homeless now is HAP and there is just none available. Meanwhile, we have TDs standing up in the D\u00e1il talking about how important it is to allow people to profit off tourism. I want to talk about the response to the housing crisis in my last couple of minutes. One of the huge announcements that has been made is the Dunsink urban area plan. Everybody heard about it over the course of the summer. I am completely behind the idea of developing this land for affordable and social housing. Some 90% of it is in the ownership of Fingal council, and the rest is in private ownership. However, it has to be done properly, and the omens are not very good in the way this is being dealt with. To plan a new town, there should be consultation and discussions in the areas that are going to be impacted. There should be time to hear submissions and to allow feedback from councillors. I was writing a submission the day I was going on my summer holiday, that was how short a timeframe there was. There has to be, particularly in sensitive greenbelt or rural areas, protection of rural lanes and villages like Dunsinea Lane, Scribblestown Lane and the Tolka Valley. Also, the key thing is that we do not want a policy of \"pack 'em in\" either. The density rose in this case from 7,000 up to 18,500. Seven thousand was indicated in a motion that I put in the council two years ago when I was on it-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle With respect, Deputy, I am not sure that any of that could really go into this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger It is very relevant to short-term lets - and then suddenly the density increased. It is about our response to the housing crisis, short-term lets and the problems they are causing for finding accommodation in the country. I really feel that this plan should be mentioned in that context. The only way to respond to the housing crisis is through the local authorities, and a State-sponsored agency should be set up to deal with this emergency, including taking information about the short-term lets in an area and whether there should be a complete ban on them in certain areas where there is such a housing and homeless crisis. In the case of plans like Dunsink, it has to be balanced. We all know there has to be transport, schools, infrastructure and things that communities need to thrive. It is all linked in. We have a housing crisis, and the Government is responding with a very light-touch regulation Bill in terms of these Airbnbs and short-term lets. This is coming from Europe. It is not even coming from the Government. It has been told that it needs to deal with this, and this is causing havoc throughout Europe. We see local people objecting in Barcelona and cities everywhere as gentrification takes over and shoots up the prices. We have seen the massive movement that is taking place in Spain in response to an 80-year-old woman being taken out of her long-term accommodation for a short-term let. That is why the problems are all interlinked."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett The problems are interlinked. I agree with that and the points Deputy Coppinger raised are relevant because the connecting point between the short-term let scandal and the wider housing crisis is whether housing is built for people or profit. That is the connection. It is simple. Housing for people who need a roof over their heads should take priority over housing built to make a profit, whether it is short-term lets or another profiteering approach to property. I was frankly shocked in the housing committee yesterday. I knew about the RT\u00c9 site, but we got the details when we met Cairn Homes. I just thought that it is incredible that the RT\u00c9 site, a publicly owned site, has been sold to one of the most profitable housing developers which profits from building housing on a public site and all we are getting back on what used to be a 100% public site is 10% social housing, and I was quite shocked to find out that there would be no affordable housing. I do not even know how it managed that. Somebody should look into that. I presume there has been loophole it has managed to use to get around the 10% affordable requirement, but that should be 100% social and affordable housing. Ultimately, the solution to the housing crisis is to build social and affordable housing, to do it at scale and to direct the resources of the State and the available construction labour, which is finite, to building houses for people not for profit. It is in that context that we should address the short-term letting situation. It is good that the Government is addressing this, but to be honest, it is mostly to the credit of protestors in Barcelona and across Europe protesting against Airbnb, short-term lets and the impact they are having on the housing market and how that then influenced the European Union in order to issue directives and so on that have finally worked their way through to the Irish Government having to legislate to deal with the problem. Apart from the wider preference for profit instead of people in terms of short-term letting, the problem is summed up to me by the fact that if you go on daft.ie today there are 1,300 properties to rent for people who need a roof over their head, but according to Indecon, 32% of the 28,000 short-term lets that it found in Ireland are in Dublin. That is 9,000 in Dublin. There are 1,300 for people who are in emergency accommodation or trying to find HAP accommodation or for ordinary working people going out to try to find rental accommodation they can afford, and most of them are probably too expensive and will not take HAP, or are too expensive for HAP, but there are 9,000 short-term lets. Imagine if the 9,000 short-term lets were available for rent at affordable prices. Imagine the impact that would have on the housing crisis in Dublin. It would be massive. It would not solve it all, but it would make a big difference. It would probably account for most of the people in emergency accommodation at the moment. Just think about that. There are kids who this Christmas will be going through their second Christmas in emergency accommodation. It is disgusting and unacceptable, but the Government is still balancing that against the right of somebody to make profit. Let us be clear about it: it is not as if they would not make a fair bit of money from just renting it out in the normal rental market. They would make a lot. Look at average rents, they are outrageous, but no, that is not good enough for them. They want to rent them at three and four times the profit. We then give exceptions in rural areas because of pressure from certain people, which is affecting the housing crisis in rural areas because people want to make more profit. I repeat that point. If people who are currently doing short-term letting were told that they could not do it in rural areas or anywhere else, they could still profit from renting it out to people who need housing in their areas, but that is not good enough for them. They want to make more profit. They say, \"What about tourism?\" How many people come here each year? It is 6.5 million; more than the entire population of the country. It puts the so-called scapegoating or blaming of asylum seekers for our problems into perspective. There were 13,000 asylum applications last year; a tiny number. There are 6.5 million tourists every year. Do not get me wrong, I am not against tourism, but do we need to expand it more? Should it be a priority over people who need a roof over their head and for their families? Should we be building hotels and making profit rather than building affordable housing for people affected by the housing crisis, including the working people in this country who cannot afford anywhere to live and the young people qualifying in the health professions who are going to be out on strike next week because they are thinking of leaving the country because they do not think they will be able to afford to live here? I know what I think is the priority and what should be the priority. It should be their right to have an affordable roof over their heads and for it not to be a struggle to buy or rent a property, not just for their sakes so that they do not end up in homeless accommodation or in a stressed state trying to pay unaffordable rents, but also for the sake of the country, because if they leave, as many of them are, it is going to impact, and is impacting, on all of us. In fact, it is one of the big reasons there are going to be strikes next week. It is not just about pay. It is about the affordability of accommodation and the availability of housing for working people in this country. It needs to be enforced. It needs to happen. There should be no exemptions. I do not know why over the shop stuff is, for example, being exempted, but there has to be serious enforcement of this stuff and there should be no exemptions in rural areas or anywhere else."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Joe Cooney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Joe-Cooney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Joe-Cooney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Joe Cooney I commend the Minister and his team on bringing this legislation forward. Short-term lets are a very important part of tourism accommodation in our coastal and rural communities. Many are operated by families using cottages, farm buildings or pods in the curtilage of their family farms or homes. They support tourism jobs, family businesses, restaurants, caf\u00e9s and activity providers which all depend on visitors coming to stay in these areas and experiencing all they have to offer. However, in many coastal towns and villages in my constituency, I am aware of former council houses and family homes that are no longer part of the residential market unfortunately. We simply cannot ignore the impact of an unregulated short-term letting sector on the sustainability of these communities. It is not good enough. Ironically, it also has a knock-on impact on the ability of tourism businesses to operate due to the lack of accommodation for their staff. A house cannot be two things at once. It cannot be a profitable short-term rental and at the same time an affordable home for a young local family to stay in the community where they grew up. In many coastal communities, the high financial returns available from short-term letting have put house prices beyond the mortgage that local wages can support unfortunately. We are not simply debating tourism accommodation. We are debating whether local people can still afford to buy a home in the community where they were born and raised. That is unbalanced, not sustainable and it is why regulation is necessary. However, I accept there is a big difference between a second home being bought and operated as commercial tourism accommodation and a farming family letting a cottage on their farm or a family earning some additional income from a granny flat or a pod in their garden. These do not remove homes from the housing stock and are very unlikely to be put up for sale or rent, but they help families make ends meet and they contribute positively to local tourism. I believe there is a strong case for sensible carve-outs in those circumstances but we must hold a firm line on a couple of situations. Former council houses should not be eligible for change of use. Equally, where planning permission was granted on the basis of permanent occupation, those conditions should be respected. They exist to protect local communities and local housing supply, and should not be undermined. The Bill is ultimately about getting the balance right, supporting tourism, supporting rural enterprise and supporting local communities while ensuring that local people can afford to live in the place they call home which is very important for those people. With sensible refinements, I believe this legislation can achieve that balance."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly Chualamar \u00f3 fhoireann de chuid Chol\u00e1iste na Tr\u00edon\u00f3ide ag cruinni\u00fa chomhchoiste inn\u00e9, agus ag an gcruinni\u00fa poibl\u00ed i mBaile an Fheirt\u00e9araigh coic\u00eds \u00f3 sh\u00edn, go bhfuil fadhb mh\u00f3r sa Ghaeltacht mar gheall ar na Airbnbs. At that meeting we heard that there were n\u00edos m\u00f3 n\u00e1 1,000, more than 1,000, Airbnb offerings in the Corca Dhuibhne west Kerry area. There are about 5,000 houses there. At the same time, people who have returned to the area having lived abroad for a number of years or are moving into the area to take up employment mostly in the tourism sector cannot find a place to rent. I have spoken to some of the tourism providers and I know that they are obliged to provide accommodation for their own staff in their accommodation but also in purchased houses in the area so that their staff have a place to go and they are offered to them at a more reasonable rent. The mean price for a house in the area is the \u20ac400,000 in a relatively out of the way place even though there is a massive tourism demand. There is no doubt that the percentage of accommodation offered on Airbnb in the area is disproportionate and not sustainable into the future. The report stated that there was a paucity of engagement with the realities on the ground and there is no doubt about that. I am not saying this is an easy fix; it is quite a complicated area. Even within my constituency, nobody has any objection to somebody putting their grandmother's house, their relative's house or rooms in their own place on Airbnb. That is not a difficulty. However, in certain parts of the county, including Killarney and Dingle, we do not want to have ten houses in a cul-de-sac with eight of them offered on Airbnb. That is not good for the people who had a legitimate expectation that they would have neighbours as opposed to people coming in for weekends and leaving the area again with the houses possibly not being maintained or being part of the community. There is consensus in the west Kerry area. We have Government policy, which is largely unregulated today. We would not have any problem if we had local people renting out, but that is not the case. Sykes Holiday Cottages have 25,000 cottages worldwide. They are right in the veins of the community and of the housing situation in the Kerry area. There is no doubt that a more sustainable policy is needed. We need a sustainable community for the population in Corca Dhuibhne because there is also the language vulnerability there. We heard at the meeting that since 2011 regular and daily use of the Irish language in that area has decreased from something in the 30s to 28%. There is a risk that by 2050 the language could die unless some action is taken or there is some State intervention. As one business owner in west Kerry told me, the cultural piece has to be taken into account mar t\u00e1 an teanga ag fulaingt. As I said, nobody is objecting to certain rural sustainable tourism at all but the Government is making a mess of the situation. The 20,000 rule is completely arbitrary and is not based on any objective criteria. It should be scrapped for the sake of local housing needs and local homeless services. As one of the other contributors said, former council houses should not be used for short-term letting. I agree with the amendment that has been proposed about the two-year rule. The grandfather clause also has to be reviewed. The Government needs to examine this again in order to provide better and more sustainable communities and avoid plummeting numbers in GAA clubs because of the proliferation of properties offered on Airbnb."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins The Minister has made an absolute shambles of this Bill from start to bloody finish. With no disrespect to the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, the senior Minister, Deputy Burke, should be here for the full reading of the Bill. He has made such a hames of it along the way and he has been kicked around so much by the Minister for housing that the Bill before us now will do untold damage to tourism in the country. It is his job to protect tourism. We know he wants to tax hotel beds, which is another attack on tourism; do not ask me why. It is not good enough for him to walk out of here tonight after a little more than an hour of the debate after we begged and pleaded him to bring this Bill, which has had so many false attempts. It is like a horse in the Grand National falling at the fence. He has fallen at the fence several times and this time he has really fallen and let the people of Ireland down, mainly people in rural areas and mainly women who provide this fantastic service. One woman sent me a message today. She said: I thought Peter Burke had said there would be a caveat put in if the Airbnb was located in our principal private residence instead of us being bundled in together. We are not taking from the housing market. We will never long-term let. They are effectively closing us down over a two-year period with their commercial planning requirements and many of us only doing business six months. It is simply not viable to open for the winter period with shared MPRNs and energy, kerosene and electricity costs. I could go on. There are messages after messages because I have been very strong on this and I will tell the Minister why. I seldom talk about my parents here. My mother did Airbnb in the 1970s and I saw what I did. It reared us. A woman working at home on a farm did Airbnb on the side and that is exactly the same model used by many of the people with whom I held public meetings in west Cork over the past year and a half. They have brought that up with me. It was a little side income to educate the children. I am very disappointed in the people from Dublin who have spoken here. They are living in a bubble. They do not understand how rural Ireland works. I am lucky. I live in rural Ireland. I live in a beautiful place west of Schull on the way to Goleen surrounded by people in Durrus and Ballydehob and so many more all the way out east to Courtmacsherry. I could go on - Kilbrittain, Timoleague and all those areas that are trying to do a little bit of business. That is all they ask for here but this is the very thing the Government is trying to do regarding bringing in planning regulations to those rural people. I listened to different TDs here today. Regarding the Social Democrats - good God almighty - its leader is from west Cork, which besides Kerry is the capital of tourism of this country, but she and her party have done nothing but wipe out tourism. I listened to Deputy Gibney, who said we have to mind the people who are working in caf\u00e9s because they need places to stay. Just a few months ago, her party did everything in its power to block the VAT rate cut, of which I did approve, to save caf\u00e9s and restaurants. The Social Democrats tried to do them out so it was trying to get rid of the workers in the first place. That will tell us what a dream bubble it is living in. Deputy Hearne spoke about a constituent in Santry. Yes, it was a terrible story involving a person aged 80 who had no home. That is a shocking story and I fully understand that but does he think that the people of Durrus must provide that person with a house? That is not going to work. This Bill is unworkable. Government TDs are coming in tonight trying to put out a very nice speech that might go up in social media this evening. Deputy Kyne was elected. Is he going back to Connemara because I will call a vote against this Bill tonight? Is he going to go back to the constituents of his I met when I was canvassing there who told me this cannot go ahead and that it will lead to the ruination of a small business that actually has people going down for a little bit of food calling to the restaurant, caf\u00e9 or pub? This is all about tourism. Is he going to go back to them and say \"I'm going to vote against you tonight\" because that is exactly what he will do? They will speak out of one side of their mouth and come in here and do the other thing and that is not good enough. I listened to Deputy Coppinger, although I suppose I should not have listened because I never heard such silliness in all my life. She asked how much tourism is needed in the country. In the name of God almighty, what is wrong with a person who could say that in a country where tourism is the largest indigenous industry and biggest regional employer? It is easy to know that they want everybody on the dole and everybody to get a free house but that is not how the real world works. The people I represent are the workers, in particular women, who wanted that little side income but were proud to offer a fantastic service - a dream service - that the Government is now going to ruin. Regarding Sinn F\u00e9in, Deputy Conway-Walsh spoke very much from the heart, as do I, and I would agree with her but Deputy \u00d3 Broin then came along and spiked that by saying he does not want the two-year compliance rule. We do not want it at all but he wants to bring in the rules tomorrow morning. That will lead to the ruination of short-term lets in rural Ireland and that is the point."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathy Bennett I have to correct the Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins I am talking now. The Deputy will get her time to talk. There is more people who spoke here tonight. The only one who spoke here today-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathy Bennett The Deputy is taking advantage of-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins The only one that spoke here today who understood exactly what this is going to do is Deputy Lawlor. He said we should concentrate on areas with the largest incidence of homelessness. That is where this Bill should have been pointed at and not at the small rural communities that deliver for people and continue to deliver a little bit of tourism and financial aid at a difficult time. It might be a little side building on a farm or whatever. That is what needs to be done on this Bill and changes need to be made. The Minister said that he proposes to engage constructively. Independent Ireland have 11 amendments tabled for Committee Stage next week. Is he going to accept any of those or will he reject them all one by one? Is that working constructively with the people out there? I am not putting them down for myself because I do not do Airbnb. I am putting them down on behalf of my constituents and on behalf of the people who have delivered the fantastic service down through the years. I think the Government misread the whole situation. It is understandable that guidelines could be needed for cities and bigger towns but not the small rural communities. Deputy O'Connor is the Cathaoirleach of the committee that will be dealing with this next week and I sincerely hope he will. He said there are different lanes and he is right. There are different lanes in relation to this. Take the example of the Beara Peninsula where I live. There is no hotel there. Now the Government is going to do away with the chance that people had to stay in a community like that if it is going to continue with the role it is playing. Deputy Devlin spoke about how F\u00e1ilte Ireland will have enforcement powers. He is happy with the two-year period. He spoke about D\u00fan Laoghaire. I am certainly not happy because I speak on behalf of the rural people of west Cork. Deputy Dolan said that what is needed in urban Ireland will not work in rural Ireland. Tonight, he will get a chance to vote to make sure that he does support us and I hope he does not change his mind. The whole point I am making here is that this is poorly thought through. It is an absolute shambles from start to finish. The Minister was caught left, right and centre on numerous occasions. It looks to me like Deputy O'Connor has no understanding of rural tourism in Ireland and tonight, he is going to bury it and the recovery after this is going to cost millions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard O'Donoghue To say I am disappointed in this Bill is an understatement from a person who has grown up in rural Ireland and who appreciates what urban and rural can actually do together. The law the Government is trying to bring in here will actually desecrate rural Ireland again. The last Bill the Government tried to put through regarding energy costs reduced the carbon tax on kerosene and gas but it only reduced it on gas piped to buildings. In other words, most of rural Ireland will not qualify for that. The Government forgot to mention gas provided by the likes of Flogas and Calor Gas that is in drums so it excluded this gas, which is used in rural areas. That is what it has excluded. The Government has done the same thing with Airbnbs. Go around Limerick city and county and try to get a hotel to stay at. We have the Ryder Cup coming to the area. What is going happen there? What will happen to the millions upon millions of euro that this is going to provide to people in Limerick, Kerry, Clare and Tipperary and all the surrounding areas? What is it going to generate for the people around here? People who come here for a short stay use Airbnbs. Number one, they might not be able to afford a hotel. They might be coming on a budget holiday so they go to the Airbnbs where they can travel around different places. They support all the communities - all the shops and publicans. How many people are going to pull out of it now? Then we look at the planning conditions for people who have had Airbnbs for over seven years. The Government says they can look for retention. This means that they come under the current building regulations, which means it costs thousands. Where once a person could get planning permission and an engineer to do a planning application for him or her for \u20ac3,000, the cost for a house is now \u20ac7,000 or \u20ac8,000 so it is going to be a cost on something that is already broken. We cannot get engineers to do applications. What is going to happen now? Costs are going to go up. What happened when everybody came from Ukraine and we were trying to house them? Every hotel in Ireland was full. The Government took more hotels out of the market, which left fewer hotels. What happened? Prices rose. We are fighting to try to get that business back after we were able to get them into different towns, villages and cities. At one stroke of a pen, it affected the one thing that was supporting places in rural Ireland - getting people up into the Galtee Mountains and other places along with the greenways we were talking about. People want to travel around Ireland. What supports that? Airbnbs. What has the Government done? \"Yerra, that does not matter. We will destroy them.\" One ruling does all. That is what has been wrong with this Government from the very start. This is what it has done. It has destroyed this country and now it is destroying rural Ireland."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty I do not think a speaker from Aont\u00fa is coming, but if one does, he can have my slot. I welcome the opportunity to speak on Second Stage of this Bill. I have been involved in it on Committee Stage for the past year and a half, watched all the discussions on it take place and listened to the presentations from various property owners, especially those from rural Ireland and families who had rented out a house next to a new house they had built or who had a couple of properties that will never be rented out commercially. There is a little bit of a dichotomy in this debate. On the one hand, this is being used to tackle the real availability of houses that could be brought out in urban areas. For example, I think it was Inside Airbnb that tracked that, of the 6,637 listings in Dublin, 61% were considered to be entire homes and apartments, which is about 4,050 full properties removed from the housing market. Now, you have to add a caveat there because, obviously, if the property is your principal primary residence, you can still rent out an entire home for a period, and some of them might be rented out in that way. Basically, though, as regards the multi-listing hosts in Dublin, over 50% of Dublin's short-term rental supply was controlled by hosts who managed multiple properties. Therefore, in areas like Dublin, and probably Cork and Galway, although I do not know as much about them, there are properties that could be brought straight away into the rental market to help with our housing crisis, and we have a massive housing crisis, as we know. As I said during committee debates, however, this tries to crack a walnut with a sledgehammer. While it tries to free up properties in the traditional rent pressure zones, it also puts undue pressure on the people whose livelihoods and partial incomes have been created over generations in many cases by this. Now, there are a couple of outlier towns like Killarney, a big tourist town that is over the population threshold, that need some form of support to allow for people who have had properties for some time, and we hope that there are some loopholes in that regard, but as regards the overall legislation, I will table a number of amendments. I have actually submitted some already. The overall onus on the smaller operator is way too high. The European legislation basically said we needed to register short-term lets; it did not put any other serious obligation on us. F\u00e1ilte Ireland could have just set up a system whereby someone could say that they had a property and it was rented out as a short-term let for up to 14 or 21 days, or no more than 90 or 120 days in a year, it ticked the box and it met certain health and safety standards. Instead, however, we first changed the planning laws, which, on paper at least, require operators to double-check with the local authority and put a lot of pressure on the local authorities to say that the properties met planning regulations. I will give the example of a multigenerational holiday home, whereby there are relatives who own a holiday home. They may have had connections with the area originally, so they buy the holiday home in the area and it is used over a considerable number of nights throughout a year, but there are periods when it is not used because all of these families have relatives, work, careers, etc. The house is left idle for possibly six weeks to two months in the winter at different times. If that house is not occupied and heated, it will fall into a state of disrepair, so many families who have a holiday home would rent out the home for a week or three nights or two nights over a weekend. It might cover the cost of the house insurance, which is a bonus, but it will cover the cost of keeping the house going in order that when the family are able to go back in on bank holiday weekends, Easter, October or the new year, the house is in good nick. Those people are not professional landlords. They do not want to be professional landlords. They will never operate a property on that basis. Similarly, and I have met so many of them during the discussions, there are family members who built a new house on their family land and the old house is still there. They did up the old house a little and they have relatives coming over at Christmas or they may have a few coming over at summer. They will never rent out that property to a tenant and get into a legal agreement with a tenant, so what do they do? They rent out the property because they are living close by. They make a few quid out of it. They are fully tax compliant, they record all the income and they meet all the requirements. In recent years, going back to 2018, they have been required to make sure that, without having changed anything of the property, it has to have a change of use, That is onerous in itself, but the registration fees that have been proposed also add too much to the pressure on people in rural communities. Some of them are involved in farming, some have part-time jobs, some have full-time jobs and commutes. They have this as an extra income stream and it is making use of a property, bringing tourists into the area and generating some form of income for people in an area, and they are being penalised. We can talk about whether or not we have a derogation for two years to allow people to get everything in order. My personal view is that this is about the small people, not the commercial landlords who are basically cheating the system by renting out urban properties as Airbnbs and who own five or six of them. This was not the case before the regulations were ever looked at. I am talking about going back to the nineties or the eighties. There were families who operated properties like that way back, and there should be some form of derogation for them, but not for people who started doing this in recent years in the likes of Dublin, for example, because they saw it as a way to make a massive killing without having any of the legal obligations of being a landlord or being registered with the Residential Tenancies Board. I 100% agree that we need to bring those properties back onto the market, but we also have to realise, for rural Ireland in particular, that there are properties that will never be brought onto the market. If anything, those properties will still be used but they will cost the families more to operate them. They will not be used as often or, if the families do end up having to fork out, it will come at a financial burden to them at a time when we are so uncertain in terms of tourist numbers coming into Ireland. We need to amend the legislation as proposed, not to harm the little people, in order that we can use the legislation to deal with those who are cheating the system."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Edward Timmins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Edward-Timmins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Edward-Timmins.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Edward Timmins I compliment Deputy Gogarty on his contribution. It covered a lot of points I fully agree with, although I will cover some different points. His phrase that this is very much a sledgehammer to crack a nut was in my head as well. It is a one-size-fits-all approach and it does not work. Short-term lets provide the only form of tourist accommodation in many parts of rural Ireland. They bring tourists from all over the world to places that would otherwise never receive tourists. I know because I live in a village in rural west Wicklow and I have witnessed what these short-term lets bring. These industries were here before the housing shortage and they will be here long after the housing shortage is gone. They supply accommodation where hotels will never be built. They offer a unique and authentic experience to the tourist and show Ireland at its best. We cannot destroy an industry on the basis that doing so may increase the housing supply by some small amount. I know a poll was carried out across a number of host groups across the country and determined that, on average, 93.5% of hosts cannot or will not release their properties for long-term letting. The legislation will, therefore, have little or no impact. According to F\u00e1ilte Ireland's data, self-catering accommodation is the second-largest provider of tourism beds in Ireland. Hotels provide 161,000 beds, while holiday lets provide 139,000 beds. This is at a time when hotel rates in many areas of Ireland are exorbitant. Hosts have no issue with a register. The whole area of planning permission, however, must be streamlined and explained. When will hosts need to demonstrate that they have planning permission? That question needs to be answered. These people provide a wonderful service. We must not bog them down with red tape and detailed planning applications. Additionally, the window for registration is only one month, namely, December. Can we come up with a list of questions and answers so that hosts know what is required? They are very much in the dark. Can the Department meet the Irish Self-Catering Federation, ISCF? The impact of releasing this rental accommodation into the long-term market will be negligible. The impact on tourism, people's incomes and rural Ireland is clear. This Government proudly supports rural Ireland, small businesses, tourism and Ireland's unique hospitality offering. Short-term lets are all these things rolled into one. I ask that the Government please support them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Cahill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Cahill I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this debate on the Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026. I recognise the importance of having a proper regulatory framework for short-term letting in this country. We need accurate data, greater transparency and appropriate oversight of the sector. I also recognise the very real housing challenges facing communities throughout Ireland. However, I want to make one thing very clear. In addressing our housing difficulties, we must be careful not to create another problem for rural communities, such as those in Kerry, and small tourism operators and families that depend on this sector to make ends meet. This is particularly important in my county, where tourism is not simply an industry but the backbone of the local economy in many towns and villages. It supports thousands of jobs, sustains local businesses and provides an important source of income for families throughout the county. Short-term letting is an essential part of that tourism offering. Kerry has a very different tourism landscape from Dublin and some of the larger urban centres. We have rural villages, coastal communities, farms and isolated areas where traditional accommodation options are limited. For many families, providing a small amount of self-catering accommodation is not a major commercial operation. It might be a converted garage, a small annexe, a room or an additional unit on the family farm. For some, that accommodation generates \u20ac2,000 to \u20ac3,000 over the summer months. That might seem like a relatively insignificant amount to some people, but for an older person or rural household in Kerry, that money can pay for heating, car insurance, motor tax or essential repairs. I have received representations from constituents from Tarbert to Kenmare, Sneem to Tralee, Killarney to Dingle, Killorglin to Rathmore and Cahersiveen to Castleisland, and from north, south, east, west and mid-Kerry. People in every corner of our county are genuinely worried about these proposals and what they will mean for them. One constituent, for example, described the proposed arrangements as overly complicated and punitive. The constituent spoke about the additional pressure being placed on ordinary people who are already navigating NCT requirements, insurance, licences, planning applications and numerous other regulatory obligations. I do not believe we should dismiss these frustrations. We must ask whether we are creating a system proportionate to the scale and nature of the operation being regulated. A small family-run tourism unit in rural Kerry is not necessarily the same as a large commercial property portfolio operating in central Dublin. Our legislation and planning approach must recognise that distinction. I welcome the proposed national register to be administered by F\u00e1ilte Ireland. Having accurate information about the number, location and nature of short-term rental properties is sensible. Registration, however, must not become an unnecessarily complicated process. There must be clear guidance, accessible assistance and a straightforward route for ordinary householders to comply. I ask the Minister of State to clarify several matters. What exactly will be required of a small operator registering a converted garage, an independent annexe or a unit on a family farm? Will there be clear guidance distinguishing these properties from conventional residential houses being used exclusively for commercial short-term letting? What will the registration fee be? The legislation refers to a nominal fee to be prescribed by F\u00e1ilte Ireland. What will \"nominal\" mean in practice, particularly for somebody operating a small unit? What support will be available to people who do not have planning expertise or access to professional advisers? We cannot expect an elderly person or small rural operator to navigate a complicated planning process without meaningful assistance. I also want to address the national planning statement and the population threshold of 20,000. I acknowledge the Government's decision to adopt a more accommodating approach in towns and settlements with populations below 20,000, including a two-year period for operators to regularise their planning position. That is very welcome, but I question whether a population threshold alone is sufficient to determine the appropriate planning approach. We must look at the circumstances of individual communities, and consider whether there is a genuine shortage of long-term housing, whether a property could realistically serve as a long-term home and whether restricting its use would make any meaningful contribution to addressing the housing shortage. A converted outbuilding in rural Kerry, for example, located several kilometres from the nearest employment centre, is not necessarily a realistic alternative for a family seeking a long-term rental property. We need to be careful that we do not remove valuable tourism accommodation without creating a single additional home for somebody to live in."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Healy-Rae On a point of order, I ask that the clock be stopped for one second. I have nothing but the utmost respect for the Minister of State, Deputy Smyth, but why, when we are debating something so important, do we not have the Minister for housing or a Minister of State from the Department here? I think this debate should be halted and we should have the Minister for housing or a Minister of State from that Department here. I say this with all due respect to the Minister of State. She knows this. It is not her fault."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) The Deputy is on the record on the issue, and we will deal with it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Healy-Rae It is crazy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) Yes, but we are not-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Healy-Rae Representatives of associations around the country are watching this debate."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) We will not get this sorted here."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins It looks like we are getting nothing sorted."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Healy-Rae I do not mean to interrupt, and the Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach knows this, but I think the position is entirely wrong."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) Fadhb ar bith. All right. I call Deputy \u00d3 Muir\u00ed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Cahill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Cahill Deputy Healy-Rae is correct. This is hugely important, and not just to Kerry but throughout the country."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) I am not taking away from that and it should be noted. In fairness, it has been said by several people. At this point, we are hearing from an Teachta \u00d3 Muir\u00ed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed I think the concerns are well made. Housing remains the single biggest challenge in this country. While lots of progress has been made, we all know that much more work remains to be done. Although 162,000 new homes have been delivered in the past five years and we are on course to see good completion figures this year, we have to do more. Increasing the delivery of new homes must remain the central focus of our housing policy. Equally, we need to ensure that vacant land and underutilised properties are returned to long-term use, which is why this legislation is necessary. Every property that can be returned to long-term residential use has the potential to help a person or family struggling to find accommodation. The measures in the Bill will help to ensure that. In areas like mine on the northside, with significant housing pressure across the board, the balance must be tilted towards residential and local housing need. Ultimately, boosting housing supply in all its forms is essential if we are to ease pressure on renters and support home ownership. I accept the concerns regarding tourism, and it is important that we recognise the valuable role tourism plays in communities throughout the country. The situation does vary across the country. I welcome the approval yesterday of the national planning statement on short-term letting, as mentioned by my colleague. It will provide a clearer framework for local authorities when determining planning applications for short-term letting. It is good that it will be clear for them. This clarity is vital for those already in the business and for the local authorities. One aspect of this Bill that deserves greater attention is the strengthening of F\u00e1ilte Ireland's short-term rental data. I have raised this issue previously. The quality of our tourism data can sometimes be poor, but it is very important that it is of a high quality. The enhanced data collection provided for in this legislation will improve oversight of that sector and help the Government and policymakers to make better informed decisions about tourism development and where investment goes in the year ahead. Enforcement of these new rules will be absolutely vital. I assume it will be local authorities that will be doing the enforcing because they will have the local know-how and the planning responsibility in terms of planning permissions. However, it is important that they are well resourced to do it and that they start enforcing straight away, so that those who are operating in the sector understand that this is happening and that they need to comply. In Dublin Bay North, as I mentioned, where housing demand far outweighs the demand for tourism, it is only right that housing needs are rebalanced in this way. This legislation will help with that balance and support Ireland's thriving tourism sector while also ensuring more homes are available for the people and the families who need them most."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh T\u00e1 dl\u00fathcheangal idir an gceist idir l\u00e1mha againn anocht - rialach\u00e1n na hearn\u00e1la c\u00edosa gearrth\u00e9armach - agus todhcha\u00ed na Gaeilge mar theanga phobail. T\u00e1 g\u00e9arch\u00e9im tith\u00edochta againn sa Ghaeltacht. N\u00ed f\u00e9idir le muintir na Gaeltachta cur f\u00fathu ina gceantair dh\u00fachais f\u00e9in de bharr an easpa sol\u00e1thair d\u00f3thanach tith\u00edochta inacmhainne le d\u00edol agus le f\u00e1il ar c\u00edos. I staid\u00e9ar a rinneadh i gCol\u00e1iste na Tr\u00edon\u00f3ide le d\u00e9ana\u00ed, fuair siad amach nach bhfuil 40% de stoc tith\u00edochta i nGaeltacht Chiarra\u00ed thiar \u00e1 \u00fas\u00e1id mar \u00e1it c\u00f3naithe fadt\u00e9armach. N\u00ed raibh fi\u00fa \u00e1it amh\u00e1in le f\u00e1il ar c\u00edos sa cheantar agus \u00f3s cionn 1,000 \u00e1it liost\u00e1ilte ar Airbnb sa cheantar c\u00e9anna. T\u00e1 tionchar tubaisteach ag an earn\u00e1il seo ar chumas an phobail a theanga a sheachadadh \u00f3 ghl\u00fain go gl\u00fain. T\u00e1 an sc\u00e9al m\u00f3r\u00e1n mar an gc\u00e9anna sna Gaeltachta\u00ed eile thar timpeall na t\u00edre. Mar sin t\u00e1 s\u00e9 riachtanach go nd\u00e9antar rial\u00e1il ar an earn\u00e1il ligin gearrth\u00e9arma agus go mbeadh cosaint agus st\u00e1das ar leith tugtha don Ghaeilge laistigh de sin. F\u00e1ilt\u00edm roimh an Bhille seo ach t\u00e1 roinnt cosaint\u00ed breise gur mhaith liom a fheice\u00e1il chun todhcha\u00ed na teanga a chinnti\u00fa. Mar gheall ar leochaileacht na Gaeltachta\u00ed agus an luach cult\u00fartha ar leith a bhaineann leo, creidim gur cheart go mbeadh limist\u00e9ir plean\u00e1la teanga Gaeltachta san \u00e1ireamh d'athr\u00fa \u00fas\u00e1ide ar cead plean\u00e1la \u00f3n 1 Nollaig 2026. Is \u00e9 sin le r\u00e1 nach mbeidh an tr\u00e9imhse bhreise dh\u00e1 bhliain i gceist sa cheantar Gaeltachta don athr\u00fa \u00fas\u00e1ide mar a bheidh sna h\u00e1iteanna faoi bhun daonra 20,000. Tabharfaidh an tr\u00e9imhse dh\u00e1 bhliain deis d\u00f3ibh si\u00fad at\u00e1 ag ligean \u00e1iteanna go gearrth\u00e9armach lean\u00faint ar aghaidh mar is gn\u00e1ch. T\u00e9ann s\u00e9 i gcoinne cusp\u00f3ir\u00ed na reachta\u00edochta agus ar an mbonn sin n\u00ed f\u00e9idir glacadh leis."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Heneghan Aonta\u00edm le go leor ruda\u00ed at\u00e1 r\u00e1ite sa d\u00edosp\u00f3ireacht seo. Bh\u00ed m\u00e9 ag \u00e9isteacht san oifig agus m\u00e9 ag scr\u00edobh an rud seo. While I have the Minister of State with responsibility for AI here, I want to raise something regarding the Bill but also regarding the housing market. I have put in parliamentary questions on this before. We need to do something in this Government regarding the advertising of AI-generated houses. It is something I have engaged with her Department on and I welcome the responses I am getting. It is not acceptable for absolute lies to be told regarding derelict and vacant properties, but that is what happens when an AI-generated image is the first thing people see when bidding on a house. That is something we need to tackle now as the market is growing. I will continue to engage and will follow up with the Minister of State's office on two absolutely outrageous cases that have been highlighted to me by Ciar\u00e1n from the \"Crazy House Prices\" Instagram page. As my colleague has mentioned, we have a huge demand for housing in Dublin Bay North. It is not acceptable for short-term lettings to be pushing my generation, the generation before me and the generation to come out of renting and out of actual consistent accommodation. Another thing we are constantly discussing is very topical at the moment with the public sector strikes having gone on and coming again. We need to look at the rent relief tax scheme across the country as it is not acceptable for a garda, a nurse, a teacher or an SNA to get the same relief on their rent living in Dublin when they are paying nearly four times the price of rent while they are getting paid the exact same. That is also something at which we should be looking. As my colleague said, there is a difference between someone earning a little extra income and an entire residential property being permanently removed from the long-term housing market. Homes should come first. I welcome that the Bill introduces a national registration system through F\u00e1ilte Ireland. This will give us better information about properties being used in short-term letting and I welcome that. However, I also make the very important point that the success of this legislation will be measured not by how many properties we register but by how many homes are brought back into the long-term housing market for my constituents and for the constituents of everyone in this House. I reiterate my point on transparency in the property market as we are seeing property advertisers using AI-generated images. There is a big difference between showing someone what a house could look like after renovation and showing them an image that makes it look better than it actually is. I will follow up with the Minister of State's office on that. I ask for the Minister of State's support on the seller's legal pack legislation that I reintroduced to the House. I believe we can make the entire process of buying a lot faster, simpler and more transparent. At the moment there is too much documentation to be assembled. I am currently in the process of buying my own house and I see the amount of work that I have to go through. My older siblings have purchased their house too. We have to jump through hoops while other countries make it a lot simpler and streamline the process. The IPAV and other organisations have shown that we can streamline this process and make people sell, buy and get into houses quicker."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Carol Nolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Carol Nolan I support the principle behind this Bill. Greater transparency, accurate data and proper registration of short-term lettings are legitimate objectives. However, legislation should be judged not only by its intentions but also by its likely effects and impact. I am concerned this Bill may create difficulties for rural tourism economies without clear evidence that it will deliver the housing benefits it claims. The Government appears to recognise that rural Ireland faces different circumstances. The Bill amends the Planning and Development Act 2024 by inserting a new section 83A, which suspends for two years the requirement for planning permission for a material change of use to short-term letting in settlements with populations below 2,000. If the same policy cannot be applied equally across the State, it is reasonable to ask whether the full impact on rural communities has been properly assessed. Section 11 of the Bill inserts new sections 27A to 27D into the Tourist Traffic Act 1939. These provisions establish a mandatory registration regime; place responsibility on F\u00e1ilte Ireland as the competent authority; require hosts to provide specific information; provide for registration and renewal of fees; and create offences for non-compliance. Section 13 then provides that registrations will last for just 12 months before renewal is required. Taken individually, none of these measures appears excessive but the question is what happens when they operate together. For large commercial operators, registration, annual renewals and compliance obligations may simply become another business cost. The Irish Self-Catering Federation told the Oireachtas committee that the legislation in its current form is absolutely unworkable and it risks closing down elements of rural tourism. This concerns me greatly. The federation also warned that many properties which have provided visitor accommodation for years may leave the sector altogether. The Irish Tourism Industry Confederation has similarly warned that many rural areas do not have enough hotel capacity to replace the lost short-term letting accommodation. If bed capacity disappears, the wider tourism economy loses with it. This is particularly relevant in my own county of Offaly and across the midlands. Our tourism offering entirely depends on a dispersed network of farm stays, self-catering properties, guest houses and independent providers serving visitors to Birr, Lough Boora and the Shannon region, our greenways and our heritage attractions. What concerns me most of all is the absence of clear evidence. As far as I can see, the Government has not produced a county-by-county assessment showing how many tourism beds in the midlands may be affected. Indeed, the Irish Self-Catering Federation states that 90% of operators surveyed would not convert their properties to long-term rentals if tourism use ceased. If that is correct, the State could lose valuable accommodation capacity while gaining very little in additional housing. Before this House imposes a regime of annual registration, renewals, compliance obligations and enforcement powers, the Government should show that it understands the likely consequences for rural tourism and, indeed, the impact on counties like Offaly. Good legislation requires strong, robust evidence. I am not convinced that such evidence has been provided, because no assessment has been done."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Healy-Rae This Bill had the potential to be sensible and practical. I was involved with it in the very early stages. What I can see is that the Bill has been that I would call \"scutterised\". It will create uncertainty for hardworking people who have spent years building businesses and bringing visitors to rural Ireland. We are talking about the woman who runs a self-catering cottage, the family who restored an old farmhouse and the people who clean, maintain and manage these properties. These are the people who make rural Ireland tick. They deserve better than this. I support the creation of a register, but the Government has turned a reasonable idea into a planning headache for established businesses to the extent that I have tabled 15 amendments to the Bill. I should not have to do that, but I am doing it in the interests of the people who are listening to this debate and who will be absolutely shocked by what they are hearing. Let us deal with the issue of the seven years. On 28 April the Taoiseach told this House: Planning law is planning law and the seven-year rule is there. Basically if someone is operating an Airbnb for seven years he or she does not need planning permission. Those are his words, not mine. He qualified this as being his understanding and spoke about enforcement, but people listening heard a clear and absolute assurance. Those long-standing operators who do not already have the necessary permission or exemption are now being told they must regularise their planning position. Why are we doing this? Where is the protection those people understood they were being promised? We were told that there is a simplified process. Call it simplified, streamlined or fast-tracked, it still involves a planning application. It is still a decision about whether someone can continue with their business or not. A seven-year rule does not guarantee approval. The Government\u2019s guidance still refers to traffic hazards, flooding, pollution and occupancy conditions. Will established entrances now be questioned? Will area engineers be assessing sight-lines at properties that have been welcoming visitors for years? How will objections be dealt with and what will happen if permission is refused? People deserve straight answers before their livelihoods are subjected to this process. Let us take Kerry as an example. There may be around 4,000 short-term lets in Kerry at the moment. If a quarter of the owners of those properties need to apply for planning permission, that is 1,000 applications. How are our local authority and its excellent planners going to deal with that in the timeframe allowed, even though it is two years? If someone operating for less than seven years does not get the same presumption in their favour, a simpler form does not remove the uncertainty about the outcome. The registration timetable is another problem. Who in the name of God thought it was the right thing to do to tell us that this has to be done during the month of December, when possibly two weeks are gone? Why put people under that pressure? Give them three months practical assistance and a clear way for an authorised agent to help them. The appeals arrangements are also unbalanced. An operator has 21 days to appeal. That person can be asked for further information within 14 days, yet there is no overall statutory deadline for deciding that appeal. You cannot demand urgency from business owners and then leave them waiting indefinitely for an answer. Annual renewals must also be workable. Let people apply earlier and protect their registration while timely renewals are being processed. This Bill as it stands is an absolute disaster. I will say again it has been \"scutterised\". It is bringing uncertainty to these businesspeople. We will be tabling amendments in order to seek to protect established operators, give people reasonable time, provide for fair appeals and prevent administrative delays from putting businesses in jeopardy. We need homes, but we also need employment and visitors spending money in our towns and villages. Closing a holiday business does not automatically produce an available long-term home. As I have continually stated, the people who provide short-term rentals did not create the housing crisis. Nor are they responsible for fixing that problem. We must consider the amendments and deal with them in a practical way. These families have invested their own money and years of their lives. They deserve a fair chance."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mattie McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mattie McGrath We all recognise that there are issues in some cities. However, it appears that the Government is hell-bent on introducing a one-size-fits-all approach. It has made an absolute hames of this. I do not know if the Minister of State understands the word that Deputy Michael Healy-Rae used, but she will know what a hames is. It is something that used to go on a horse. In many rural communities, self-catering accommodation, holiday homes, farm stays, glamping facilities and other short-term rental accommodation are not part of housing and never will be. I do not know what the Government thought it was doing when it brought this Bill forward. Nor do I know where it got it from. One size does not fit all. We know that. We thought we had this sorted 12 months ago. I compliment Deputy Michael Healy-Rae. When he was a junior Minister, he made a lot of headway on this. Now, however, the Government is back to the drawing board. Who is wagging the tail of the Government? The left, with the exception of the Labour Party, has never been in power here, but the left is getting away with things in respect of many issues. I refer to social and other issues, and here again. I listened to those on the left the other night. You would think they were living in a utopia. In rural Ireland, we have very little. I want to salute the men and women - especially the women in many cases, as has been said here \u2013 who operate these Airbnbs, rentals and small houses. There is a great man in my parish, Tom\u00e1s O'Keeffe. He converted a lovely little thatched house that I often ate my dinner in when his mother and father were alive. It was becoming derelict. It was located in the middle of the farm. This was a lovely thatched cottage in which a big family was reared. They are all gone off now and doing well for themselves, bu\u00edochas le Dia. That is inside in the farm. It will never be a full-time let. A woman from Dundrum in Tipperary contacted me. Again, her property is located in the middle of the farm. These properties will never be housing. You could not have them where there are animals and all kinds of farm activities going on. It is a European directive here again. The same thing always happens with European directives. There are so many mandarins in the Department and so many senior officials. I spoke to an engineer in Waterford County Council. It is impossible to deal with officials in Transport Infrastructure Ireland, the Department, An Taisce and, of course, the OPW. These officials need a rude awakening. The need to be brought down to rural Ireland and shown what is going on and how people have to live. It is wonderful to have these little outlets in our rural communities in order that strangers can come in. We do not have hotels. We have barely a pub left. This type of tourism offering brings in a nice mix of people. Those people go to the pub and the shops, they go out walking, they meet locals and immerse themselves in local communities. That is good for our culture and it promotes change and everything else. The Government has added much more to this than was ever asked for by the EU. I do not know what is at. This is d\u00e9j\u00e0 vu, because a previous Government did it with bedsits. I was in the D\u00e1il when all the clamour around getting rid of bedsits occurred. The legislation brought forward then got rid of 1,000 units of accommodation overnight, and people had nowhere to go except out onto the streets. It is the very same with this Bill because the Government will not get anything like the numbers it is dreaming about. It thinks there is a magic wand that will deliver many housing units, but that is complete poppycock. They are not there. I have listened to Government backbenchers talking all night about it. I do not know what will happen when it comes to the vote in an hour or two. Will they put their money where their mouths are? It is terrible that they cannot exercise power over the Minister. This is no disrespect to the Minister of State, but Deputy Healy-Rae was right that it is shocking that the senior Minister could not be here for such an important debate. That is what those in government think of rural Ireland. I refer to Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael, which were supposed to represent the daoine beag, the small people, in rural Ireland. It is a case of to hell or to Connacht once again for the people who put their hands in their pockets and invested in restoring lovely old buildings - some of them are historic or listed buildings - and brought people into communities. They worked hard, night and day, when they were busy at weekends and during holiday time. Throughout the rest of the year, the family can use them and so on, but they would never be housing units. They are not built for that, and they are in the wrong place. It will not happen. The Government has got this fundamentally wrong. It has to go back to the drawing board."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae Here is the Government again at the Airbnbs. It cannot stop. I have always believed that if someone buys, builds or inherits a house, they can do what they want with it and cannot to be forced to do something they do not want to do with it. Here is the Government again trying to bring in laws retrospectively. Fine Gael and Fianna F\u00e1il have joined together to put owners who work hard out of business. These people have worked hard to make a bit of money to send their children to college or to get extra money in order to just keep going. People face tough times in the countryside too, in case the Government thinks they do not. It wants them to go into long-term letting but they will not do that. Not a single house will be gained out of them. At the same time, there are vacant houses around the country and I have been told several times about them. Nothing at all is done to bring those houses back into use and to get people to rent them long-term and do something with them but the Government has given them no incentive. They are taxed at 50% if they let to someone and if they want their house back in a year or a year and a half, they cannot get it back again. Those are the things the Government should be dealing with. We have a lot of public buildings you could house people in. Take St. Finan's in Killarney. It is closed for nearly 20 years. You could house 2,000 people in it but those are the things the Government will not do. This will have serious implications for employers - people who work hard in this industry - and their employees. It provided a valuable income for all of those people. Now, the Government is giving them four weeks to register. If they need a certificate, whether it is a fire, electrical, plumbing or heating certificate or anything like that, where will they get that at short notice and during the weeks of Christmas? The Government has no consideration at all for people or what it actually means to get a registered builder to do something for you. They are not there. They are not available. It just will not happen like that. Some of these houses were built in the middle of farms and were left by grandparents. They were done up nicely and they create a bit of income. They will never be long-term lets. There are people coming back to them at set times of the year, for Christmas holidays or summer holidays. They will not rent them out long-term. I cannot understand the logic of what the Government is doing. They are the grandest of hard working people around and it looks to me like the Government wants to sort a Dublin social housing problem by tackling people in rural Kerry. We do not have enough hotels or any hotels in some rural parts of Kerry. We need these Airbnbs to work alongside guest houses and hotels, to work with the jarveys, boat men, taxi men, bus men and all of the people it takes to create an industry. Now, the Government is making F\u00e1ilte Ireland go after them, which I thought was meant to sell our products abroad. Now, it is going to close places down. This is the actual fact of what the Government is doing. It is getting F\u00e1ilte Ireland to close people down instead of organising our tourists for next year, bringing in more people and ensuring people come here. These people will not make a bob at all if they cannot have tourists for a few weeks in the summertime. They are depending on it but now the Government has F\u00e1ilte Ireland doing something else altogether."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Niamh Smyth","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (Deputy Niamh Smyth) I thank everybody for their contributions, observations and concerns they have raised tonight. I have taken note of them all and will share them with the Ministers, Deputies Burke and Browne, as well. In closing, I thank all Deputies for their thoughtful contributions to this debate and for the careful consideration given to this important legislation. The discussion has reflected both the complexity of the issues involved and the importance of getting this policy right. Members from across the House have highlighted the significant contribution that short-term letting makes to tourism and local economies while also acknowledging the genuine concerns that exist regarding housing availability in many communities. Those are legitimate perspectives and they are precisely why this legislation seeks to achieve a balanced and proportionate outcome. At its core, this Bill is about ensuring that Ireland has a modern, transparent and effective regulatory framework for a sector that has evolved significantly in recent years. The growth of online booking platforms and the rapid expansion of short-term letting activity have transformed the accommodation landscape and yet, the regulatory framework has not kept pace with those changes. The State does not currently have a complete picture of the scale or distribution of short-term letting activity, nor does it have the comprehensive data required to effectively monitor compliance with planning requirements or to support evidence-based policy making. This legislation addresses that gap. For the first time, it will establish a comprehensive national register of short-term lets, providing transparency and accountability across the sector. It will create a reliable source of information for policymakers, regulators and of course, the public. It will strengthen oversight, improve compliance and ensure that Ireland meets its obligations under EU law, particularly in relation to the implementation of the EU short-term rental regulation. A number of concerns have been raised throughout this debate about the potential effects of these measures on tourism. This legislation is not designed to undermine tourism, nor is it intended to restrict legitimate tourism accommodation unnecessarily. Tourism remains one of Ireland's most important indigenous industries. It supports employment, investment and economic activity in every region of the country. It sustains livelihoods in rural communities, coastal areas, towns and cities and enriches the social, cultural and economic life of our communities. The Government fully recognises that contribution and remains committed to supporting a competitive, resilient and sustainable tourism sector. However, we must recognise that housing availability and affordability are among the most pressing challenges facing the country. In certain locations, particularly those experiencing sustained housing pressure, the growth of short-term letting activity has contributed to concerns regarding the availability of homes for local residents. While short-term letting is not the sole cause of those pressures, it would be irresponsible to ignore its impact where that impact is evident. The challenge for Government is, therefore, not to choose between tourism and housing. Both are national priorities. The challenge is to ensure that they can coexist in a way that is sustainable and balanced. This Bill is founded on that principle. The measures contained in the legislation have been carefully designed to support that balance. The Bill does not impose a blanket prohibition on short-term letting. It does not seek to remove legitimate accommodation from the tourism market. Instead, it seeks to ensure that short-term letting operates within a clear and transparent framework, one that provides certainty for operators, transparency for regulators and most importantly, confidence for communities. An important element of that framework is planning compliance. The national planning statement approved by the Government on 3 November provides a clear and consistent national planning policy for short-term letting activity. It establishes certainty for property owners, local authorities and communities. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne, has introduced a streamlined change-of-use planning process specifically for short-term letting properties. The planning and development change of use regulation for short-term letting, which came into operation on 29 September 2026, significantly simplifies the retention application process. Applicants are no longer required to submit many of the detailed plans and documentation normally associated with planning applications and a dedicated application form has been introduced specifically for these cases. These changes are intended to reduce administrative burdens and provide a straightforward pathway to compliance for operators who wish to continue their activity within the new framework. The Bill further acknowledges that adjustment will take time. That is why it provides for a two-year transition period for hosts operating in smaller towns and rural areas with populations of fewer than 20,000 people. This transition period reflects the Government's recognition that circumstances vary across the country and that a measured approach is necessary. It provides sufficient time for operators to understand the requirements, regularise their position where necessary and adapt to the new system. Taken together, these measures demonstrate that the Government's approach is not punitive. It is practical, proportionate and phased. It combines clear rules with reasonable transition arrangements and meaningful supports. Importantly, the Bill goes beyond short-term letting alone. It modernises Ireland's wider tourism accommodation registration framework, strengthens governance arrangements, establishes independent appeals mechanisms and creates a dedicated framework for visitor stays in student-specific accommodation outside term time. These reforms will improve the quality of regulation, strengthen consumer confidence and provide better data and oversight across the accommodation sector as a whole. Ultimately, this legislation is about ensuring that growth takes place in a managed and transparent way. As the accommodation sector continues to evolve, it is essential that policymakers have access to accurate information and that accommodation being used for tourism purposes is visible, accountable and operating within the appropriate regulatory framework. That is not an unreasonable objective; indeed, it is the minimum that citizens should expect from a modern regulatory system. What would be difficult to justify is maintaining the status quo indefinitely. It would be difficult to explain why the State should continue to lack basic information about the scale of activity taking place in this sector. It would be difficult to explain why concerns regarding housing availability should simply be set aside, and to explain why Ireland should delay implementing a regulatory framework that provides transparency, accountability and compliance with European requirements. For these reasons, I firmly believe that the legislation strikes the right balance. It recognises the importance of tourism while acknowledging the need to protect housing supply. It supports legitimate operators while ensuring appropriate oversight. It provides clarity, certainty and transparency, while equipping the State with the tools necessary to better understand and manage the sector in the years ahead. This is a necessary, proportionate and forward-looking reform. It reflects the realities of a changing accommodation market, responds to the challenges facing communities and provides a sustainable framework for future growth. I, therefore, commend the Bill to the House and look forward to continuing constructive engagement with Members as it progresses through the remaining Stages in the Oireachtas. Gabhaim bu\u00edochas le gach duine."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question put."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) De r\u00e9ir Bhuan-Ordaithe 85(2), cuirfear an v\u00f3t\u00e1il siar go dt\u00ed an am v\u00f3t\u00e1la seachtaini\u00fail anocht."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026: Second Stage (Resumed)"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_17","debateType":"billReport","bill":null,"showAs":"Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_17","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Canney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Canney.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Canney.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) N\u00edl leasaithe ar bith in ord faoi choinne an tuarasc\u00e1il so t\u00e1imid ag dul go dt\u00ed an Ch\u00e9im Deiridh."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment No. 1 not moved."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Bill received for final consideration."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question proposed: \"That the Bill do now pass.\""},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) Is anyone looking to speak? No."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Canney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Canney.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Canney.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Transport (Deputy Se\u00e1n Canney) I won a bet."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question put and agreed to."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) Cuirfear an Bille chun an tSeanaid anois."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_18","debateType":"billReport","bill":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/76","event":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/76\/dail\/4","houseCode":"dail","stage":"4","isBillStage":true,"showAs":"Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages (D\u00e1il)"}},"showAs":"Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages","counts":{"speechCount":47,"speakerCount":5},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_18","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendments Nos. 1 to 29, inclusive, not moved."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration (Deputy Colm Brophy) I move amendment No. 30: In page 13, lines 11 and 12, to delete \u201cwhere relevant to defamation proceedings coming within the scope of Directive (EU) 2024\/1069,\u201d. Amendment No. 30 proposes the deletion of the reference to defamation proceedings coming within the scope of the anti-strategic lawsuits against public participation, SLAPP, directive and paragraph (e) of the definition of \"a matter of public interest\" in section 15 of the Bill. It is intended to address the points raised in relation to potential inconsistent definitions in the Bill regarding defamation proceedings and other forms of civil and commercial proceedings. A definition of \"a matter of public interest\" is provided in both section 2 of the Bill, and section 15, which inserts section 34A in the Defamation Act 2009. These definitions are based on the definition contained in the directive. In both cases, a matter of public interest is defined generally as any matter that affects the public to such an extent that the public may legitimately take an interest in it and includes a non-exhaustive list of subjects, which may involve matters of public interest, including fundamental rights or certain activities of public figures. The difference between the two definitions is that paragraphs (d) and (e) of the definition of defamation proceedings include a reference to defamation proceedings coming within the scope of the anti-SLAPP directive. This means that, when outlining that an administrative offence in a place other than in the State may constitute a matter of public interest, the definition in the defamation context specifically refers to, where relevant, defamation proceedings coming within the scope of the Act. The same reference to defamation proceedings within the scope of the directive is contained in paragraph (e), which notes that activities aimed at protecting the values enshrined in the treaty of the European Union may constitute matters of public interest where they are relevant to defamation proceedings within the scope of the directive. To address the concerns raised, it is important to clarify in the first instance what type of defamation proceedings will come within the scope of the directive. The anti-SLAPP directive applies to cross-border proceedings, but the concept of \"cross-border\" is broadly defined. Proceedings are considered to be cross-border within the meaning of the directive, unless all elements relevant to the situation concerned are located in the same member state. With regard to paragraph (e), where defamation proceedings are brought on the basis of public participation concerning activities aimed at protecting the values enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union, such proceedings are likely to concern elements located outside the State, as the public participation in question will concern matters of relevance at EU level. Where an issue is not a matter of relevance at EU level, it is likely to be captured by the fundamental rights example listed in paragraph (a) of the definition. Therefore, in practice, it is not believed the definition as currently drafted will result in a narrow interpretation. However, the recent decision of the Court of Justice in the European Commission v . Hungary has broken new ground in the application of Article 2 of the TEU and confirmed it contains legally binding obligations which could potentially form the basis of infringement proceedings against member states, making it potentially more likely to arise in a domestic context. For this reason, and for the avoidance of doubt, amendment No. 30 will delete the reference to defamation proceedings coming within the scope of the anti-SLAPP directive from paragraph (e) of the definition. However, it is not necessary to amend the reference in the context of administrative offences as referred to in paragraph (d), as amendment No. 29 proposes. Paragraph (d) provides that the allegations of administrative offence in a place other than the State may be considered to be matters of public interest. If defamation proceedings relate to an allegation of an offence outside the State, all elements relevant to the situation concerned will not be located in the same members state and therefore, the proceedings will be considered to be cross-border proceedings within the scope of the directive. In addition, it is not necessary to define the concept of administrative offences. They are not defined in the directive and introducing a definition of administrative offences at national level risks conflicts with the directive. The court will be able to determine what constitutes an administrative offence without the need for a domestic definition, which could inadvertently exclude certain administrative offences or create divergent interpretations in member states. For that reason, I have moved this amendment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy I have just a brief couple of points on this amendment. I did not table any amendments on this Stage. I support amendment No. 30, which the Minister of State spoke about. It seems to be an amendment that could have been made to the Defamation Act when we discussed it previously. Mine is a broad point about the Oireachtas committee on justice. Deputy Gannon and I are members of it and we are having huge difficulty at the moment with the amount of work required of us in pre-legislative scrutiny, Committee Stage of legislation, Estimates, which are coming up, and the elective work the committee wants to deal with. We have not been able to get the capacity for additional meetings. Likewise, there is a lot of pressure on the D\u00e1il agenda. Everyone is opposed to strategic lawsuits against public participation. Everyone wants to see anyone engaged in it to be dealt with, but the senior Minister told the House that they are not a significant issue in Ireland. It should be put on the record that the only reason we are dealing with this is to comply with an EU regulation the Government signed us up to previously. That is a long way of saying we have more important things to be doing. There are important issues in the criminal justice system that are live and that need to be acted on. The criminal legal aid system is in complete disarray. The Minister has been completely embarrassed by a High Court judgment. It should not have had to come to that point. It is my view, had the Minister-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy Is there any relevance to the legislation or is this just a diatribe by the Deputy about anything that comes to mind?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy When I was suggesting that we have important things to be doing, I was also suggesting that the Minister of State do his job and not try to do the job of the Chair of the House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy I was just helping the Chair. I am sure the Chair was just about to remind the Deputy to address the legislation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) I thank both of you for your interest in the Chair. We will bring it to an end."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy The Minister of State can hardly help himself. The point I am making is relevant and it is important. The Minister of State might not like to hear it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy The Minister always likes to hear the Deputy - always."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy I am sure his party colleagues have told him that he needs to tell the senior Minister to wise up and sort out the criminal legal aid dispute. He needs to engage constructively and find a solution to it. That is what his colleagues are saying in the justice committee. That needs to be prioritised, and the fact that-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy I refer to my previous point, Chair. This is not relevant to this legislation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy It is not for the Minister of State to determine that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy I am asking the Chair for a ruling. It would be nice if the Deputy were speaking-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) In fairness, he is requesting it of me."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy I have only three and a half minutes. Others who put forward amendments were not here. Previous Bills went quicker than the time allocated. I do not know whether they intended to be here."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy Sorry, Chair. I learned my best interrupting tactics from the Deputy opposite. Will you please try to get him to address the legislation?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) On Report stage, contributions have to relate to the amendment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy It does relate to amendment No. 30 because I am saying there are more important things than what is in amendment No. 30."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy That is stretching it beyond all credulity."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) He is bringing it to an end now. I request Deputy Carthy to bring this to an end."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy I do not know what is frustrating the Minister of State so much. He has only been here for about ten minutes to deal with the Bill. People tell me I have an annoying voice, but I did not think it would be that hard for the Minister of State to endure it for four minutes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy I want to put on the record that I never said Deputy Carthy had an annoying voice. I think he has a lovely voice. I think that is important."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) I agree. I never heard the Minister of State say that either."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy Thank you. I repeat the points I made. In respect of justice, home affairs and migration, there are important things. That is not to say this is not an important issue, but there are more important ones and I encourage the Minister to deal with and address them, because at the moment we have a criminal justice system that is in absolute chaos from top to bottom. In many respects, it is getting worse. Today, we heard about private companies policing Dublin city."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy We are off again on another little rant. Chair, the Deputy must on this Stage, Report Stage, speak to the amendment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy We have a court system that is in convulsions-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) No, Deputy Carthy-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy -----a prison system that is overcrowded-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) Report Stage is-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy It appears the Chief Whip just came in to interrupt me."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Mary Butler) I am just copying the Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy This is an important point. I was in the Minister of State's constituency on Friday where I met senior garda\u00ed who are doing a tough job right now. They need all eyes on that issue providing them with the support they need and the resources necessary to do their job. I will leave it there. I thank the Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach for his indulgence."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Teachta Carthy. I find it hard to believe anyone would say he has an annoying voice."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy I moved my amendment. It is the next element up."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment agreed to"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"There is only one more amendment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Am I late?"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Yes. We have dealt with everything up to amendment No. 30."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy We are on amendment No. 33 now."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"We are on amendment No. 33."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendments Nos. 31 to 33, inclusive, not moved."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Butler Deputy Kelly is not here to move the amendment, so it cannot be moved. He has to be here to move it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) Deputies will have an opportunity on Fifth Stage anyway."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Bill, as amended, received for final consideration."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question proposed: \"That the Bill do now pass.\""},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn An bhfuil an Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach ag cur na ceiste os comhair an D\u00e1la ar an staid seo? Is he putting the question to the D\u00e1il?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy He is putting the question at this point that he-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Butler He has to put the question to conclude the passage of the Bill."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn The Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach is giving me a chance to speak."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) I was, and the Deputy interrupted himself."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy How does he have a chance to speak?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Matt Carthy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Matt-Carthy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Matt Carthy He is speaking to the question."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Brophy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Colm-Brophy.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Brophy We are proposing that the Bill do now pass."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa) We are still dealing with Fifth Stage. There is an opportunity to contribute now. Most Members never take it up, but an Teachta T\u00f3ib\u00edn is going to."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn I thank the Chair for giving me the opportunity to speak at this moment. I apologise in relation to my tardiness on this subject. There is one issue I want to raise. I will raise a couple of points in generality at this moment. A number of people across the country have suffered significantly from SLAPP actions by companies, organisations, etc. They are individuals who may be involved in protecting the environment oe who stand up to big corporations, etc. A large number of those people become targets of litigation, which has the objective not to ever reach a conclusion or judgment, but has the objective to reach a situation where it ties the individual up so much that they cannot function. Issues such as looking for disclosure of large elements of information, running a number of cases at a similar stage. My concern in all of this is that sometimes the legal system can participate in this practice. It is not the example of the majority of solicitors. Individuals, however, will participate in a process that does not have the objective of reaching a conclusion or a judgment but has the objective of destroying individuals for commercial reasons. There needs to be a system whereby those individuals are protected. Those who are doing the damage need to be punished. The manner in which we sought for that to happen was that they would be referred to the associations that they are part of and therefore receive a certain level of punishment, or the State would introduce fines or difficulties in relation to them as well. If there is no cost to a solicitor who gets involved in a negative SLAPP action, knowingly bringing information that is not true, we are never going to get to a situation that this practice reduces in future. It is a mistake that we do not have that element strongly enough within the legislation to make sure solicitors do not get involved in this. Without this, there will be a situation whereby many individuals are going to be broken financially. They could be broken in terms of the time that it takes to manage all of the charges or cases brought against them. That was a reason we looked to bring forward amendments to strengthen this. Some of the amendments that we suggested were taken from other jurisdictions that had similar controls and similar punishments for individuals who are committing wrongdoing in this case."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question put and declared carried."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation Bill 2026: Report and Final Stages"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_19","debateType":"motion","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Overcrowding: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_19","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"The following motion was moved by Deputy David Cullinane on Tuesday, 3 November 2026:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"That D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"notes that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation recorded 12,274 patients without a hospital bed in September 2026, the worst September on record, including 1,994 at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and 1,008 at Cork University Hospital (CUH);"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the number of recorded emergency department experiences lasting more than 24 hours increased from 33,843 to 36,410, up 7.6 per cent, and for patients aged 75 and over, the number exceeding 24 hours increased from 10,019 to 12,106, a sharp increase of 20 per cent;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 recruitment restrictions, unfilled essential posts and delays in offering graduates permanent jobs are undermining patient safety and winter preparedness; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 there is a significant bed deficit across our hospitals as acknowledged in the Government's Acute Hospital Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan 2024-2031, especially in the Mid-West which faces continuing capacity risks at UHL;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"considers that overcrowding robs patients of dignity, endangers lives, exhausts staff and safe discharge requires appropriate support along with patient and family involvement;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"condemns successive Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael Governments' failure to deliver sufficient capacity and reform, and recognises the Minister for Health's responsibility to sustainably fund the health service, address capacity shortages, and ensure safe care across every hospital; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"calls on the Government to:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 remove recruitment restrictions blocking the filling of urgent and priority vacant posts, replacement, leave cover, and redelegate recruitment authority to health regions with adequate funding linked to patient needs;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 honour permanent contract commitments to nursing and midwifery graduates, and improve staff training, recruitment, and retention through a funded workforce plan;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 legislate for safe staffing, fully implement the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix, and fund multidisciplinary staffing and surge capacity, ensuring financial controls cannot override patient safety;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 take urgent action on the capacity and patient safety concerns raised at CUH and UHL, with clear responsibility for resolving priority vacancies, addressing service restrictions and providing additional staffed capacity;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 deliver the promised 3,000 additional acute inpatient beds, funded through a multiannual capital plan with hospital-by-hospital capacity targets to meet population needs;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 accelerate elective hospitals in Cork, Galway and Dublin and the opening of surgical hubs to protect scheduled care from cancellations;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 deliver a funded Model 3 hospital with a second emergency department for the Mid-West, alongside immediate improvements and expanded urgent care at UHL, Ennis, Nenagh and St John's hospitals;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 expand regular and out-of-hours general practitioner, pharmacy, primary care, home care and community services to reduce pressure on overcrowded hospitals, deliver care closer to home, and improve early intervention;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 fully fund the National Ambulance Service strategic workforce plan; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 publish funded regional winter plans and multiannual improvement plans with clear responsibility, published deadlines, demand forecasts, staffing and capacity targets, targets to end trolley waits, and escalation arrangements with a target of achieving consistent population-based capacity levels across each region."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"To delete all words after \"D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann\" and substitute the following:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\"acknowledges:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the increased pressure on urgent and emergency care (UEC), given that there has been increased demand in emergency departments (EDs) with patient attendances up 7 per cent (+98,500) nationally, and attendances by people aged 75 plus up 9 per cent (+18,000) compared with 2025;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the commitment in the Programme for Government to further reducing EDs overcrowding and enhancing urgent care services nationwide;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the ongoing and important work undertaken by our nurses, doctors and wider healthcare workforce in our hospitals and across the health service, often in challenging and difficult conditions;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the progress being made providing more care in the community, consistent with the objectives of Sl\u00e1intecare, and the significant reforms being implemented in primary care, general practitioner (GP) and pharmacy services; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 that there has been substantial and sustained investment in health service staffing and funding in recent years, with Budget 2027 allocating \u20ac29.1 billion for health services as the Government continues its investment in more care, closer to home;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"notes that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"in relation to the urgent and emergency care plans that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 during the first ten months of the year, ED attendances rose by 7 per cent, with 98,300 additional presentations nationally when compared to the same period in 2025, with effective governance and oversight essential in ensuring operational grip is maintained at national, regional and hospital levels;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 for 2026, the top six sites accounted for 51 per cent of the daily average 8 a.m. trolleys, University Hospital Limerick (UHL), Cork University Hospital (CUH), St Vincent's University Hospital, University Hospital Galway, Mayo University Hospital, and Sligo University Hospital;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the next seven sites accounted for 29 per cent of the daily average 8 a.m. trolleys, Mercy Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital (TUH), University Hospital Kerry, Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH), Mater Misercordiae University Hospital, St James's Hospital and Naas General Hospital, this means that 13 out of 29 sites accounted for 80 per cent of 8 a.m. trolleys; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 to respond to the winter season demand, the Government is progressing with implementation of additional patient safety and patient flow steps, including a GP respiratory support programme, additional specific ED plans for each of the ED sites and identifying key unblockers of patient safety flow for the winter period;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"in relation to safe staffing and safe care that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Government supports and has invested significantly in the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix (the Framework), noting that the Framework is an evidence-based approach to determine the appropriate nurse staffing levels and skill mix in acute hospital settings and EDs across Ireland;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Framework continues to demonstrate positive impacts for patients, staff and organisations where implemented, for example, reduced length of stay, reduction in staff intention to leave, and efficiencies through reduced agency usage;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 Ireland's approach aligns with the World Health Organization guidance, utilising a blended model of Benchmarking and Patient\/Acuity-based staffing, the Framework is grounded in a needs-based care principle, measuring nursing workload by systematically assessing individual patient care requirements and levels of dependency, this enables staffing to be dynamically adjusted in response to patient complexity and care intensity, rather than relying on fixed ratios; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 significant progress has been made, with baseline implementation achieved in all 26 adult EDs, and across 39 acute hospitals nationwide, this means that 96 per cent of identified baseline staffing requirements have now been delivered nationally and is a critical measure of patient safety;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"in relation to the Winter Vaccine Plan that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 vaccination is recognised as one of the most impactful public health interventions available and has led to many lives being saved dramatically reducing the impact of infectious diseases also protecting finite hospital resources, noting that the flu and Covid-19 vaccination programmes are already currently underway for the winter season;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the flu vaccine is available free of charge to eligible groups from local GPs and pharmacies throughout the flu season, eligible groups include, adults aged 60 years and over, individuals in specified health related at-risk groups, children aged 2 to 17 years, and healthcare workers;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 Covid-19 vaccinations are available to certain eligible groups without charge through local GPs and participating pharmacies;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infant immunisation programme is also being delivered this winter, helping to protect babies from serious RSV illness and reducing the risk of hospitalisation during the respiratory virus season, uptake to date has been encouraging, with high levels of immunisation reported through maternity hospitals;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 in the week ending 25th October, shows the following - Influenza activity continues to increase but remains at baseline-low levels overall, noting there were 139 cases notified in week 43, with incidence highest in those aged 80 years and older, in terms of uptake, it can be noted that, of adults aged 60 years and older, there are 34.6 per cent vaccinated compared with 36.9 per cent last season;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 RSV activity has remained stable at baseline levels in recent weeks, with 16 cases notified in week 43, (down from 17 cases in week 42), with incidence highest in infants aged under one year, in terms of uptake, it can be noted that, there is 88.3 per cent cumulative uptake in our maternity hospitals;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 for Covid-19, activity was stable and remained at low-moderate levels, with 203 cases notified in week 43 (up from 191 cases in week 42), incidence was highest in those aged 80 years and older, in terms of uptake, it can be noted that, of adults aged 80 years and younger, there are 37.4 per cent vaccinated, compared with 38.3 per cent at the equivalent campaign stage last season; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 it is widely recognised that flu and Covid-19 vaccinations can significantly reduce hospitalisations by preventing illness and serious complications, in mid-January this year, it was reported in Ireland that around 76 per cent or three quarters of intensive care unit admissions due to the flu were in people who had not received the influenza vaccine;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"in relation to investment and recruitment that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 there has been substantial and sustained investment in health service staffing and funding in recent years, between 2019 and the end of 2025, overall health funding increased by approximately \u20ac10.6 billion, or 68 per cent, while the health service workforce increased by more than 30,000 staff, or approximately 30 per cent;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 within acute hospitals specifically, real expenditure increased by approximately 52 per cent and staffing by 33 per cent over the same period, compared with an increase of approximately 14 per cent in hospital activity;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 investment continued in 2026, with Budget 2026 providing for an additional 3,300 Whole-Time Equivalent (WTE) staff, by the end of September 2026, the actual workforce had increased by over 4,000 WTE since the beginning of the year, and by over 6,000 WTE in the past 12 months;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 there has been continuous significant increases in funding of the Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome since 2022 to this year's budget of \u20ac292.9 million, which is providing for an additional 263 service posts;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 significant Government investment is being provided to expand healthcare education to address future supply of healthcare workers to ensure Ireland can meet growing healthcare needs, including an investment of \u20ac28.5 million to support the delivery of more than 1,100 additional healthcare training places by 2028, representing a significant increase in training capacity across medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social care, and Health and Social Care Professions;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 there is no blanket recruitment freeze in place, the purpose of the workforce and financial controls in place are to ensure that available staffing is directed towards patient needs and priority services, while preventing recruitment and other expenditure from creating unfunded and unsustainable commitments, this arises from recruitment activity that is greater than sanctioned by the Government and the Houses of the Oireachtas;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 each Health Region must manage recruitment within their available pay allocation, taking account of the cost and mix of staff, agency expenditure, overtime and allowances; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the most recent Health Service Executive (HSE) data shows that nationally, 1,145 of 1,375 graduate nurses and midwives have been offered positions to date, an offer rate of 83 per cent, and more than 1,000 have accepted, it is likely that this offer rate has improved as we know through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland registration data, that 1,184 graduates have now successfully completed the registration process and the Department of Health is looking for further ways to enhance graduate recruitment;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"in relation to multiannual capital funding that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the enhanced National Development Plan provision for the health sector for 2026 -2030 is \u20ac9.25 billion, this multiannual capital allocation is the largest ever capital investment plan in the history of the State and largest investment ever in health infrastructure in the State, this multi-annual investment is translated through the HSE annual Capital and Digital plans; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the establishment of the Mid-West Health Planning Board is central to the medium to longer term strategy for the Mid-West Region, the Board is made up of senior regional HSE leaders and multidisciplinary expertise across service delivery, clinical care, infrastructure, finance, and enterprise, it also includes patient and service-user representation to ensure that community needs and lived experience inform the Board's work, it is tasked with developing a robust service configuration and capital development plan for the Region and to put in place a credible roadmap for safe, accessible and sustainable healthcare in the Mid-West, it will focus on how services can be organised across hospital, community, primary care, and pre-hospital services and at how care can be provided closer to home, where appropriate, how pressure on UHL can be reduced, and how existing and future locations can best work together for the whole region;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"in relation to moving care closer to the community, that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 our health service continues to make steady progress towards providing more care in the community, consistent with the objectives of Sl\u00e1intecare, for example, reforms in primary care through the Enhanced Community Care Programme, the structured chronic disease management programme in general practice and the continued evolution of community pharmacy services have strengthened the healthcare system's ability to meet population needs closer to home;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 notwithstanding demand pressures that remain significant, these investments are creating stronger alternatives to hospital-based care and providing a foundation for more integrated, person-centred services as close to home as possible, \u2013 creating a 'home first' approach as opposed to a 'hospital first' approach to the provision of health services, when it is clinically appropriate to do so;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Government continues to expand community-based and digitally enabled models of care, offering increased choice and improved outcomes to patients, these approaches focus on preventing avoidable hospital attendance and admission, supporting earlier discharge and are key avenues for relieving pressure on our health services;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 technological advancements such as remote monitoring and telehealth are transforming how healthcare can be delivered, creating new opportunities for remote monitoring and virtual consultations; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 virtual wards are now operating in every HSE Health Region and have provided care to over 5,300 patients, freeing up over 48,900 virtual bed days, these services are helping to relieve pressure on EDs and acute hospitals while ensuring that hospital capacity is available for those who need it most;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"in relation to Surgical Hubs and Elective Hospitals, that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 significant progress has been made in increasing elective care capacity through the development of new Surgical Hubs and Elective Treatment Centres (ETCs), known also as Elective Hospitals, under the National Elective Care programme;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 four Surgical Hubs are currently operational at TUH, Mount Carmel Community Hospital, Swords and Cork, with hubs in Limerick, Galway and Waterford due to open in the coming months, additional new surgical hubs for Sligo and LUH are in design phase;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 once all surgical hubs are fully operational, the Surgical Hubs will deliver additional capacity across 12 specialties: Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Ear Nose and Thorat (ENT), Pain Relief, Plastic Surgery, Urology, Vascular Surgery, Dermatology, and Maxillofacial Surgery, examples of elective procedures include Biopsies, Steroid injections, Carpal tunnel treatments, Hernia repairs, Tonsillectomies and Cataract Surgery, some of the benefits already delivered or underway include:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Reeves Day Surgery Centre opened in late 2020, and has become the blueprint for Ireland's Surgical Hub Programme, up to end August 2026, the Centre has treated more than 20,000 patients since opening and was delivering almost 5,800 procedures annually by 2025, the facility has supported a 17 per cent reduction in TUH's total day-case waiting list, with three in four patients waiting less than the 12-week Sl\u00e1intecare target; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the South Dublin Surgical Hub at Mount Carmel Community Hospital is demonstrating that dedicated elective capacity can deliver measurable reductions in waiting times and waiting lists, while simultaneously releasing capacity within acute hospitals;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 since opening in February 2025 to end of August 2026, the Hub has delivered 8,006 procedures, including 4,275 procedures in 2026 alone, reduced average waiting times in participating specialties from 8.5 months to 4 months, a reduction of more than 50 per cent, reduced the number of long waiters by 63 per cent, from 330 patients to 121 patients and supported patients from across the wider Dublin Midlands network, including hospitals with significant concentrations of long waiters;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Dublin and North East Surgical Hub commenced operations during the week of 29th June, 2026, and is currently in the early stages of implementation, it commenced activity in specialties with some of the largest waiting lists in the region, including Plastic Surgery, General Surgery, Urology and Pain Management, most importantly the Hub is being targeted at a region with one of the largest concentrations of long-waiting patients nationally, particularly in Beaumont and the Mater hospitals, where more than 3,100 day-case patients are waiting over 12 months for treatment;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Cork Surgical Hub opened on a phased basis from 29th September, with Gynaecology amongst the first procedures delivered, expanding to include General Surgery, Dermatology, Ophthalmology and Neurology, Hernia repair, Carpal tunnel Surgery and pain relief injections;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 plans are progressing for Elective Hospitals in Cork, Galway and Dublin, a Planning Application for the ETC at St Stephen's in Cork was lodged on 12th October, while an application for planning permission for Galway at Merlin Park is expected to be lodged in early 2027, work on the Preliminary Business Cases for Dublin is advancing; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 separating elective from emergency and acute care means fewer cancellations and delays for elective care and frees up hospital theatres and day beds in Model 3 and Model 4 hospitals for more complex cases and better addresses unscheduled care needs.\"."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"- (Minister for Health)"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding hospital overcrowding. On Tuesday, 3 November 2026, on the question, \"That the amendment to the motion be agreed to\", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 85(2), that division must be taken now."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Overcrowding: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_28","debateType":"motion","bill":null,"showAs":"Protected Disclosures Inquiry: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_28","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"The following motion was moved by Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn on Wednesday, 4 November 2026:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"That D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"notes that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 concerns were raised regarding the safety, suitability and serviceability of certain Garda firearm holsters through protected disclosures, internal reports and training personnel prior to the fatal shooting of a member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na in June 2020;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 firearms instructors and other personnel are reported to have raised concerns about holster performance and equipment safety during training exercises;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 evidence arising from training exercises and a firearms-related incident involving a Garda member shortly before the fatal shooting is said to have raised additional questions regarding holster safety and associated forensic findings;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 questions remain as to whether the equipment worn by the Garda member at the time of his death was subjected to a comprehensive and independent technical examination;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 a quality-assurance review completed in 2024 identified concerns regarding the investigation of protected disclosures relating to firearms equipment, including issues relating to technical expertise, forensic evidence, procurement processes and investigative methodology;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 in 2025, concerns were raised by those involved in the protected disclosures process that significant questions remained unresolved and that further enquiries were required before certain disclosures could be closed;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 responsibility for the disclosures were subsequently reassigned, and closed shortly thereafter, notwithstanding the existence of unresolved issues identified by those previously examining them;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 further concerns have been raised regarding the engagement and withdrawal of independent technical expertise, the reliance on internal assessments, and the adequacy and independence of technical reports prepared during the course of the investigations;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 allegations have been made that individuals who raised concerns through protected disclosures, or who challenged aspects of the investigative process, experienced adverse professional consequences;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 questions have also been raised regarding the treatment of personnel involved in the administration and oversight of protected disclosures, and whether sufficient safeguards existed to protect them from adverse treatment; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 concerns have been expressed regarding the handling of disclosures involving allegations against senior office holders and whether existing arrangements provide sufficient independence, transparency and accountability;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"recognises that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 Detective Garda Horkan was much loved by his family and friends, was a pillar of his community and was a dedicated member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, and his murder was a desperate loss to all who knew him;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Horkan family have called for an independent public inquiry; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 ongoing criminal or inquest proceedings must be protected, but they should not become an indefinite reason for withholding independent scrutiny of distinct administrative and public-safety failures;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"has concerns that extend to:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 defective ammunition, and the reported disposal of approximately 500,000 rounds;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 firearms storage, recording and accountability;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 procurement irregularities and alleged supplier favouritism;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 inappropriate servicing or repair of privately owned firearms;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 alleged misuse of Garda resources, fraud and financial wrongdoing;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 ammunition procurement and testing;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 staffing, training and specialist promotions within the Garda National Technical Bureau; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 potential consequences for public safety and the integrity of criminal investigations; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"calls on the Government to constitute a full independent public inquiry that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 is genuinely independent of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 has effective powers to secure documents, electronic records and testimony;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine the knowledge, actions and omissions of senior Garda management, including the former Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, where relevant;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can independently test the disputed forensic examinations and the technical evidence concerning holster safety;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine the original procurement competition, the weighting of cost against quality, mandatory safety specifications, technical testing and the role of independent expertise;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine interference allegations, expert selection and the premature closure of protected disclosures;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can investigate allegations of penalisation and failures to protect reporting persons;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can review the accuracy of information supplied to Ministers, the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Horkan family;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can refer evidence of suspected criminal wrongdoing to the competent authorities;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine whether other protected disclosures involving public safety were inadequately investigated or closed without proper resolution;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine why the files were closed, and how two serious disclosures were closed on 23rd June, 2025, after the Protected Disclosures Manager had expressly stated that material questions remained unanswered;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine why cost was given greater weight than quality, who authorised 500 marks for cost and 400 for quality in the procurement of firearm holsters, what mandatory technical safety standards applied, and who independently verified compliance before the contract was awarded and the equipment issued;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine who was accountable, who authorised the reassignment, and the closure decisions and the representations subsequently made to the Ministers and the public;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine why were whistleblowers penalised;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine what statutory authority permitted the former Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, to intervene in the handling of a report that the Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner had already transmitted to a designated statutory recipient under Section 10D of the Protected Disclosures Act 2014;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine why the former Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, sent a Protected Disclosure to the then Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, given that it was expressly identified as a separate Protected Disclosure in its own right;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine why on 21st December, 2023, a protected disclosure was redirected to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na following a direction by the former Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee, and why identifying information appeared in the titles of attachments transmitted by the Department of Justice to senior Garda management, including to an individual implicated in the very allegations;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 can examine why extremely serious allegations concerning the former Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, did not meet the threshold for an investigation under Section 102B of the Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Act 2005, what evidence was considered; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 who undertook that assessment and why was further information not sought through the designated statutory process before that conclusion was reached."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Debate resumed on amendment No. 1:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"To delete all words after \"D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann\" and substitute the following:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\"notes that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 there are robust structures, policies and procedures in place across the criminal justice sector, including in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, to ensure the effective management of protected disclosures and to provide support to people who make disclosures under the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Government will not publicly discuss the merits or detail of any protected disclosure, since it is not for any Minister to reach conclusions on the veracity or legitimacy of any disclosure, as that is a function for the prescribed investigating bodies;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"recognises that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 Detective Garda Colm Horkan was much loved by his family and friends and was a highly respected and dedicated member of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, and his murder was an appalling crime and is a tremendous loss to his family, friends and the Garda family;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the murder of Detective Garda Horkan epitomises the risk and sacrifice that has been made by many members of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 concerns have been raised about the safety and suitability of the firearm holster used by Detective Garda Horkan at the time of the incident in which he was fatally shot;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"further notes that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 having regard to the importance of ensuring that equipment issued to members of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na is safe, the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has requested, under section 205(2) of the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, that Fiosr\u00fa, the Office of the Police Ombudsman, investigate questions concerning the safety and suitability of the holster Detective Garda Horkan was using at the time of his murder; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the purpose of such a referral is to establish, through an independent external investigation, whether the holster gave rise to any operational or safety concerns;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"further recognises that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 a number of measures have been taken to strengthen protected disclosure mechanisms within An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 a new and strengthened Protected Disclosures Unit was established in January 2025, within the Garda Office of the Assistant Commissioner for Governance and Accountability, which also has responsibility for the Garda Anti-Corruption Unit and the Professional Standards Unit, the office was assigned additional and dedicated staff who have the requisite training and qualifications to undertake their role;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 extensive training has also been provided to managers across An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na and, in addition, all personnel who make protected disclosures are advised of support services;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024, established the Garda Board, the Policing and Community Safety Authority (replacing the Policing Authority and Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na Inspectorate) and Fiosr\u00fa;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Act was designed to enhance governance, oversight and accountability in relation to the delivery of policing and security services by An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na have emphasised that they encourage and support employees in disclosing wrongdoing and that all allegations made under the Protected Disclosures Acts to An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na are treated seriously, and examined for any potential disciplinary or criminal matters that may arise; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 a review of the operation of the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act is due to take place in the coming year;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"furthermore, notes that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act requires Ministers to transmit reports of wrongdoing to the Protected Disclosures Commissioner;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 the relevant legislation was adhered to in transmitting such reports; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 it is not appropriate to comment or draw assumptions from partial information that relates to a process that, by its design, includes legislative provisions that protect the confidentiality of the discloser, and the details relating to the disclosure; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"furthermore, recognises that:"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 there are robust structures, policies and procedures in place that ensure the effective management of protected disclosures in An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na, and to provide support to those who make disclosures under the Act;"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 there are multiple independent avenues for Garda personnel to make disclosures to ensure that disclosures are treated with the appropriate level of independent consideration, and the Government is satisfied that there are robust procedures and protections for those who make disclosures; and"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"\u2014 several ongoing legal processes and investigations should be allowed to progress and conclude and so consequently, a public inquiry is not under consideration at this time.\"."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"- (Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration)"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I must now deal with a postponed division relating to the motion regarding protected disclosures inquiry. On Wednesday, 4 November 2026, on the question, \"That the amendment to the motion be agreed to\", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 85(2), that division must be taken now."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Protected Disclosures Inquiry: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members]"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-04\/debate\/dbsect_37","debateType":"debate","bill":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/101","event":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/101\/dail\/2","houseCode":"dail","stage":"2","isBillStage":true,"showAs":"Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026: Second Stage (Resumed) (D\u00e1il)"}},"showAs":"Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026: Second Stage (Resumed)","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_37","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I must now deal with a postponed division relating to Second Stage of the Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026. On Wednesday, 4 November 2026, on the question, \"That the Bill be now read a Second Time\", a division was claimed and in accordance with Standing Order 85(2), that division must be taken now."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Cuireadh an D\u00e1il ar athl\u00f3 ar 8.25 p.m. go dt\u00ed 8.47 a.m., D\u00e9ardaoin, an 5 Samhain 2026."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"The D\u00e1il adjourned at 8.25 p.m. until 8.47 a.m. on Thursday, 5 November 2026."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026: Second Stage (Resumed)"}]}}]},"contextDate":"2026-11-04"},{"debateRecord":{"house":{"showAs":"34th D\u00e1il","committeeCode":"","houseCode":"dail","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/house\/dail\/34","chamberType":"house","houseNo":"34"},"chamber":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/def\/house\/dail","showAs":"D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann"},"lastUpdated":"2026-11-05T17:34:39+00:00","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/main","formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/main.xml"},"pdf":null},"date":"2026-11-03","counts":{"contributorCount":169,"divisionCount":1,"debateSectionCount":148,"questionCount":196,"billCount":2},"debateType":"debate","debateSections":[{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_2","debateType":"topical","bill":null,"showAs":"\u00c1bhair Shaincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Matters","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_2","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter 'Chap' Cleere","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter 'Chap' Cleere","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere) I wish to advise the House of the following matters in respect of which notice has been given under Standing Order 39 and the name of the Member in each case: Deputy John Connolly - To discuss the proposed expansion of the TFI bike rental scheme in Galway city. Deputy Michael Cahill - To discuss the Ballyheige water contamination issue. Deputy Grace Boland - To discuss an additional grant for essential electrical work that may be required before solar panels or a battery system can be installed. Deputy Louise O'Reilly - To discuss the need for EV charging infrastructure to be located in developments. Deputy Paul Lawless - To discuss the Health Service Executive recruitment restrictions and delays in the appointment of front-line healthcare staff in the HSE West and North West region. Deputy Eoghan Kenny - To discuss the allocation of funding for school building protects. Deputy Albert Dolan - To discuss the publication of the revised wind energy development guidelines. Deputy Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in - To discuss Bunclody AFC and the fallout of Clearwater going into liquidation. Deputy Colm Burke - To discuss the opening a stem cell transplant unit at Cork University Hospital. Deputy Michael Murphy - To discuss the need to strengthen Uisce \u00c9ireann's accountability to D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness - To discuss water services infrastructure investment and supply disruption i gContae Phort L\u00e1irge. Deputy Pa Daly - To discuss physiotherapy services in Kerry. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere - To discuss the issue businesses are facing regarding the use of sick certificates from online doctors. Deputy Shane Moynihan - To discuss the introduction of planning exemptions for sports clubs' changing facilities. The matters raised by Deputies Louise O'Reilly, Eoghan Kenny, Colm Burke, Peter 'Chap' Cleere, Shane Moynihan have been selected for discussion"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"\u00c1bhair Shaincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Matters"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_3","debateType":"topical","bill":null,"showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_4","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Electric Vehicles","counts":{"speechCount":10,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_3","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_4","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louise O'Reilly I thank the Minister of State for being here to take this Topical Issue. The question is fairly straightforward. On the one hand, the Government tells us it wants us in electric vehicles and to move away from fossil fuels. All of that is really good. I do not for a moment come in here to do anything other than try to work with the Government constructively to ensure the people I represent and beyond have the opportunity to charge their cars. When you buy a house or apartment in a multi-unit development, often you do not have a front garden. If people have their own front garden, they can put in EV charging, park the car in the front garden and they do not have to think about it. However, there is an issue if there are communal parking spaces. I will highlight two cases to illustrate the point. The broader point stands but I will talk specifically about two cases. They are both in multi-unit developments. In case number one, planning permission was given to a developer. I will not name the developer because it is partly the developer's fault and partly the local authority's. The planning permission was given on the basis that every parking space would have ducting to facilitate EV charging. Fast forward to people moving into their homes and they find out they cannot put EV charging in at their designated parking space because the ducting is not in place. They have been back and forth. I have to pay tribute to my constituent for his patience and diligence. I will not mention his name but the story has been covered very well by Eoghan Dalton in The Journal who has done good work in this space. The ducting is not in place. Other cables are now under the ground that make it very complicated to put that ducting in place. My constituent still wants what he was told he would have when he bought the house and what he was also told is Government policy, which is the opportunity to drive an electric vehicle. Case number two is an estate where some residents have their own front gardens and others do not. This person does not have a front garden. The estate has not been taken in charge so he cannot put an EV charger in because it is unclear at this stage who the person in charge is. He has been told local authorities currently have no mechanism for agreement to allow personal charger cables across public footpaths. The estate consists of communal parking bays owned and managed by the council rather than individual homeowners but residents understand that running a charging cable across the public footpath is unsafe and not permitted. Their question is simple. The council has helpfully illustrated what they cannot do - they cannot drag it across the footpath or put it over. They want me to ask the Minister of State what they are to do. What does the Minister of State on behalf of the Minister advise that they should do?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (Deputy Kieran O'Donnell) Will the Deputy provide a bit more detail on case number two?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louise O'Reilly In case two, the estate has not been fully taken in charge as yet. The footpaths have been taken in charge as they are public footpaths but the people still own the bay. It is that strip of land. They want to drive electric vehicles but they cannot if they cannot charge them overnight. The Minister of State knows that. It is an impossibility if they do not have the facility to charge them at their home. Their question is simple. What does the Government say? This is in direct conflict with what I believe is Government policy. What is it they are to do?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Kieran O'Donnell I thank Deputy O'Reilly for raising this important matter and providing me with an opportunity to update the House. I am taking this Topical Issue on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. I will outline what the general provisions are and will refer to the specific points the Deputy raised. EV charging requirements are primarily set by the building regulations and apply to new developments. Planning permissions may also specify parking layouts and charging provision. Where non-compliance with the terms of a grant of planning permission is reported, it is for the relevant planning authority to consider the need for enforcement action. The current building regulations requirements for the provision of electric vehicle recharging infrastructure for buildings other than dwellings are contained in SI 393\/2021, the European Union (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2021. Requirement for EV recharging infrastructure in dwellings is provided for under the Building Regulations (Part L Amendment) Regulations 2022, SI 535\/2022. These regulations apply to dwellings where the relevant works or major renovation commence or take place on or after 1 November 2022. The regulations require that a multi-unit building containing one, or more than one, dwelling that is new or undergoing major renovation should install, as the Deputy has already referenced, ducting infrastructure consisting of conduits for electrical cables for each car parking space, to enable the subsequent installation of recharging points for electric vehicles where the parking space is located inside the building or within the curtilage of the building. I am not certain of the specific circumstances the Deputy referenced in terms of 1 November 2022. The regulations also require that a new building that is a dwelling, other than where the dwelling forms part of a multi-unit building, where a parking space is located within the curtilage of a dwelling, should have installed appropriate electric vehicle recharging infrastructure to enable the subsequent installation of recharging points for electric vehicles. Technical guidance documents provide practical guidance on compliance with these requirements. These regulations generally apply to off-street parking associated with developments and do not apply to areas of public on-street parking that may ultimately be taken in charge by a local authority. Once again, I think the Deputy has made reference to an element of that. Alongside the building regulations framework, planning policy may also address the provision of EV charging infrastructure. Some local authority development plans contain objectives relating to EV charging points and associated infrastructure. In addition, the sustainable residential development and compact settlements guidelines of 2024 include a policy requirement relating to parking provision in residential developments, stating that the maximum parking standards do not include bays assigned for designated short-stay EV charging stations. It should also be noted that subject to compliance with certain conditions, EV charging points are exempt from the need for planning permission under classes 29A and 29B of Part 1 of Schedule 2 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. Class 29A provides for the construction of a charging point for electric vehicles. It is open to a property owner to make use of planning exemptions subject to the requirement to adhere to any conditions imposed within the regulations. It is therefore important to recognise that responsibility for EV charging infrastructure can arise through both the building regulations and the planning process. While the building regulations establish minimum technical requirements, planning authorities may also determine the appropriate quantum and distribution of EV charging infrastructure within a development, having regard to local circumstances and planning policy. Deputy O'Reilly has obviously done a lot of work regarding case one and case two. I do not know if it is the same local authority. If she wishes to elaborate a bit more and write to the Minister's Department, it may be something we can contact the local authority on without interfering with process to see what the circumstances are. I hope that sheds some light. I will await the Deputy's contribution."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louise O'Reilly I thank the Minister of State once again for being here. Regarding case number one, my constituent tells me the requirement for 100% EV ducting in communal multi-unit developments was explicitly reinforced during D\u00e1il debates - which it was because I have checked it - where Ministerial clarifications confirm that national frameworks require comprehensive preinstalled ducting in multi-unit parking structures to prevent subsequent retrofitting excavation. I get that because once it is built you want it to stay built; you do not want to be going back in with diggers. Condition 10 of the parent planning permission, and I will send this on to the Minister of State, strictly mandates that 100% of car parking spaces across the phase must be equipped with subterranean ducting to meet Fingal development plan standards. That was not done and-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Kieran O'Donnell Was that in the project planning?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louise O'Reilly Yes, exactly. It was an explicit condition of planning and it was not done. Therefore, my constituent finds himself in a situation where he is on a merry-go-round. He is back and forth with the council. The council has given him a certain amount of information, but nobody is addressing this. The years are ticking by and he still does not have access to EV charging at his home. The same is true of my other constituent, who has been in touch with the council. He understands very clearly what the rules are but he also asks the question, in the application of the rules in the spirit of what the Government says, which is that 100% of spaces should be EV-charging compliant, what does he do where they are not? In case two, he has not yet bought an electric vehicle but that is another diesel or petrol car on the road. I know the Government wants to take those off the road and I want to work with it to take them off the road. At the moment, however, the man does not have a choice because he cannot charge it at home. It is not feasible to be going around charging it in other places. It is not safe to be parking your car in other places at night, nor would you want to do it. The question is a simple one. I will send the details of both these cases to the Minister of State, as he has asked, because they illustrate a broader problem. Hopefully, we will be able to come to some class of a resolution. All they want is to be able to charge their cars at home."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Kieran O'Donnell I again thank Deputy O'Reilly for raising this important matter. I am taking the Topical Issue matter on behalf of James Browne, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. As I have outlined, the requirements for electric vehicle charging are primarily established through the building regulations and must be complied with in the delivery of new developments, in addition to grants of permission, which the Deputy has referred to, that may contain specific requirements regarding parking layouts or the provision and distribution of charging facilities in such cases. It is a matter for the local authority to consider the need for enforcement in the event that the authority is notified of non-compliance with the terms of the permission. I refer to independent statutory bodies, directly elected councils and their own management. In addition, section 30 of the planning Act precludes the Minister with responsibility for planning from exercising any power or control in relation to any particular case with which a planning authority may be concerned. Accordingly, when matters of planning enforcement arise, these functions must remain a matter for the relevant planning authority. The Deputy can come to us and we can give her the actual position, but the Minister cannot in any way interfere in the process in terms of the local authority."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louise O'Reilly I am not asking for that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Kieran O'Donnell The Government remains committed to supporting the transition to electric vehicles through the continued implementation of green energy, the building directives, the building regulations framework and wider climate and transport policy measures. These measures will help ensure that EV charging infrastructure is provided in new developments to meet growing demand in the years ahead."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Electric Vehicles"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_5","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Planning Issues","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_3","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_5","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Shane Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Shane Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Shane Moynihan I thank the Minister of State for being here. This topic is a matter I want to raise around the introduction of planning exemptions for a sports club for certain changing facilities and, in general, to incentivise our planning system to allow for the positive development of sporting facilities by clubs. Sports clubs play an important role in all our communities, no more so than in my community in Dublin Mid-West, providing opportunities for people of all ages to participate in sport and become involved locally. At the same time, in areas like Dublin Mid-West, population growth in areas such as Lucan, Adamstown, Clonburris, Clondalkin, Newcastle, Rathcoole and others is putting increasing pressure on existing pitches, changing rooms and other sporting facilities. Many clubs that have access to their own property are working to accommodate growing membership with limited resources and, as we the Minister of State know, relying heavily on volunteers to fundraise, manage projects and improve their facilities. However, not least of all for female members, members who have additional needs or who have disabilities, for clubs to provide additional changing facilities, toilets or other basic welfare facilities for those people, the planning process can add significant time, expense and uncertainty, even for relatively modest developments, for example, under 40 sq. m or 45 sq. m. That availability of appropriate changing rooms and accessible facilities is particularly important in supporting participation among women and girls, younger players and players with disabilities. While I welcome the Government's efforts to simplify the planning system, there is low-hanging fruit here by taking a proportionate approach to smaller developments at established sports clubs that have their own established lands as well. In this House and in other places, I have consistently made the case that sports infrastructure needs to keep pace with housing development and I have advocated for proper changing rooms and storage facilities in our public parks since my time in South Dublin County Council. I pay tribute to South Dublin County Council for its investment in a pavilion programme across all its public parks. This is delivering those much-needed storage facilities and changing rooms in parks such as those at Griffeen Valley, Corkagh and Willsbrook. This modular approach is resulting in more efficient and faster delivery. That same sort of practical thinking is needed for clubs that are developing facilities on their own grounds. I have worked with many clubs across Dublin Mid-West to secure sports capital funding but securing a grant is only one part of the process. Things can slow down when converting plans into reality on the ground, costing a lot of time and resources. When drawing on volunteers to do this work, time can be an expensive commodity. With that in mind, will the Minister consider introducing a clearly defined planning exemption for modest changing rooms, toilets, storage and associated facilities at existing sports clubs, possibly where they would cover less than 40 sq. m or 45 sq. m, and obviously subject to appropriate safeguards? Will the Department look at engaging with local authorities and sporting organisations to incentivise positive engagement on the development of things like ball walls, astro pitches or all-weather pitches on existing sports grounds? This would provide for positive development and encourage clubs that are trying to grapple with ever-growing memberships, that are competing with screens and are trying to make sport attractive to everybody from all sections of society regardless of where they are from. This is a practical way to bring to life something that is very important to everybody in this House; the idea that everybody should have access to sport regardless of gender, ability or age. Putting in place a planning exemption for changing facilities and toilets is a basic thing and a very easy step Government could take to incentivise and achieve that vision of sport for all."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Kieran O'Donnell I thank Deputy Moynihan for raising this important matter, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy James Browne. At the outset, I will explain that the role of the Minister in relation to the planning system is primarily to provide the policy and legislative framework under which the planning authorities and An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la perform their statutory planning functions. The general position is that all developments require consent following appropriate examination by the relevant planning authority. This process allows for public participation, which is a long-established and key element of the planning process under which any person who may be affected by a proposed development may make a submission or observation in relation to a planning application. The planning authorities and An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la must have regard to any valid submissions or observations made when making a decision to grant or refuse a planning application. A person who has made a submission or observation on a planning application that a planning authority has decided to grant or refuse may subsequently appeal that decision to An Coimisi\u00fan Plean\u00e1la or make a further submission in relation to an appeal of that decision. In some circumstances, where there is a level of uniformity and similarity in the nature of developments and where such developments would get planning permission if the regular processes were followed, it makes sense to relieve the planning system of the burden of carrying out such repeated assessments and to provide an exemption for the need to apply for consent. Criteria for such exemptions have been developed over time and are provided for in the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, and the supplementary Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended. So long as a development conforms with the specified set of criteria, it should be possible for it to be permitted without any controversy. In all other cases, it is important that the usual planning processes continue to be applied. The criteria that apply to planning exemptions have been under review in recent years as part of the transition to the new Planning and Development Act 2024. A public consultation on the matter was held in 2025, which received over 900 submissions. I advise Deputy Moynihan that the matter of changing facilities for sports clubs was not raised as a theme under the public consultation and there are no plans to introduce any such exemption at this time. The current focus is on exemptions for the delivery of critical infrastructure and other matters raised during this consultation, such as exemptions for domestic dwellings. I also note that where local authorities own land, they may provide sports facilities under the general exemption in section 4 of the 2000 Act, subject to the Part 8 process. As the Deputy will know, this is a reserved function of the elected members and a matter for the relevant local authority. I remind Deputy Moynihan that under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage shall not exercise any power or control in relation to any particular case."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Shane Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Shane Moynihan I thank the Minister of State for setting out and clarifying the criteria for exemptions under the planning guidelines and the planning and development Acts. I respectfully suggest that if something is not raised in the public consultation but is raised in D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann, that probably is a good enough reason to consider giving it some sort of detailed analysis. I respectfully submit that this is perhaps something the Minister of State could look at, or ask officials to look at, in terms of its timeliness, not least the fact that we spend an unprecedented amount of money pumping investment, and rightly so, into our sports clubs around the country. For a modest investment that incentivises female participation in sport, surely to God we should consider whether a planning exemption is appropriate for something that is smaller than 40 sq. m, notwithstanding the fact that it was not raised in a public consultation. I hope the fact that it was raised on the floor of this House is enough currency to ensure it is given adequate attention. For example, we are now rightly and at last removing the planning requirements around things like bus shelters. I respectfully suggest that something like changing facilities for women and girls is as important, if not more important, as bus shelters in terms of those exemptions. I ask that it be considered as part of this. This is a fundamental point related to a deeper theme that many clubs mention to me during discussions, namely, the difficulty in getting volunteers. It sometimes feels we are making it very difficult for volunteers to engage in their clubs. We should take a volunteer-led approach to some of these issues around the support that sports clubs need. We did it with the sports capital programme. It is easier to apply for those grants. We should look at things like planning permissions, and what clubs need to do to satisfy planning conditions and make it easier for the volunteers who give their time freely to develop all the people in our community regardless of their background or gender. That should be recognised, and sometimes it feels like we should do a bit more to make it easier for people to volunteer and value the fact that they are giving so freely of their time. I ask the Minister of State to go back and ask officials to look at this, notwithstanding that it was not raised in public consultation, but it has been raised in the floor of the House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Kieran O'Donnell I again thank the Deputy for raising this topic, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Browne. The Department of housing is in the process of commencing the Planning and Development Act 2024 on a phased basis to facilitate the transition to a new legislative framework across the planning system, taking into account the need to liaise with local authorities, planning bodies and other stakeholders. The Planning and Development Act 2000 shall continue to operate until such a time as Part 4, development consents, of the 2024 Act is brought into operation. The planning exemptions in the Planning and Development Regulations 2001, as amended, shall remain in effect until they are revoked through the regulations under section 9 of the Planning and Development 2024, as amended. As mentioned, the priority is to transfer existing exemptions and any appropriate modifications which were highlighted through the public consultation in 2025. As I said, there are currently no plans to introduce any new exemptions in relation to sports clubs' changing facilities and the usual planning laws will continue to be applied to such projects. I will bring the points the Deputy raised to the attention of the Department and the Minister for housing, as I have no doubt he will also do in his own way. Under section 30 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage shall not exercise any power or control in relation to any particular case which a planning authority or local authority is or may be concerned with. This means that the Minister is specifically prevented from interfering in such cases. This is of the upmost importance in maintaining the independence of the planning authority or the commission. I trust this sets out the current position."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Planning Issues"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_6","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Cancer Services","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_3","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_6","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Burke As the Minister of State is aware, there is no CAR T-cell treatment facility in Cork University Hospital, CUH. A facility was in place in 2008 but was closed down as a result of a number of inspections. In the nearly 20 years since 2008, people from the Cork and Kerry region have had to go to Galway or Dublin for this treatment. It is important to explain CAR T-cell therapy. Blood is drawn for a stem cell transplant and blood stem cells are harvested for CAR T-cell therapy. White blood cells, T-cells, are specifically collected. They are then treated and infused back into the patient they were taken from. Between January and September 2026, over 80 patients were referred from CUH to Galway or Dublin. If we take in Clare, Limerick, Cork, Kerry, Waterford and north Tipperary, there are 1.4 million people living in the region, which has no CAR T-cell treatment facility. With a growing population, this issue will come up more and more. Over 400 people a year are diagnosed with melanoma and over 3,000 people with it are getting ongoing treatment. Treatment is available in Galway and in St. James's and St. Vincent's hospitals in Dublin. In the period 2006 to 2008, the Irish Medicines Board, IMB, carried out inspections in CUH and in 2008, the unit was closed. A business case was put together a number f years later, in 2019, and presented to the South\/South West Hospital Group in 2022. The national cancer control programme, NCCP, is extremely supportive. In a letter dated 31 October 2025, Patricia Heckmann, assistant national director of the NCCP, said that given the capacity issue nationally and the current requirement for patients from the south-west region to travel to Galway or Dublin to access such services, the NCCP continues to recommend the re-establishment of a HSCT service at CUH and the repatriation of south-west region patients from the other sites. The NCCP, she added, has provided financial support and staffing regarding this re-establishment; however, an upgrade in CUH laboratory infrastructure in the form of new tissue establishment is central to the reinstatement of the HSCT service on the site. A new tissue establishment will facilitate on-site stem cell procurement and transplantation for CUH patients without unnecessary travel or delays and associated potential risk of disease, she continued. The national cancer control programme wants this facility reinstated and for the services to be provided in Cork. CUH is catering for a whole range of areas but it is also dealing with cancer patients on a large scale. This particular treatment is not available in CUH. It is not a day procedure but a treatment over a period of time, so there is a huge cost involved for families travelling and staying in either Galway or Dublin. I ask that the Department consider providing the funding to HSE South West and CUH so that this service can be brought back into use and patients no longer need to travel, and also a growing number of people are being identified with this problem."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Kieran O'Donnell I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the proposal to open a stem cell transplant unit at Cork University Hospital, which I am taking on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. The Government is committed to improving cancer care, ensuring better prevention, maintaining improvements in cancer survival rates and facilitating timely access to treatments. The availability of appropriate, fit-for-purpose facilities and equipment is critical to the safe and timely delivery of cancer care. In this context, the Government has allocated significant funding of \u20ac105 million since 2017, including \u20ac23 million in 2025, to the national cancer strategy to support cancer services and improve outcomes for patients. The Deputy will appreciate that haematopoietic stem cell transplantation and other related cellular therapies are highly specialised treatments used in the management of a range of malignant and non-malignant diseases. Cellular therapies currently available in Ireland include autologous stem cell transplantation, allogeneic stem cell transplantation and chimeric antigen receptor, CAR T-cell therapy. These therapies require specialist multidisciplinary teams, dedicated laboratory facilities, tissue establishment infrastructure, specialised inpatient facilities and robust regulatory and accreditation arrangements. Adult autologous stem cell transplantation services are currently provided in St. James's Hospital, University Hospital Galway and St. Vincent's University Hospital. Adult allogeneic stem cell transplantation is currently provided through St. James\u2019s Hospital, which has also provided CAR T-cell therapy to adult patients since December 2021. Stem cell transplantation activity continues to increase nationally, driven primarily by growth in cellular therapies and the expansion of CAR T treatment indications. As the Deputy may be aware, in 2026 Beaumont Hospital was designated an additional autologous stem cell transplantation and CAR T centre, working towards commencement of services in 2027. This illustrates the Government's ongoing efforts to increase capacity to meet nationally increasing demand for these important services. It is against this background that HSE South West is considering proposals for a stem cell tissue establishment and advanced cellular therapies unit at Cork University Hospital that may increase national capacity even further, while supporting the delivery of stem cell transplantation and other advanced cellular therapies closer to home for patients across the south west. The national development plan sets out the investment to enable the furtherance of the Government's commitments to include the provision of infrastructure necessary in ensuring better healthcare for all. The Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has published the Department of Health's sectoral plan for 2026 to 2030 under the national development plan, NDP. The sectoral plan sets out infrastructure investment priorities for the next five years, building on a strong track record of delivery to support the delivery of equitable, accessible and high-quality healthcare across Ireland. While the project is not included in the current approved HSE capital plan, it remains under consideration through the established capital planning and approval processes. Accordingly, the future progression of the project is subject to the normal appraisal, approval, budgetary and capital funding processes necessary with projects of this nature."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Burke The site has been clearly established as being located in CUH, where a detailed plan has been completed as regards where the infrastructure can be put in place. The problem is the funding. We are going to have a huge problem that is already in CUH where certain work has had to be outsourced because the hospital does not have the availability to provide the treatment patients require. As I said, over 80 patients were sent to either Dublin or Galway from January to September, and that figure is going to continue to grow. It is important to note I am not just talking about Cork here; I am talking about the entire southern region, including the Minister of State's county of Limerick and counties Clare, Kerry, Cork and Waterford. It is important we develop the service here because it is clear from the national cancer control programme that there is a concern there are not adequate facilities available to deal with the growing number of patients. Therefore, I do not think this can be put down the road. It is on the programme for the south and south west region but it is ninth on the list for construction work. This project should be brought forward and the additional funding provided so that the work can start. Even if the work started today, it would, as the Minister of State knows, take at least 12 months to complete and have ready for use. Even if we start today, we have a problem that is two years down the road. I do not want to have a situation where I am back here in two years' time raising the same issue and saying the same thing, and there being another two years added on. I ask that this matter be given priority by the Department. The pressure is on the two hospitals in Dublin and Galway. They have the numbers from their own region and are now also taking numbers from the south and south west."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Kieran O'Donnell Once again, I am taking this matter on behalf of the Minister for Health, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. I thank Deputy Burke for his contribution today and his ongoing advocacy on this matter. He has been strongly dedicated to the improvement of cancer services and has been a particularly strong advocate for the patients of the south west, especially in Cork. The Government recognises the importance of ensuring patients nationally can access high-quality specialised cancer care as close to home as possible. I acknowledge that travelling to Dublin or Galway can be difficult for patients and their families. The proposals being considered by HSE South West for stem cell tissue establishment in the advance cellular therapies unit in Cork University Hospital is representative of the growing national demand for these treatments, and the Government's commitment in the national cancer strategy to align services both at both regional and national levels, where appropriate. While projects not including the HSE capital plan 2026 remain a consideration, all major investment must be progressed through the established planning and approval process. The Department of Health will continue to engage with the HSE at this proposal develops. I thank Deputy Burke again for his advocacy on this issue and for cancer services more broadly. I will bring the matter he has raised to the attention of the Minister and the Department."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Cancer Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_7","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Medical Inquiries","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_3","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_7","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter 'Chap' Cleere","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter 'Chap' Cleere","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere I raise an issue that is causing increasing concern among employers throughout the country, particularly small and medium-sized businesses. It is an issue that deserves serious attention from the Government. I refer to the growing use of online medical consultations to obtain sick certificates and, in particular, to questions being raised about the adequacy of clinical assessments before certificates recommending periods of absence from work are issued. Let me be clear that this is not about questioning the rights of employees who are genuinely unwell. Those rights must be protected. Nor am I suggesting that online medical consultations do not have a legitimate and important role in modern healthcare. However, we must also recognise that the system needs to work fairly for everyone, including employers who ultimately carry significant financial and operational responsibilities when employees are absent. I have been contacted by employers who are increasingly concerned about what they are experiencing. One employer recently reported that two employees working on the same project received medical certificates from the same online medical practice on the same day recommending exactly the same period of absence \u2013 two weeks. I stress that I am not making allegations against the employees or medical practitioners involved. However, these examples raise legitimate questions about the process, the level of clinical assessment taking place and the safeguards in place. For an employer, these situations have real consequences. Businesses have projects to deliver, customers to satisfy and contractual obligations to meet. Other employees must often carry the additional workload when colleagues are absent. For a larger organisation, these challenges may be manageable, but for a small business employing 20, 30, 50 or 100 employees, a sudden absence of even a small number of employees can have a significant impact. There is also a direct financial consequence, with employers required to meet their statutory sick pay obligations where the qualifying conditions are satisfied, in addition to the cost of replacement labour and lost productivity. Are we confident the system has sufficient safeguards to ensure medical certificates, particularly those recommending extended periods away from work, are supported by an appropriate clinical assessment? The Medical Council has been very clear that doctors providing remote consultations must maintain the same professional standards as those providing face-to-face consultations. I fully support that principle. However, we also need to examine the wider picture, including the commercial platforms through which these consultations are provided and which are responsible for ensuring that appropriate standards are maintained. I ask that the Minister address four specific matters. First, will the Government engage with the Medical Council to examine whether clinical assessment standards are being applied appropriately when online consultations result in extended periods of certified absence? Second, will the Government examine what oversight exists in respect of commercial online medical certificate services and whether additional safeguards are necessary? Third, will it consider a review of the medical certification arrangements to ensure they strike the right balance between protecting employees and providing reasonable assurance to employers? Finally, will the Government commit to engaging with employer representative organisations, particularly those representing SMEs, so that the practical impact on businesses is properly understood? We should not have to choose between protecting workers and businesses. Both are absolutely essential. Employees who are genuinely ill deserve support and protection but, equally, employers which provide jobs, invest in their businesses and contribute to our economy deserve to have confidence that the systems they are required to operate are fair, robust and not open to misuse. I ask that the Minister recognise that this is a growing concern and commit to examining it properly before it becomes an even greater problem for Irish businesses."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment (Deputy Alan Dillon) I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I will try to address his four questions in my opening contribution, while fully recognising what has been raised on behalf of businesses. Regarding businesses, particularly small businesses, I meet many family businesses and independent operators who are under significant pressures, including rising labour and operational costs. Where an employee is absent for an extended period, it creates real challenges for them in terms of staffing, service delivery and day-to-day running of the business. It is understandable, therefore, that employers want confidence that medical certificates are being issued following an appropriate clinical assessment and that there are clear standards underpinning the process. Of course, we must also ensure that employees who are genuinely unwell are protected. I know the Deputy is not challenging the merits or legitimacy around that. The challenge is to strike a fair balance between the rights of employees and the legitimate concerns of employers. The Sick Leave Act 2022 introduced Ireland\u2019s first statutory entitlement to employer-paid sick leave. The scheme commenced on 1 January 2023 with an initial entitlement of three days increasing to five days on 1 January 2024. The purpose of the legislation is to provide employees with a minimum level of financial protection when they are unable to work due to illness or injury, particularly those in lower-paid or precarious employment. The legislation does not interfere with more favourable sick pay arrangements already provided by employers. Under the Act, an employee must provide a medical certificate from a registered medical practitioner stating that he or she is unfit to work due to illness or injury. I appreciate, however, that simply requiring a certificate does not necessarily address every concern an employer may have about the assessment underpinning it, particularly where certification is provided online. It is important to clarify that services providing medical certificates online operate on a private basis. They are not provided by the HSE nor are they provided by general practitioners under their HSE contracts where they fall outside the scope of those contracts. Doctors are clinically independent practitioners and must make decisions based on their professional expertise and experience. They are responsible for the clinical decisions and certifications they issue. Importantly, the use of telemedicine or online appointments does not remove or diminish a doctor\u2019s professional obligations. As referenced by the Deputy, the Medical Council of Ireland permits doctors to provide telemedicine services but its guidance makes clear that the same standards of professional conduct and practice apply as would be expected in an in-person consultation. The Medical Council\u2019s guide to professional conduct and ethics also states that a medical practitioner should only sign a certificate, report or document following a review of the patient\u2019s condition. The decisions recognise the needs of the employee but also ensure that employees have income protection where the practical and financial pressures are being faced by those who are being assessed to be unfit to work. The legislation is kept under constant review. I acknowledge that employers are entitled to raise legitimate concerns, as the Deputy has raised on the floor of the D\u00e1il, about the certificate process. Maintaining confidence in medical certification is an important process for both employees, employers and the wider public."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter 'Chap' Cleere","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere I thank the Minister of State for his response but I want to emphasise that simply pointing to existing regulation and professional guidelines does not necessarily address what employers are experiencing on the ground. The question is whether those arrangements are working effectively in practice. I am hearing from employers all over the country, including in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny, who are feeling increasingly frustrated because they have very little visibility or reassurance around the process through which these certificates are being issued, particularly when an online consultation results in an absence of one or two weeks. I return to the examples I mentioned earlier. These are not hypothetical situations. These are genuine experiences being reported by employers who are trying to manage their businesses, meet deadlines and retain staff. I am particularly concerned about smaller businesses, which simply do not have the resources or flexibility to absorb repeated and extended absences but there is also a wider policy consideration here. We have introduced statutory sick pay obligations for employers and there have been discussions about extending those entitlements but if we are asking businesses to carry greater responsibilities, surely we must also ensure that the certification system underpinning those responsibilities is robust and properly overseen. This is not about restricting legitimate healthcare or challenging the professional judgment of doctors. It is about ensuring that appropriate assessments take place and that there is accountability across the system. Will the Minister of State commit to bringing the Department of Health, the Medical Council and the relevant employer representative organisations together to examine online medical certification practices, the adequacy of clinical assessments and whether additional safeguards are required? This is a reasonable request, which would be welcomed by employers across the country. We need to get ahead of this issue rather than wait until confidence in the system is further undermined."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Dillon I thank the Deputy for raising this important matter. I reiterate that I understand why the issue is a concern for employers. An extended absence can place considerable pressures on a business, particularly when replacing staff or covering additional shifts can be difficult. It can also be costly for the business. It is entirely reasonable that employers want confidence that the medical certificate process is supported by appropriate clinical assessment. As I said earlier, the Medical Council guidance is clear that doctors who are providing telemedicine services must meet the same professional standards as they would in an in-person consultation. It also states that a doctor should only issue a certificate following a review of the patient's conditions. We are public representatives. We are not clinicians or doctors. They are professionally responsible for the clinical decisions they make and while the Medical Council regulates medical practitioners and promotes appropriate professional standards, it is important to ask the question as to what assessments they are undertaking. I will speak to the Minister for Health about this. On the Deputy\u2019s point, the objective is very much to protect employees who are genuinely unwell under the legislation. We all have a responsibility to do that while also recognising there are real pressures on employers in maintaining confidence in the certification process. The concerns raised by the Deputy should be taken seriously. I will review that with the Minister for Health."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Medical Inquiries"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_8","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Schools Building Projects","counts":{"speechCount":4,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_3","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_3","showAs":"Saincheisteanna Tr\u00e1th\u00fala - Topical Issue Debate"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_8","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoghan Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoghan Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoghan Kenny I welcome the opportunity to raise the delays affecting school building projects across Cork and throughout the country. I welcome the Minister\u2019s presence in the Chamber. Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire. She will also appreciate the question I have put down is a broad topic, so I do not expect a reply to every single individual question I have. Perhaps we could liaise on all of them. As a former secondary school teacher, I understand, as does the Minister, the importance of proper school facilities. I also understand this from personal experience. Following the devastating fire at the Patrician Academy in Mallow in 2016, I spent years being educated in temporary accommodation. As a student, I wrote to the Minister\u2019s former colleague, Joe McHugh, who was Minister for Education, asking when permanent classrooms would be delivered. They were delivered last year. Years later, I find myself asking the same questions on behalf of other school communities. I want to raise three particular cases today. The first is Col\u00e1iste an Chro\u00ed Naofa in Carraig na bhFear. I recently visited the school and met acting principal Andrew Barry. I saw first hand the challenges facing students and staff, particularly children with additional educational needs. The building project remains at stage 2B. Approximately \u20ac900,000 has already been spent yet the planning permission is due to expire in 2027. We cannot allow a project with such significant investment to face further delays that could jeopardise its planning permission. The Minister will be aware I have requested an urgent meeting between herself, the school management, myself and the Department. I am asking that the Minister consider that. I recognise the opening of the North Cork Community Special School in Carraig na bhFear. It is really welcome. Ballincollig is a rapidly growing community. Le Ch\u00e9ile Secondary School opened there in 2021 while Gaelscoil an Chaisleain opened in 2017. Both continue operating in temporary accommodation while awaiting permanent buildings at Lisheens. The secondary school is planned to accommodate approximately 1,000 students, including six special education classrooms. Ballincollig's population increased by more than 13% between 2016 and 2022 and substantial further housing development is planned and rezoning has been done. I acknowledge my Labour Party colleague, Councillor Ciara O'Connor, who represents Ballincollig on Cork City Council and has been working tirelessly to advance these schools building projects. Councillor O'Connor has been pursuing the outstanding land transfer with Cork City Council and advocating for the school communities to receive the permanent accommodation they deserve. Yet when I received replies to parliamentary questions about this in July, the legal transfer remained outstanding. Has that transfer finally been completed and will construction begin? The third is the Convent Primary School in my hometown, Mallow, which has been seeking progress on its building project for many years. The project is to provide five dedicated classrooms for children with additional needs, alongside mainstream education. What is preventing this project progressing and when can the school expect to receive a clear timetable? This is a much wider issue, namely the State's dependence on prefabricated accommodation. In 2024 alone, \u20ac28.8 million was spent on renting prefabs in 440 schools nationwide, including \u20ac3.7 million in my county of Cork. At the Committee of Public Accounts, the Department confirmed that overall school accommodation rental expenditure reached \u20ac37 million in 2025. That is \u20ac37 million in one year for renting school accommodation instead of owning it. I accept temporary accommodation in emergency circumstances is necessary but our priority should be properly designed, permanent, brick and mortar schools. I would, therefore, welcome an improvement to the system in terms of choosing it as a permanent solution. I would welcome engagement from the Minister on the schools I referenced."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth (Deputy Hildegarde Naughton) Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Teachta as ucht an \u00e1bhair seo a ard\u00fa mar tugann s\u00e9 deis dom staid reatha na hinfheist\u00edochta in east\u00e1t na scoile a leagadh amach don D\u00e1il. As the Deputy will be aware, my Department published the \u20ac7.55 billion national development plan, NDP, sectoral investment plan for the education and youth sectors for the period 2026 to 2030 earlier this year. The capital allocation available to the Department of Education and Youth in 2026 is \u20ac1.6 billion and in 2027, it is \u20ac1.6 billion. That represents a significant level of investment in the school estate. The NDP sectoral plan involves a strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. The plan included a list of 105 school building projects to proceed to construction or tender in 2026 and 2027. Some 56 of these projects have now been completed, commenced construction or received approval to commence construction. Further modular and smaller scale additional accommodation projects also continued to be progressed to meet annual September needs. It is important to note that the list of 105 projects to move to tender and construction in 2026 and 2027 represents a subset of all projects currently being progressed. Overall, approximately 1,000 school building projects of varying scales will be on site during the course of 2026 with a similar level expected in 2027. This represents a significant level of investment in the upgrade and expansion of the school estate. It includes large scale projects, additional accommodation and modular projects, repurposing for special classes, climate action summer works and the climate pathfinder programme. The next tranche of projects for progression to tender is expected to be announced in 2027. Prioritisation is ongoing and has included consultation with patrons and management bodies. As part of the NDP plan, clarity has also been provided to schools on an annual December-January payment period for minor works and ICT grants to schools. The minor works for the 2026-2027 school year issued in December 2025 and the ICT grants for the school year 2025-2026 issued in January. Since 2020, in the region of \u20ac330 million in minor works grants was issued to schools. Investment under the NDP plan also involves the delivery of the first tranche of 297 projects under the climate action summer works scheme. Is f\u00e9idir liom a dhearbh\u00fa don Teachta go bhfuil mo Roinn f\u00f3s tiomanta bonneagar scoile ar ardchaighde\u00e1n a shol\u00e1thar chun freastal ar an \u00e9ileamh, agus go leanfaidh muid ag obair go dl\u00fath le scoileanna ar fud na t\u00edre chun tosa\u00edochta\u00ed infheist\u00edochta caipitil a chur i bhfeidhm."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoghan Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoghan Kenny I recognise the significant investment that has been put into capital building projects in our school communities. Will the next tranche of projects be announced in mid, early or late 2027? As the Minister will have noted from my opening piece, Carrignavar's planning permission is due to expire in October 2027. Carrignavar school is in immediate danger of its planning permission lapsing. There is an expectation in the school community that the building project will begin. There are two issues, the certainty for school communities and the value for taxpayers' money. Projects are undergoing technical reviews, awaiting approval and progressing through appropriate stages. They are the responses we are receiving from the Department but it is hard to determine what to give back to schools. The same question is coming up: what does that actually mean? In Carrignavar, approximately \u20ac900,000 has already been spent, yet the planning permission is approaching expiry. I ask the Minister to commit to meeting the school management. I wrote to her about this only yesterday, which is to be appreciated. In Ballincollig, two schools are awaiting permanent school buildings. I would appreciate if the Minister could confirm to me in writing whether the land transfer at Lisheens has been completed. I would also appreciate if a clear update on the Convent Primary School Mallow can be provided to the school management. To return to the issue of prefabs, the Department spent approximately \u20ac37 million renting school accommodation in 2025 alone. That is money spent year after year without necessarily delivering a permanent asset for the State. There is a difference between a school being grateful for an additional classroom and a school choosing that accommodation as its long-term future. Our priority must be permanent, properly designed, brick-and-mortar schools. Ultimately, I am asking for delivery dates and not a list of administrative stages."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Hildegarde Naughton Since 2020, the Department of Education and Youth has provided over \u20ac229 million in capital funding for schools in Cork North-Central. Over this period, 34 schools have been upgraded through provision of a new school building, an extension, modular accommodation or climate pathfinders. Five school projects to go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027 were included in the NDP implementation plan. Four large-scale extension, modular or climate pathfinder projects in Cork North-Central are under construction and eight projects are under way through the climate action summer works scheme. Nineteen classes have also been sanctioned in Cork North-Central for 2026. Regarding the NDP, prior to the summer break, departmental officials contacted in the region of 250 schools by telephone to provide an update on the projects' status, prioritising those that had had a stage submission with the Department for six months or more. During these calls, the stage report review requirements and the overall process for prioritisation were outlined. Schools were also invited to share any relevant information regarding their accommodation needs to inform the prioritisation process. In addition, officials have visited a number of schools that have expressed urgent additional needs, pending the delivery of their major projects. My officials will continue to engage with schools over the coming months and to provide any necessary guidance. Additionally, the planning and building unit officials met with all patrons and management bodies in June of this year to outline their prioritisation approach and to seek feedback from them to inform future tranches. The Department is targeting 2027 for the publication of the next tranche of priority projects to proceed to tender. Since 2020, the Department has invested over \u20ac7.55 billion in our schools throughout the country. Is \u00e9 seo an leibh\u00e9al ab airde infheist\u00edochta i bhfoirgnimh scoile riamh. We can come back to the Deputy directly on the specific schools he mentioned."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Schools Building Projects"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_9","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 Cheannair\u00ed - Leaders' Questions","counts":{"speechCount":59,"speakerCount":11},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_9","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin \u00d3 Broin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cian O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mattie McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I would like to take the opportunity, and Members may join me, in welcoming Liam Conlon MP to the Distinguished Visitors Gallery. Liam Conlon is a Labour Party MP for Beckenham and Penge. He is joining us this afternoon as a guest of Deputy Ivana Bacik. He is most welcome. We will move to Leaders' Questions under Standing Order 38."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald Cuirim f\u00e1ilte roimh Liam Conlon chuig an Teach inniu. I want to mark the heartbreaking passing of the wonderful Ciara Mageean. She was a remarkable person and an amazing athlete gone too soon. Her heroics on the track were matched by such grace and strength. Ireland has truly lost an incredible young woman. Our sympathies to Ciara's husband, Thomas, and all who loved her. Ar dheis D\u00e9 go raibh a hanam d\u00edlis."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin \u00d3 Broin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoin \u00d3 Broin Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald T\u00e1 oibrithe san earn\u00e1il phoibl\u00ed ag plean\u00e1il dul ar stailc don dara huair an tseachtain seo chugainn. T\u00e1imid ag an bpointe seo mar gheall gur theip ar an Rialtas comhaont\u00fa p\u00e1 r\u00e9as\u00fanta a bhaint amach, mar gheall ar an easpa ceannaireachta \u00f3n Rialtas. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 in am deireadh a chur leis na cleasa agus comhr\u00e9iteach p\u00e1 cothrom, at\u00e1 tuillte go maith ag na hoibrithe seo, a chur i gcr\u00edch. The Government's lack of respect forced public sector workers onto the picket line three weeks ago. That same lack informs the Government's refusal to deliver a fair pay deal. I will cite a figure for the Taoiseach that captures what is the stark unfairness at play here. That figure is \u20ac95,000. That is the pay hike that the Minister, Deputy Chambers, has signed off on for the CEO of Dublin Airport Authority. It is an increase far above the total salary of a young teacher or nurse. It was granted with no problem, no drawn out talks and signed off on with the stroke of a pen. Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael deliver for those at the top but it is a very different story if you are a nurse, a teacher, an SNA or a firefighter. After ten days of talks, the Government has failed to hear their concerns, failed to deliver a credible pay offer and failed to respond to the cost of living that is devouring their wages. That pressure has hit home again today as the CSO reveals that energy bills have increased by over 18% in the past year. Where is the Government's urgency to deliver a fair deal? What the public sees is a distracted Government with its eye off the ball, not treating this dispute seriously. It is a Government unable and unwilling to get the job done. It allows drift and continues to pick a fight with public sector workers. The result is the prospect of another strike next week. If this strike goes ahead, every cancelled hospital appointment, every school closure and every disruption to vital services is on the Government. That is the Taoiseach's responsibility. He refused to put himself in the shoes of a nurse, working long shifts in an overcrowded hospital, and wondering how she will pay her bills, or of the teacher who goes above and beyond but stresses out on how he builds a future. I visited the picket line three weeks ago. The workers told me very clearly that they do not want to be on strike, yet we face another strike because of a failure of leadership by the Government. On the eve of the last strike, I told the Taoiseach that playing a game of chicken with public sector workers was short-sighted, unfair and wrong. I told him it would lead to a longer dispute and here we are. Can he now accept it is time to change tack? Will he stop the brinkmanship? Will he respond to the cost-of-living pressure on these workers and finally deliver a fair pay deal?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach First of all, I again articulate our deep sadness at the very untimely passing of Ciara Mageean. As we stand here at this moment, her family and community are gathering at St. Patrick's Church, Ballyphilip, Portaferry, to honour a truly special person who left a truly special legacy in Irish life. As a European champion and an Olympian, she inspired so many with her outstanding performances, bringing immense pride to her family, her native Portaferry and the entire country. The great dignity and quiet courage she showed during her health challenge only added to her legacy and Ireland's affection for her. Our heartfelt sympathies and those of the entire Government and Oireachtas go to her husband Thomas and to her family and friends. Ar dheis D\u00e9 go raibh a h-anam d\u00edlis. I would not accept at all the Deputy's characterisation of the Government's approach to a public service pay agreement or, indeed, to the public service. This Government and the previous Government have invested hugely in the public service. The sheer numbers have increased exponentially since about 2019. Public service employment has grown by about 85,000 since 2019. That does not indicate a lack of respect for the public service, rather, it represents a significant expansion. On average, 13,000 additional staff were recruited each year. We are looking at a significant increase in the Civil Service, now up to 50,000, and at 31,000 additional healthcare staff, over 11,000 more nurses and midwives, and 16,800 more teachers. The expansion of the public service has been very significant. The last pay agreement, which expired in June, provided increases of about 9.6% cumulatively, greater than inflation of 6.6% over the same period. Between 2019 and 2025, there were pay increases totalling 22.5%, broadly in line with inflation. For the lowest paid public servants, pay was increased by 36% over this period, significantly in excess of inflation. To give some examples of how public service pay has increased, the starting pay for a teacher and a nurse increased by 23.6% and 28.3% respectively between 2019 and 2025. The population has grown and there are additional pressures on the public service. That is acknowledged. The Government wants a public service pay agreement. We entered into talks in good faith and continue to engage in good faith. We agreed at the outset a template for the conduct of these talks under the aegis of the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC. An overseeing panel was created, which trade unions sought, at the commencement of the talks. That overseeing panel, working with the WRC, is now engaging with both sides. In my view, we should allow the talks to continue. The Government is very clear we want to arrive at a public service pay agreement that is sustainable and fair. There is no brinkmanship here and there is no lack of respect here. The expansion of the public service over the last five to six years has been far in excess of anything in the previous ten years because we have been in a position to do it across all sectors, and we will continue to do so in terms of education, health and all areas of the public service. Also, there is a local bargaining dimension and a low-pay element to this that we want to prioritise and focus on."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald The last pay deal, as the Taoiseach says, ran out in June and the Government dithered and delayed for months. It ran things literally to the wire and literally to the eleventh hour. It dithered, delayed and played a game of chicken with public sector workers and drove them onto the picket line. Now, after ten days of talks, it has failed to bring forward a credible offer in respect of pay. That is the Taoiseach's track record. If that is not brinkmanship, the very definition of a delay tactic, designed to face these workers down, well then I do not know what it is. Now we face the prospect of more industrial action and of more strikes next week with all of the attendant disruption and hardship that will bring. That is on the Taoiseach. I am asking him now to change that approach, to come to the table in real good faith with real honesty, recognising that inflation and the cost of living have devoured the salaries of public sectors workers."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach to respond, please. Thank you, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald The contrast between how the high-flyers are-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy, Taoiseach to respond. Time is up."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald -----treated, with massive pay increases, and the average public sector worker-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy, time is up"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald -----is astonishing and unacceptable."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach It is not on me actually. We had no hand, act or part in any decision by the trade union movement to make the announcement it made yesterday. That was its decision. From our perspective, we committed to a template governing the pay negotiations and we are adhering to that template. We want to arrive at a fair and sustainable pay agreement for public servants. Government is committed to its role as a good employer. As I said, we have expanded the number of public servants. We believe that the terms and conditions of employment generally in the public service are competitive, right across the board from pay and increments to pension entitlements and a range of other things. As an employer, we want to be a good employer of public servants and to continue to expand the public service. In the budget, we made a decision on a significant tax package, which will help workers and public service workers in particular. The decision to reduce childcare costs will help public service workers as well as related cost-of-living measures in terms of rent credits and so on-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Thank you, Taoiseach."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----and cost-of-disability payments-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Time is up, Taoiseach."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----which will be significant all round."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I call Deputy Cian O'Callaghan."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cian O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cian O'Callaghan On behalf of the Social Democrats, I want to extend our condolences to the family and friends of Ciara Mageean and especially to her husband Thomas. Ciara was one of Ireland's greatest athletes. Despite her illness she showed immense courage and bravery, sharing her story and raising awareness of bowel cancer. She remained deeply concerned about others and was outspoken against the genocide in Gaza. We have lost an amazing person. Ar dheis D\u00e9 go raibh a h-anam. Taoiseach, your Government's handling of the talks with public service workers has been an unmitigated disaster. For most of the year, you ignored them, barely bothering to engage before the current pay deal expired in June. This intransigence and arrogance blew up in your face and resulted in the biggest public service strike in nearly two decades. Up to that point, your Government had refused to countenance talks in which the issue of pay was front and centre. It took more than 300,000 workers joining picket lines before you climbed down. Now, just a few weeks later, there will be another day of strike action because your Government has failed to make a credible pay offer. This mess begs an important question: what is your Government at? You have been all over the place all year. You have treated public service workers with barely disguised contempt, allowed the previous deal to expire, refused to discuss pay first and then you eventually climbed down on that. Your intransigence achieved absolutely nothing. There are public service workers who are barely keeping their heads above water - nurses, garda\u00ed, teachers, SNAs and local authority workers, delivering essential services across the country. They keep us safe, teach our children and look after us when we are not well. Then they go home and wonder how they will put food on the table or pay their soaring energy bills. Let us be clear - if there is another strike next week, it will be the fault of your Government. Your Government has spent more time on internal bickering and rivalries than addressing the country's problems. You sleepwalked your way into an industrial relations crisis. The question for the Taoiseach now is: what are you going to do to avert next week's strike? Will you personally intervene? Will you ensure a credible offer on pay is finally made?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I think your language is completely over the top, genuinely. The Deputy said \"barely disguised contempt\"."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cian O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cian O'Callaghan This has gone on for months."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach He said we treat public service workers with \"barely disguised contempt\"."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Gary Gannon They do not even want to strike."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I attended the annual conference of F\u00f3rsa earlier this year. Does that suggest to the Deputy that I treat them with contempt? It was actually a very agreeable conference. We got on very well."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin \u00d3 Broin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoin \u00d3 Broin It does if you talk out both sides of your mouth."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"(Interruptions)."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach For example, we will have expanded the number of special needs assistants to about 23,000 by the end of this year. Is that treating the public service with contempt? We have expanded the public service very significantly over the past four to five years. Is that treating the public service with contempt? I know you have to do what you have to-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin \u00d3 Broin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Eoin-\u00d3-Broin.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoin \u00d3 Broin You will not do what you should do."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I know the old line, which is not that imaginative or creative, that \"if a strike happens, it is your fault\". It is a great line and that is what the Deputy has to say. That is what he is going to say and will continue to say but from our perspective, we entered into the talks in good faith. We agreed a template for these talks with the trade union movement in advance of the talks commencing. By the way, we were available for talks all along prior to that. We made that very clear before any strike happened. We did not have to wait for a strike to say we wanted to get into talks. The template was agreed and it involved the overseeing panel under the aegis of the WRC and Kevin Foley engaging with both sides if an impasse arose. That is all that is happening now. That was agreed over the weekend. We should allow the talks to continue. The Deputy is not a party to the talks. The offers that have been made are not small offers."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald They are not credible either."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach You have had your say. There is sustainability involved here. We have to think of the wider picture as a Government. We have responsibilities and that is it. We will continue to engage in the talks in good faith with the trade unions. There is no need for a strike next week. With a will, there is a way to resolving this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cian O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cian O'Callaghan Taoiseach, you have been around Government and politics for decades. You know what normally happens here. When a pay deal expires, a new one is agreed. Under your Government, that has not happened. You have not made a credible pay offer. The media reports are of pay offers below inflation. How is that credible in a cost-of-living crisis? How is that not treating public sector workers with contempt? You owe it to the people working hard to deliver public services and to the public who need those services to resolve this quickly. Make a credible pay offer. Get on with this. Instead, Taoiseach, you let weeks and months go by months before talks even began because you would not agree that pay would be the first item on the agenda? Where did that get you? It got you nowhere except delays. The Government is too busy with Ministers briefing against each other and Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael trying to outvie each other. You have your eye off the ball. When will you actually make a credible pay offer and get this resolved?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach First of all, earlier this year I did offer an enhanced social dialogue to the trade union movement. We circulated a paper to that effect-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cian O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cian O'Callaghan They need credible pay offers."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach, uninterrupted, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----in the context of the LEEF."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cian O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cian O'Callaghan They said address pay first."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach You are characterising Government as not respecting the trade union movement and not engaging with it; I am just laying out the facts. They said, \"Not yet\"."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cian O'Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cian-O'Callaghan.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cian O'Callaghan It is about pay in a cost-of-living crisis."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Please, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach You only see it through one dimension. I cannot be responsible for how others engage or deal with things. All I can simply say is that the Government wants a national pay agreement. It does not believe there is any need for a strike next week. Where there is a will, there is a way. In our view, we should allow the negotiation process to conclude and to enable that agreement to be arrived at."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik I thank the Ceann Comhairle for welcoming our visitor, Liam Conlon MP to the Gallery. On behalf of the Labour Party, I extend my deepest sympathies to the husband and family of Ciara Mageean as she is laid to rest today. Ciara inspired a generation of young women to embrace sport. By speaking publicly about her diagnosis, she will also have saved many lives. I echo calls for bowel cancer screening to be extended in her memory. May she rest in peace. Here we go again Taoiseach - another public sector work stoppage next week, potential strike action on one of the most important days of our EU Presidency. It is just in time for Friday the 13th - unlucky for some, they say, but this is not back luck; this is bad government. Your Government let the last pay deal expire in June, on the eve the start of the EU Presidency, a massive undertaking you knew would place huge demands on public servants. The Taoiseach may not like us saying it but it is the truth that his Government's failure to engage then is what brought about the strike last month by 300,000 public service workers. Now he is doing it again. Instead of showcasing our country at its best, the EU Presidency is being overshadowed by a pay dispute of the Taoiseach's making. On his way into Cabinet today the T\u00e1naiste encouraged everyone to dig deep in good faith. The Government might think of engaging deeply and in good faith itself. We understand that one of the sticking points in talks with the unions is the lack of provision for the lowest paid workers. There is nothing meaningful, it seems, for those on less than \u20ac50,000 per year. How can the Minister, Deputy Chambers, claim to be pursuing a fair deal for workers while leaving behind those who need the most help? Meanwhile, the same Minister has been busy approving inflation-busting pay rises for the heads of semi-State agencies. Many of these rises are multiples of the rate of inflation. Let us take a few examples. Uisce \u00c9ireann\u2019s CEO got a pay rise of 43%. The chief executives of Bus \u00c9ireann and the Land Development Agency each received top-ups of \u20ac50,000. That increase alone matches the total salary a teacher can expect to earn after six years\u2019 service. The CEO of the Dublin Airport Authority will draw a wage of \u20ac380,000. That is a \u20ac95,000 increase compared with his predecessor. These are eye-watering amounts. Of course we need competitive salaries to attract people to lead our public bodies, but what message does it send to public servants when chief executives receive increases of this magnitude while the Government is reportedly asking those delivering essential front-line services to settle for less than 2% for now? Is it any wonder they are preparing to down tools or looking beyond our shores? The impact is being felt across the country already. The Ombudsman for Children tells us of children missing vital developmental checks because we cannot retain or recruit public health nurses. The public sector is not a charity case. As engagement continues today, will the Government put a serious offer on the table, including meaningful increases for the lowest paid public servants, so that we can resolve the dispute now?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I disagree with the Deputy's narrative in terms of how this negotiation has unfolded. The Government engaged very early on with the trade union movement in respect of public service pay. This issue about whether pay was first or last was a complete red herring, if you want my honest opinion about it. The national pay agreement talks are about a national pay agreement. In the name of God, what did you think we were going to be discussing? Let us bring a bit of common sense into the debate now as well. A national pay agreement is about pay, fundamentally. That is what always happens. That is what happened the last time - it was about pay. The last agreement that expired in June provided increases of about 9.6% cumulatively, greater than inflation over the same period of 6.6%, but for the lowest paid public servants pay was increased by 36% over this period, significantly in excess of inflation. The Government shares the Deputy's view of a prioritisation of lower-paid workers. Again, I do not want to pre-empt the negotiations. Those talks are under way in accordance with the template that had been agreed with the trade union movement at the commencement of the latest phase of the talks with an overseeing panel that was sought by the trade union movement, which was agreed and under the aegis of the WRC. Those talks are ongoing and we should allow those talks to continue. We are not responsible for people making decisions to set a further strike day. We cannot allow that to undermine our approach to the talks or influence us either. The Presidency is for six months. We have achieved a lot already on a whole range of files and issues from competition in terms of One Market, One Europe, particularly with the Capital Markets Union, a new corporate legal framework for SMEs, enlargement of the European Union and real progress with Montenegro, Moldova and Ukraine. We will continue to work extremely competently and in a focused and ambitious way for the remainder of the Presidency. Parallel with that we want to achieve a fair and sustainable pay agreement. As I said, talks are continuing. We should allow the talks continue between the unions and Government under the aegis of the WRC. That is the logical way to proceed here and that is what we intend to do."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik I am glad the Taoiseach said he would be willing to prioritise the lowest paid public servants. That is really welcome and is a very positive sign but nobody can accept his assertion that his Government engaged early in meaningful talks. He keeps referring in his responses today to the last pay deal but that ran out in June. What nobody can understand, least of all nurses, garda\u00ed and teachers on the front lines, is why the Government let that pay deal run out and did not seek to renew it before the expiry date and before the EU Presidency began. There is a passivity that is characterising the Government's response to public servants. That is what is bringing about the anger and people's desperation. People are really struggling out there with inflation running now at 4% and families not being able to afford to keep food on the table or to pay energy bills. We know hundreds of thousands are in arrears on energy bills. Public transport fares are set to increase. People are really hard-pressed. It is welcome to hear a willingness to prioritise the lowest paid public servants. That is positive. We know in the Labour Party about negotiation. We know nobody wants to withdraw labour. Nobody-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach to respond."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik -----does it on a whim, but this is now being seen as a last resort in the face of Government passivity and inaction."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I do not think that is a fair characterisation at all. The Government's engagement in the talks in the last week has been very proactive-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor Sheehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-Sheehan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor Sheehan It is not a characterisation at all. It is a fact."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----and very fair in terms of seeking an agreement. Second, the cost of living is the big issue and in the budget we responded to that. Again, in terms of low-paid and low-income groups, and do not take our word for it, objective data shows that we looked after the lowest income groups more than anybody else. They were the biggest beneficiaries of the budget. We brought in significant tax cuts, which will take effect early next year, in the form of a \u20ac1.3 billion income tax package for both private sector and public service workers. The reductions in childcare costs, which were significant, will impact on workers and other measures in the budget will take pressure off workers. This is necessary given the cost-of-living pressures people are undoubtedly under. If the Deputy compares the tax cuts in our budget to any other budget across Europe, there is not a comparison. That is the reality. We have expanded the public service very significantly as well."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Thank you, Taoiseach."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach There is no question about that either."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Roderic O'Gorman On behalf of the Green Party I would like to join with the tributes paid to Ciara Mageean. She is a loss to athletics and a loss to our country. The UN Convention on Biological Diversity has been meeting in Yerevan in Armenia for the last two weeks under the theme of taking action for nature. The conclusions from this annual meeting were stark. In its State of Biodiversity Action report, the secretariat of the convention determined that fewer than half of national biodiversity improvement targets were reported as being on track. Here in Ireland we see similar threats to nature. Last year, the Central Statistics Office found that between 2006 and 2019, 2.7% of species were no longer found to exist in the State. They are described now as being \"regionally extinct\". It also found that 14.7% of species were considered \"at risk of extinction\". Bees were among the most endangered. About 3% of bee species were regionally extinct and 30% were threatened. It is bees I want to focus on today. In the last government, the Green Party took steps to protect one species of bee, the native Irish honey bee. With the agreement of the government, which the Taoiseach was part of, a Green Party Private Members' Bill, the Protection of the Native Irish Honey Bee Bill passed all stages in the Seanad. That Bill is now awaiting its Second Stage debate here in the D\u00e1il. The Taoiseach may recall that at the centre of the law is a proposal to stop the import of non-native honey bee queens into Ireland to prevent the hybridisation of the native Irish honey bee. Recent research shows that up to 25% of honey bees in Irish are now non-native - a big jump in a short period of time. Research was commissioned by the Department of agriculture to support the Bill, with the final report delivered to the Minister's desk in September 2025. That is over a year ago now. I raised the matter with the Minister for agriculture three weeks ago and he was not able to give me clarity on when that research will be published. There is also no clarity on whether the Government will continue the policy of the last government, support the ban on the importation of non-native honey bees and protect the unique characteristics of the Irish honey bee. There is a lot of support for this Bill from Deputies and Senators in government and also in opposition. I want to work with the Taoiseach and the Minister for agriculture to get this important proposal over the line but it would help to have clarity on two specific points. First, when will the research about the native Irish honey bee, which is sitting on the Minister for agriculture's desk, be published? Second, does the Taoiseach support the central plank of my Bill, to protect the native Irish honey bee, and will he work with me to get this Bill passed during this D\u00e1il?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I pay tribute to the Minister of State, Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan, who was in Yerevan in respect of the biodiversity COP and led the way in respect of a number of issues there. He has done a fine job, generally speaking, such is his love for all things to do with nature, and he shows his enthusiasm for that. Over the past five years - Deputy O'Gorman was in the Government - we have substantially enhanced the National Parks and Wildlife Service. I think we have more than doubled the team working there. We have developed and designated a number of new national parks, and I hope that over the next year or two we will be in a position to designate more national parks and to enhance our resources for biodiversity more generally. It is a subject I am very keen on and interested in and one I have overseen with a particular focus on the well-being of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, and I continue to do so as Taoiseach. In respect of the native Irish honeybee Bill, I share, generally speaking, the Deputy's objectives and aspirations. A memo came to the Government last week on the matter. I better be careful. I was going to say the matter is not black and white but, as the Deputy knows, that is the unique characteristic of the native Irish honeybee."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mattie McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mattie McGrath Can it sting?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach In any event, there are about 330 imports, I think, into the Republic. We have thousands into the North of Ireland. That creates a problem for us. If things continue for the next 50 years, we potentially face the extinction of the native Irish honeybee. We will have to watch the legal framework and make sure anything we do is in conformity with EU frameworks and so on. In short, I am willing to work with the Deputy. I sought the research on the native Irish honeybee myself and read it very quickly over recent days. I am concerned about its prospects over a 50- to 70-year timeframe. We need to do something in respect of protecting it. The imports have come a way down. There was a substantial increase during the Covid-19 pandemic, which is interesting, but they have come back down to what might be called manageable levels for the moment. We have no control over that into the future in terms of higher volumes of imports. We should increase consumer awareness of our native honeybee and the product from it, which is far better honey, health-wise and well-being-wise, for all of us, as opposed to imports. My understanding is that the research will be published without delay. I will talk to the Minister for agriculture on that. The deliberative process is not totally over but effectively over. I will work with the Deputy to see how we can progress this issue."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Roderic O'Gorman","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Roderic-O'Gorman.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Roderic O'Gorman I welcome the Taoiseach's concern on the issue. Having read the research, he is clearly even more up to date with the real threat that exists to the Irish honeybee. This is not just a question of protecting nature; it is a question of our country's food security. As regards the Irish honeybee and its hybridisation, which we see at the moment, this process risks ending a unique genetic resource that has evolved very specifically towards the Irish climate. This process puts our bee population at risk, and there are consequences of that for food production and plant diversity. Those consequences are absolutely enormous, and even if they are over a 50- to 70-year timeframe, that is still hugely consequential. There is a proposal on the table. There is actually legislation drafted. It has passed the Seanad; it just has to pass this House. I ask the Taoiseach specifically on my Bill whether he is willing to support it. I am not precious - we can amend it - but will he use that as a vehicle to face this real threat to the native Irish honeybee?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach As I said, I am very concerned about it in terms of the future. I agree 100% with the Deputy that it is inextricably bound up with our overall sustainability, biodiversity, food chain and so on. There are some issues and hurdles we would have to jump. I would be prepared to work with the Deputy and I will ask our colleague, the Minister, Deputy Heydon, as well to engage with Deputy O'Gorman in relation to this and how we can navigate this particular issue. I pay tribute also to our former ambassador in Paris, Niall Burgess, who has been a great champion of the native Irish honeybee and who briefed me quite a number of years ago on the intricacies of this issue. It is a very serious issue, so I am very much focused on helping."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle That concludes Leaders' Questions. Just before I move to the Order of Business, I too add my voice to pay sympathy to the family, friends and colleagues of the late Ciara Mageean. Ar dheis D\u00e9 go raibh a hanam d\u00edlis."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna \u00f3 Cheannair\u00ed - Leaders' Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_10","debateType":"orderofBusiness","bill":null,"showAs":"An tOrd Gn\u00f3 - Order of Business","counts":{"speechCount":98,"speakerCount":25},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_10","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Mac Lochlainn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Duncan Smith","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Duncan-Smith.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Duncan-Smith.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Connolly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Cummins.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"John-Cummins.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Whitmore","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Whitmore.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Whitmore.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Naoise \u00d3 Cear\u00fail","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Naoise-\u00d3-Cear\u00fail.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Naoise-\u00d3-Cear\u00fail.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Carrigy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mattie McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle In accordance with Standing Order 35, I call on the Chief Whip, Deputy Mary Butler, to move the arrangements for this week's business."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Mary Butler) I move: Tuesday's business shall be: - Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026 - Financial Resolutions (without debate; to be moved together and decided by one question and any division claimed to be taken immediately) - Statements on 'Our Rural Future 2026-2031' (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes) Tuesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Hospital Overcrowding, Safe Staffing and Winter Preparedness, selected by Sinn F\u00e9in. Wednesday's business shall be: - Statements and Q&A on post European Council meeting of 15th \u2013 16th October 2026, pursuant to Standing Order 133 (not to exceed 1 hour 33.5 mins, followed by 20 mins Q&A and Ministerial response for 5 mins) - Short-Term Letting and Tourism Letting Bill 2026 (Second Stage) (to conclude at the end of the first speaking round; not to exceed 3 hours and 34 minutes) - Dublin Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill 2026 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 1 hour) - Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation Bill 2026 (Report and Final Stages) (to conclude within 1 hour) Wednesday's private members' business shall be the Motion re Protected Disclosures Enquiry, selected by Independent Technical Group. Thursday evening business shall be the Second Stage of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026, sponsored by Deputy Alan Kelly. Proposed Arrangements for this week\u2019s business: In relation to Tuesday\u2019s business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (a) the time allocated to Government business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business and the D\u00e1il may sit later than 10.48 p.m.; and (b) private members\u2019 business shall be taken following Government Business with consequential effect on the commencement times for the items following in the ordinary routine of business; 2. the following arrangements shall apply to the proceedings on the Motions for Financial Resolutions for the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026: (a) the motions shall be moved and decided together by one question which shall be put from the Chair; (b) the proceedings thereon shall be taken without debate; and (c) any division claimed thereon shall be taken immediately; and 3. the Statements on 'Our Rural Future 2026-2031' shall not exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the sequence contained in the table immediately below (to be read across); (b) following the statements, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (c) members may share time. Gov SF SD Gov SF Mins 25 15 10 10 3 Lab Gov SF IPTG Gov Mins 10 10 3 9 10 SF ITG Gov SF OM Mins 3 9 10 3 5 Total: 2 hours 15 mins In relation to Wednesday's business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding any in Standing Orders: (a) the time allotted for Government Business shall be extended in accordance with the arrangements for that business and the D\u00e1il may sit later than 9.30 p.m.; (b) the Statements and Q&A on post European Council meeting of 15th-16th October 2026, pursuant to Standing Order 133, shall be taken at the time when the SOS pursuant to Standing Order 25(1) would normally be taken, and on the conclusion of the Minister\u2019s response to the statements, the sitting shall stand suspended for one hour; and (c) the weekly division time may be taken later than 8.45 p.m. with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the D\u00e1il; 2. the Statements and Q&A on post European Council meeting of 15th-16th October 2026, pursuant to Standing Order 133, shall not exceed 1 hour and 58.5 minutes, and the order of speaking and allocation of time shall be as follows: (a) the arrangements for the statements, not including the Ministerial response, shall be in accordance with the arrangements contained in the table immediately below (to be read across, not down); (b) following the statements, questions and answers shall be taken for 20 minutes; (c) on the conclusion of the questions and answers, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a statement in reply which shall not exceed five minutes; and (d) members may share time; Gov SF SD Gov SF Mins 15 10 5 9 3.5 Lab Gov SF IPTG Gov Mins 5 8 3.5 5 8 SF ITG Gov OM Mins 3.5 5 8 5 Total: 1 hour 33.5 mins 3. the proceedings on the Second Stage of the Short-Term Letting and Tourism Letting Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion at the end of the first speaking round and the following arrangements shall apply: (a) the first-round speeches shall be in accordance with the table below (to be read across); (b) on conclusion of the first speaking round or where speeches conclude before the 3 hours and 24 minutes have elapsed and no other member is offering, a Minister or Minister of State shall be called upon to make a speech in reply which shall not exceed 10 minutes; and (c) members may share time; Gov SF SD Gov SF Mins 20 20 20 12 4 Lab Gov SF IPTG Gov Mins 20 12 4 20 12 SF ITG Gov SF OM Mins 4 20 12 4 20 Total: 3 hours 24 mins 4. the proceedings on the Report and Final Stages of the Dublin Transport Authority (Amendment) Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Transport; and 5. the proceedings on the Report and Final Stages of the Strategic Lawsuits against Public Participation Bill 2026 shall, if not previously concluded, be brought to a conclusion after 60 minutes by one question which shall be put from the Chair, and which shall, in relation to amendments, include only those set down or accepted by the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration. In relation to Thursday's business, it is proposed that: 1. notwithstanding anything in Standing Orders: (a) Parliamentary Questions to the Minister for Higher and Further Education, Research, Innovation and Science pursuant to Standing Order 47(1) which were to be taken on Tuesday, 13th October, 2026, shall be taken immediately following the SOS and without any change to the allocation of priority Questions to that Minister and not otherwise affecting the current sequence of Ministers or rota for priority Questions as ordered by the House; and (b) Second Stage of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2026 may be taken earlier than 8.24 p.m. with consequential effect on the time for the adjournment of the D\u00e1il."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Are this week's arrangements agreed to?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Not agreed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Butler Surprise, surprise."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Mac Lochlainn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Mac Lochlainn Today the High Court delivered a damning judgment on the Minister for justice's criminal legal aid reform. \"Grossly unfair\", the judge said, and \"demonstrably illogical\". This is damning. We need statements and questions urgently in the D\u00e1il to find out what the Government will do to sort out this chaos and crisis as soon as possible."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Gary Gannon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Gary-Gannon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Gary Gannon \"Grossly unfair\" and \"demonstrably illogical\". For four months we have raised the issue of the chaos that exists in our courts because of these attempts at reforms. It is sloppy work on the part of the Minister. We need statements and we need them fast. We need to know how a resolution will be achieved and how the Minister intends to bring this absolute farce of his own creation to an end. We need those statements this week."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Duncan Smith","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Duncan-Smith.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Duncan-Smith.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Duncan Smith In the spirit of how this House can constructively honour the memory of Ciara Mageean, would we be able to schedule, at the earliest possible convenience, detailed statements on how we can reform and extend bowel screening in this country? Bowel Cancer Ireland has very articulately put forward what we can do. I know the Minister for Health has stated that she intends to expand and lower the age, but we should have a debate on that at the earliest possible convenience."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett The Government has forced hundreds of thousands of public sector workers, on whom this country relies, in health, education, councils, to take strike action because - the details are now emerging - it is offering them pay that amounts to a pay cut in real terms. It is asking workers to go out and work for less, looking at the percentages the Government is offering. There needs to be an urgent discussion here about why the Government is insisting on asking public sector workers to take a pay cut-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I call Deputy Michael Collins."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins With the AGRIFISH Council meeting coming up, can we have the Minister in for a debate on the state of the fishing industry before the meeting? Issues like Rockall, Scotland, bluefin tuna and a fuel cost crisis are leaving the industry on the edge. One fisherman sent me his fuel bill for being out five days last week in his trawler. It was \u20ac22,851.81. This is not sustainable. The Minister needs to come before the D\u00e1il to lay out his plans for the fishing industry."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Butler I have listened intently to the suggestions. I will take them and consider them, but the Order of Business stands for now."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Are the proposed arrangements for this week's business agreed to?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":" Deputies","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputies Not agreed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Lou McDonald","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Mary-Lou-McDonald.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mary Lou McDonald I welcome the Taoiseach's intention to bring a memorandum to Government before Christmas on Ireland's constitutional future. There is no doubt that momentum towards unity is growing and that the question of reunification is now a pressing political reality. A united Ireland offers the best future for all of our people and now is a moment for leadership. Preparations for change have to begin now. People across the island must shape the debate and get clear answers on the practical choices ahead. What is the timetable for the Taoiseach's initiative? When precisely does he propose to bring this memorandum to Government and, crucially, what engagement with parties from the Opposition will he have in advance of bringing that memorandum?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Government has shown very strong leadership on this question for quite some time. One of the more significant achievements to date has been the legacy framework, which tends to get ignored now that we have reached an agreement. I welcome the fact that it has gone through the House of Commons. I hope it can get through to the House of Lords, so that, for the first time in 30 years, we will have an overarching framework for all those who have lost lives and their families to try to get closure. The shared island initiative has been the most consequential initiative since the Good Friday Agreement and the most significant investment in Northern Ireland since the foundation of the State, with over \u20ac1 billion allocated already. A new initiative to hear all voices and not see this pathway as one of victory over anybody or a sense of inevitability but, rather, a pathway to enable voices from all traditions to be heard and heard properly is under consideration by the Government. When I have further details, I will come back to the Deputy on it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice In August, the CEO of Cork University Hospital, CUH, raised serious concerns about the impact staff shortages will have on patient safety in the hospital this winter. We are now in winter, and the situation has got worse and not better. These concerns were echoed by the consultant committee, the clinical directors and countless front-line staff, yet they have been dismissed by the Minister for Health. Staff shortages have resulted in over 4,000 people waiting over 24 hours in the accident and emergency unit in the first half of the year, CT scanners operating at 50% capacity, paediatric epilepsy supports being cut, 21 beds being stuck in limbo, a reduction in maternity services and the surgical hub shambles. Staff morale is on the floor as a result. The latest we have heard is that the hospital CEO has been threatened with a performance review for speaking out. It is an attempt to silence dissent. Is it appropriate to threaten hospital CEOs who speak out about patient safety concerns with disciplinary action? Does the Taoiseach accept the concerns expressed to him directly by nine clinical directors in the hospital? Will he commit to an independent assessment of the headcount to ensure there is adequate staff in CUH to deliver vital services in addition to the work being done by HIQA?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Funding to Cork University Hospital increased from about \u20ac303 million in 2019 to \u20ac600 million in 2025. That is a very significant investment. There has been a huge increase in staff. It has gone from about 3,456 in 2019 to about 4,870 by the end of 2025. It is now at 5,194."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice We need an independent assessment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy, there are to be no interruptions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Sorry, that is a 41% increase. The Deputy said the CEO was threatened. By whom?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide Andy Phillips."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle No. That was rhetorical."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I have serious question marks over the veracity of that assertion. People need to be very careful about what is being asserted."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide It is in the minutes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach For example, my office was referenced in some newspaper reports, and it was completely false."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice Will the Taoiseach at least speak to the Minister about this?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy Bacik is on her feet."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice Will the Taoiseach agree to an independent assessment?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I do not have three minutes to-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy Bacik is on her feet."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ivana Bacik","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Ivana-Bacik.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ivana Bacik In a significant ruling today, the High Court found the new criminal legal aid rules brought in by the Minister for justice, Deputy O'Callaghan, to be \"grossly unfair\" and \"demonstrably illogical\". This judgment must be desperately embarrassing for the Minister, and it confirms that what we have described as his Rambo approach to reform has failed. We all agree on the need for reform, but the Minister's approach has caused chaos in the criminal courts over some months now, with impacts on vulnerable witnesses and persons in the system. We can all recall the very distressing case of the female complainant cross-examined in person by a man who allegedly threatened to kill her and made appalling threats of violence, so the impacts on the administration of justice have been very serious. Now that this judgment has been given, and I know the matter is listed for hearing next week, how does the Minister propose to address this? We have all been pressing the issue. The Labour Party has been pressing for meaningful engagement with the Law Society to resolve matters and ensure that there can be no more chaos and impacts on the administration of justice. How does the Government propose to address this?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach We will first consider the judgment the High Court delivered today. The court has requested further submissions from both sides in advance of any final orders being made. It should be noted that the aspects of the new scheme which have been the subject of adverse commentary have already been adjusted or are the focus of ongoing discussions with the Law Society. As the Deputy knows, arising out of earlier engagements with the Law Society, the Minister has already changed aspects of the new scheme, including increasing the flat fee from \u20ac455 to \u20ac520. He also agreed to split the payment of the fee and confirmed that separate and distinct cases appearing for the first time on different days would attract a new legal aid certificate for the same accused person. The Minister is entitled to reform the system, particularly following the review of the Department, which raised very significant issues, in particular that cases with criminal legal aid were taking significantly longer than those without it even though the sentencing outcomes were similar, and that there were more appearances and longer trials due to an appearance-based fee structure. That needs to be reformed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley The 2006 wind turbine guidelines are 20 years out of date. As somebody who believes that wind has to be part of our renewable energy future, I have been asking questions on this now for nearly 16 years. Various Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael and Ministers and taoisigh have said the new guidelines are coming soon. I have received loads of parliamentary question replies on this. Meanwhile, massive wind turbines and wind farms are being built without proper regulations or guidelines. Last November, I brought forward this Wind Turbine Regulation Bill to the D\u00e1il. The Government did not oppose it but said we would have guidelines within three months. I asked the Taoiseach again in March and there was still no movement on it. In that reply, the Taoiseach actually said he understands the issue but let us be honest; when these guidelines emerge, they will probably lead to a reduction in the number of wind farms. Here we are 12 months later and there is still no progress. When will have these wind turbine guidelines?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Taoiseach to respond."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley Is the real reason for the delay for the past 16 years what the Taoiseach said to me here in March-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Deputy is in other Members' time."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley -----that they may put restrictions on development? When will we have them?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I note the Deputy's commitment to renewable energy, which we articulated at the beginning of his question when he said he was in favour of wind farms. The Minister for climate has been working on this with the Minister for housing, who is responsible for new national planning statements."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley It has been 16 years."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Let me finish. My understanding is that the Minister for climate and the Department have concluded their deliberations on this. It is now with the Minister for housing and he is beginning the formulation of a new national planning statement. Planning statements will now replace guidelines. On the exact timeline for this, I would hope we will have this national planning statement before the end of the year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley It might happen before Christmas."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle It is pointless to ask the question if you will not allow the answer, Deputy. I thank the Taoiseach and call Deputy Collins."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins People with intellectual disabilities are at the very bottom when it comes to services. That includes social housing, where Before We Die, BWD was set up, to transport, where adults with disabilities are left at home because there is no transport service available. Look at the proposed day-care centre for adults with autism in Dunmanway. It was promised and is not being delivered, even though people gave the grounds to the State for free. Respite services in west Cork for adults with intellectual disabilities is at a level of zero. Families are seriously stressed, from Bandon down to the Castletownbere. This led to a peaceful protest two weeks ago in Bantry town. There is real frustration and serious burnout among families whose care, in some cases, is being carried out around the clock. Millions of euro have been collected down through the years from the west Cork people for respite. They were proud to give it but they expected delivery that never happened. Local CoAction management can only do so much with the funds it has. In areas like Bandon, Clonakilty, Bantry, Skibbereen and Castletownbere, will there be a fair and equal rollout of much-needed respite and will the Government match funds collected to deliver? If so, when?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach There was substantial funding allocated last year to the section 38s and section 39s in respect of disability, both respite and residential, and also in terms of the financial issues many had. In terms of intellectual disability and housing, the Minister for housing has engaged with the local authorities across the length and breadth of the country and has engaged with the Minister for disability with respect to new quotas, essentially, or ring-fenced housing for people with disabilities. Every year, we are building about 10,000 new social homes. A portion of those will have to be ring-fenced for people with disability, particularly intellectual disabilities. We met with the Before We Die campaign recently. This is a commitment of Government. Working with local authorities, we will ensure that will become a reality on the ground in every local authority area. In terms of transport, as the Deputy knows, the Minister for Transport has announced a new mobility grant scheme where grants will be available for adaptation to cars."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins What about respite?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle The Deputy will have to engage further. Time is up."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Connolly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Connolly Yesterday, the last remaining judicial review challenging the planning permission for the Galway city ring-road was withdrawn from the High Court. For the first time, a much-heralded and much-needed transport project for Galway city now has full planning permission, which is very welcome. I would like the Taoiseach to take the opportunity to reiterate the Government's commitment to the completion of the project in the shortest possible timeframe. In doing so, I ask that the Taoiseach joins with me in seeking those authorities responsible for implementing the compulsory purchase order with the homeowners involved would do so in an empathetic, expeditious and engaging manner. There is much concern among those homeowners, as the Taoiseach will accept. The last thing that is complementary to the ring-road is that it forms part of the Galway transport strategy of 2016. That is the only transport strategy of the regional cities that has not been reviewed. The NTA has recently commenced the review of the Galway transport strategy but it is unclear when there will be an opportunity for public consultation. It is even unclear when there will an opportunity for local authority engagement on the issue. I ask the Taoiseach to take up that issue."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach First, I pay tribute to the good Deputy. I remember earlier this year, he raised the issue of the Galway ring-road and the need for engagement and conciliation in respect of the judicial review. The Deputy identified the possibility of making a breakthrough in respect of it and he said that to the Minister involved. That has come to pass. I welcome the breakthrough on that. The Government is absolutely committed to its completion. This is critical infrastructure for Galway, in particular. There is also the situation concerning homeowners who, for a long time, have essentially not been able to do anything with their homes and who did not have any long-term clarity in respect of this. We are possessed of the need to engage with those homeowners, working with the local authority, to get their issues resolved as quickly as possible. I will see what I can do on the strategic review. A public consultation should be part and parcel of that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Burke The programme for Government commits to developing a new national cardiovascular health strategy. The previous one expired in 2019. That commitment is particularly timely following the EU's safe hearts plan and the Commission's recent proposal for a Council recommendation on cardiovascular health checks and early detection. With Ireland currently holding the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, we have an opportunity to show leadership in this area and ensure our national policy reflects developments at European level. Can the Taoiseach indicate when the national cardiovascular health strategy will be published? Will it reflect the EU focus on prevention, screening, early detection, treatment and ongoing care?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I do not have the exact timeline. It will cover all of the above and the issues the Deputy outlined. I remember the first national cardiovascular strategy. I had the honour of implementing it from 2000 to 2004. Brian Cowen had published it in late 1999. It was a game changer for cardiovascular health in this country. I believe in national strategic approaches to the key diseases. At that time, the two big killers were cancer and heart disease in Ireland. That was for lifestyle reasons and a whole host of reasons. We did not even do cardiac rehabilitation after surgery."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Colm Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"Colm-Burke.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Colm Burke The previous one expired in 2019."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach We have made huge progress. One of the reasons for the lifespan extension and growth in Ireland has been those strategies. The stroke strategy followed on. There will be a further strategy. I will talk to the Minister about it and we will get it published. They are a good approach so we are for them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane The West Waterford Athletic Club has ambitious plans to develop a new regional athletics facility at St. Augustine's College in Dungarvan. The club has secured a 50-year lease and is working towards an eight-lane, 400 m track, full track and field facilities and a clubhouse with an estimated investment of \u20ac4 million. There is currently no athletics facility in west Waterford or east Cork. I know many of the athletes travel to either Waterford city or Clonmel. I know Waterford City and County Council is supportive of this project, as are many athletic clubs. Given that it straddles two counties, it would be fantastic for the people in west Waterford and also east Cork. I ask the Taoiseach to contact the relevant Minister and ensure this is properly looked at in relation to funding. The cost is \u20ac4 million. Obviously, the clubs themselves will try to fundraise, which they are doing. Any support they can get from the State would be really welcome."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Government is extremely supportive of sport. Over the past number of years, and particularly with sports capital grants or the large-scale sports capital grants, we have been responsive to a lot of big submissions. Athletics is a key sport and I think the group involved have been in touch with all of the Waterford Deputies. I knew there was a movement in Midleton for something as well. I do not know whether they are engaged in this particular project or not. The Deputy is saying this project has the premises and land. We will have to look at it in more detail to see whether it is more suitable for large-scale sports capital grants as opposed to the sports capital grants. It probably would not be in the ballpark of what is required. It is a good initiative and we will endeavour to be supportive."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire The Irish people ought to have a referendum on the Government's proposals to get rid of the triple lock. The Taoiseach has said in the past he is tired of being reminded of his comments that the triple lock is at the core of our neutrality but I do not think it is any harm to remind people that was his position. The Taoiseach has also acknowledged in the past that concessions in relation to neutrality were essential to the government passing the Lisbon treaty the second time around. Given those commitments were made, relied on and that the Taoiseach has acknowledged they were relied on, this should be put to the people. Talking to people in Cork over the weekend, and people have all sorts of different views on the triple lock, the primary issue they had on such a fundamental change to our foreign policy, neutrality and defence policy was that there ought to be a referendum."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Deputy is wrong there. He is incredible in his capacity to present a false narrative and almost make it a truism. We have never had a referendum on something that is not part of the Constitution."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire There is nothing to prevent it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach We have never had one, so the idea we would have a referendum that neither amends, deletes nor adds to the Constitution is undermining this House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire No, it is not."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach It is, because we have parliamentary democracy, which means governments can legislate."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire That is for the birds."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach When we passed the Nice referendum, we made a constitutional change which prevented Ireland from being part of an EU mutual defence pact. That is in the Constitution. That is what we agreed back at Nice, not anything else."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire There is nothing stopping this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Deputy is saying we want to be part of a warmongering Europe. We cannot be. There is a constitutional prohibition on that, but the Deputy never says that because he is just interested in false narratives."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Cummins.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"John-Cummins.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Cummins Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Third, I was the person who negotiated Lisbon. We amended the European defence Act-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire You relied on that, and you went to the Irish people on the strength of that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy Whitmore is next. The Taoiseach's time is up. The Deputy is on her feet."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I was principally responsible for that debate. I know what was agreed. There were a hell of a lot of issues there, including getting our Commissioner back, if you remember the posters - or did you oppose that as well?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire Including that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy Whitmore is on her feet."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I would say you campaigned against that"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Through the Chair and with respect for the Chair's direction. The Deputy is on her feet."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire The promises you made are the ones you are reneging on."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I apologise, a Cheann Comhairle."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Whitmore","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Whitmore.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Whitmore.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Whitmore Thank you, a Cheann Comhairle. The Central Statistics Office, CSO, reported today that electricity prices have risen by over 18% since last October. At the same time, the International Energy Agency has warned of gas shortages across Europe due to the war in Iran if that issue is not resolved. We already have hundreds of thousands of people who are struggling to pay their electricity bills at the moment. There are 324,000 people and households in arrears on their electricity bills. That is 14% of the population. There is a crisis in this country when it comes to the cost of living and the cost of energy. The Taoiseach's Government established the national energy task force to look at energy affordability and ascertain what can be done to help people. That was set up in June 2025, and we have seen nothing substantive from it. When will it produce its energy affordability action plan, and how high do gas and electricity prices have to get for the Taoiseach's Government to start treating this with some sense of urgency?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach We are treating this with urgency. It is the biggest issue facing the world, never mind Ireland. It is the cause of enormous issues in terms of cost-of-living pressures. We are in difficulty because we depend too much on imported fossil fuels; that is a fundamental challenge for us. All across Europe, there are huge cost-of-living pressures on societies, families and households. In the budget, we were in a position to do more than most across Europe in endeavouring to alleviate the pressures on people through fuel allowance increases and the fuel income support schemes, which we have again extended from August to December 2026 for particular sectors of our economy, such as haulage and food production. There is also the exceptional aid for farmers in terms of fertiliser and energy costs, the deferral of certain aspects of carbon tax increases and the measures we took in the budget in social protection and carbon tax."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rory Hearne I raise the issue of constructive evictions taking place as a result of the Government's new rental laws introduced this year. The Taoiseach told the D\u00e1il that new rental measures would not impact negatively on renters in existing tenancies. He said, \"The legislation will not have any impact on the 240,000 people who are currently renting\", yet I have been contacted by existing tenants who are being forced out of their homes because of the Government's new rules. I have here an eviction notice served by IRES Real Estate Investment Trust, one of the State's largest vulture fund landlords, which issued to one of its tenants because IRES has refused to allow the tenant to replace a tenant who has left. Large corporate landlords are refusing to allow tenant swap requests, forcing tenants to leave in order to get around the new rental rules so it can charge full market rent to new tenants. I raised this with the Minister for housing five months ago and he failed to act."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Thank you, Deputy. The Taoiseach to respond."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rory Hearne The Government's housing policies are resulting in the highest level of evictions. Will the Taoiseach intervene on this?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach First, I do not agree with Deputy Hearne. The housing policy is increasing far greater supply than anything the Deputy has proposed would do."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rory Hearne There is the highest number of evictions since the pandemic."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle You know the rule, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach In fact, most of what the Deputy has proposed would actually reduce supply and create more pressure on the marketplace. On any specific issues, the reforms were needed. The Housing Commission recommended the need to reform the existing rental sector. A review was then done on foot of that recommendation, which the Minister moderated in favour of tenants by bringing in greater protections for them. There can be anomalies in any given situation that emerges, but we will examine that specific case the Deputy has raised."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Naoise \u00d3 Cear\u00fail","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Naoise-\u00d3-Cear\u00fail.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Naoise-\u00d3-Cear\u00fail.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Naoise \u00d3 Cear\u00fail Communities across Celbridge and Maynooth, particularly Crodaun, are experiencing power outages consistently and far more frequently. This is quite frustrating given the issues with water in the past. Those issues have improved but significant numbers of housing units are being built, and while that is extremely welcome, it is leading to interruption when it comes to power supply and what we have seen with water supply. Considering the investment the Government is making in improving the grid, communities are looking for a sustainable and quality service when it comes to power, particularly for those working from home and those who have healthcare issues. I ask that there be increased engagement with the ESB to ensure that these power outages are reduced and that communities can be certain of an improved service."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach That is a very serious issue and we do not want that happening to large towns like Celbridge and Maynooth. I will certainly engage with the ESB to see what is happening there and the background to it, as well as what can be done to alleviate the situation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Carrigy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Carrigy.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Miche\u00e1l Carrigy In August 2024, the autism innovation strategy was published by the Government following the publication of the report of the Joint Committee on Autism, which I chaired. We have a commitment in the programme for Government to legislate for that strategy. One of the recommendations of the strategy related to the autism innovation fund, which was set up to support parents' groups that have been doing so much work to support families throughout the country. To date, \u20ac2 million was allocated in 2025 and \u20ac2 million was allocated in 2026, but the application process has never opened for parents' groups to apply for funding. I work with a group that has been set up in my local area, Orbit Autism in Longford, in which parents work to support their kids. When can these parents' support groups apply for funding to support the work they do in their communities before the end of this year, so that this money can be spent to benefit the children it was intended to benefit?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I thank Deputy Carrigy for raising this issue, which is a very important one. I am told officials are finalising the most effective approach to administering the funding, including the consideration of an open funding call. However, I will engage on this and make something happens now because the Deputy is saying this has gone on for two years. That is unacceptable, so something will have to be sorted."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mattie McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mattie McGrath The people of Clonmel in Tipperary are fine, hardworking, decent businesspeople, but we have been a scourge of a drug problem, with gangs dealing drugs on the streets. I appeal to the Taoiseach to meet with all five of us Oireachtas Members from south Tipperary regarding Garda numbers. They have never been as low in Clonmel and south Tipperary, in Carrig-an-Suir, Cahir or Cashel - never. We got two new recruits recently and there were three in for transfers. We had a crime task force, which is being stood down because of a lack of numbers. We need this badly. Garda\u00ed are telling me we are in danger of losing the town of Clonmel to these criminal, marauding gangs, who also go out into the surrounding areas marauding and terrorising people. It is an awful situation. I am pleading with the Taoiseach to try to get more garda\u00ed in there and I urge him and the Minister, Deputy O'Callaghan, to meet with the Oireachtas Members. We do not want a situation like Waterford, but we are on the verge of it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Thank you, Deputy. The Taoiseach to respond."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach First, I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. Certainly, the scourge of drugs is a horrible one, particularly in its impact on families, communities and society more generally. We have progressively increased the number of garda\u00ed, which is close to 15,000, and as more and more recruits come out of Templemore, the Garda Commissioner is allocating garda\u00ed the length and breadth of the country. Obviously, it is not everywhere yet. He has not been able to do it in sufficient numbers everywhere but we will have a further number of graduates in the next output from Templemore. We will see what we can do in respect of Clonmel."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Heneghan Last night Dublin City Council rejected an emergency motion brought forward by my colleague, Independent Councillor Kevin Breen, calling for urgent intervention to protect Trinity Sports and Leisure Centre. We are looking down the barrel of losing another swimming pool in north Dublin. We have already lost the pool at the Northside Shopping Centre in Coolock. We simply cannot afford to lose another one. It is a vital community facility, relied on by local schools, swimming clubs, sporting organisations, families, and hundreds of people throughout my constituency. With the meeting scheduled for late November, I ask the Taoiseach to instruct the Minister of State, Deputy McConalogue, or the Minister, Deputy Browne, to engage directly with Dublin City Council before we see another pool close. We need action in north Dublin. I am constantly talking about sports clubs and facilities. We cannot afford for another pool to close."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I do not know the background to this. Is this a council-owned facility?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Heneghan It is a council-leased facility."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I do not know the background as to why the council is closing it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle You have to engage, Deputy. We cannot have back and forth. The Taoiseach to engage."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I will speak to the Minister to see what the story is, or what the background to this is. I cannot commit the Minister to action until I know the full import of what is involved. I do not know the reasons behind the city council's decision but I will certainly speak to the Minister for sport in respect of it."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"An tOrd Gn\u00f3 - Order of Business"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_15","debateType":"debate","bill":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/104","event":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/104\/dail\/1","houseCode":"dail","stage":"1","isBillStage":true,"showAs":"National Minimum Wage (Inclusion of Construction and Construction-related Craft Apprentices) Bill 2026: First Stage (D\u00e1il)"}},"showAs":"National Minimum Wage (Inclusion of Construction and Construction-related Craft Apprentices) Bill 2026: First Stage","counts":{"speechCount":5,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_15","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donna McGettigan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donna-McGettigan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Donna-McGettigan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donna McGettigan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donna-McGettigan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Donna-McGettigan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donna McGettigan I move: That leave be granted to introduce a Bill entitled an Act to provide for the inclusion of construction and construction-related craft apprentices within the application of the National Minimum Wage Acts 2000 and 2015 and, for this purpose, to amend the National Minimum Wage Act 2000. When the National Minimum Wage Act 2000 was introduced it was determined that apprentices would be excluded from the Act in recognition of the unique nature of apprenticeships which combine practical work with structured training. However, there is substantial research showing a relationship between low apprenticeship pay and poor completion rates. Surveys carried out by Connect Trade Union and my colleague, Teachta Mairead Farrell, alongside discussions at committee level have highlighted the financial difficulties facing apprentices. Connect Trade Union reported that apprentices cannot afford to stay in their chosen craft and that some are being forced out of their training or to emigrate because of low pay and exploitation by unscrupulous employers. The findings are concerning. Some 46% of respondents to the Connect Trade Union survey reported earning less than \u20ac7 per hour during a stage of their apprenticeship. More than one quarter reported being paid less than agreed minimum wage apprenticeship rates and more than 90% reported being paid less than the national minimum wage during a stage of their apprenticeship. Apprentices are dropping out at a higher rate than third level students. The average age of someone starting an apprenticeship is now approximately 21 years. Many apprentices are adults with rent or mortgage payments, household bills and family responsibilities. Expecting them to survive on less than \u20ac8 per hour during the early stages of training is increasingly unrealistic in the cost-of-living crisis. Low pay makes apprenticeships less attractive, contributes to drop-outs, and undermines efforts to develop the skilled workforce Ireland urgently needs. The Low Pay Commission has recommended abolishing sub-minimum wage rates for workers under 20 years of age while the National Youth Council of Ireland has also called for the abolition of sub-minimum rates of pay. Furthermore, the committee for further and higher education, following meetings with apprentices, providers and stakeholders, has recommended introducing a minimum wage floor for apprentices. Construction and construction-rated craft apprentices should be the starting point for reform. Ireland needs more skilled craft workers to address the housing crisis. Improving pay would help retain apprentices, increase completion rates, and strengthen the future construction workforce. The Construction Industry Federation at WorldSkills Ireland 2026 stated, \"Ireland will continue to struggle to tackle its housing shortage unless it makes a much bigger commitment to apprenticeships.\" We all know of the crisis in housing but future housing requires a skill commitment today and we need to encourage young people to enter construction apprenticeships. We know from costings that it may not be feasible to introduce in one go placing all apprenticeships in minimum wage, so prioritising construction and construction-rated craft apprenticeships would provide a practical first step with other apprenticeship programmes considered for inclusion in the future. This Bill will place those in craft and construction apprenticeships on minimum wage during on-the-phase jobs only. Year 1 is 13 weeks paid on-the-job phase and year 2 of the on-the-job phase is 26 weeks. The estimated annual cost of this is \u20ac43.16 million. The proposed funding source for this is through the National Training Fund which has a recorded surplus of \u20ac364 million in the previous year. This fund is financed by employer contributions and is intended to support training and skills development. The exemption introduced in 2000 recognised the distinctive nature of apprenticeship training. However, evidence of financial hardship, low pay, and apprentices leaving their chosen trade demonstrates the need to reconsider that approach. Introducing a minimum wage for construction and construction-related craft apprenticeships would be a targeted and practical first step and would help apprentices meet living costs, improve retention, and support Ireland\u2019s need for skilled construction workers. With an estimated cost of \u20ac43.6 million under the proposed 2027 rate, funding through the National Training Fund could provide a route to reform, with the longer-term aim of extending minimum wage protection to other apprenticeships."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I thank the Deputy. Is the Bill being opposed?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach (Deputy Mary Butler) It is not opposed."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question put and agreed to."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Since this is a Private Members' Bill, Second Stage must, under Standing Orders, be taken in Private Members' time."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donna McGettigan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donna-McGettigan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Donna-McGettigan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donna McGettigan I move: \"That the Bill be taken in Private Members' time.\""},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question put and agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"National Minimum Wage (Inclusion of Construction and Construction-related Craft Apprentices) Bill 2026: First Stage"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_16","debateType":"financialResolution","bill":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/98","event":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/bill\/2026\/98\/dail\/finance_res","houseCode":"dail","stage":"finance_res","isBillStage":false,"showAs":"Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026: Financial Resolutions (D\u00e1il)"}},"showAs":"Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026: Financial Resolutions","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_16","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth (Deputy Hildegarde Naughton) I move the following Resolutions: THAT section 10 of the Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026, which relates to the measures contained in Schedule 3 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 40 of 1997) providing a definition of the relevant capital sum be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT section 531AA of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997), which provides for definitions for the purposes of Part 18C, which relates to Domicile Levy, be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution by providing that a donation qualifying for tax relief under section 847AA Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 will not be deducted from an individual's \"world wide income\" for the purposes of Domicile Levy. THAT section 847A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997), which provides for tax relief on donations by companies and individuals to \"approved sports bodies\" for funding certain projects be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution to impose an upper limit on the tax relieved donations made by an individual in a year of assessment of \u20ac1 million or, where the donor is associated with the approved sports body, 10 per cent of the donor's total income. THAT section 847AA of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997), which provides a scheme of tax relief for donations to certain sports national governing bodies (NGBs), be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution to impose an upper limit on the tax relieved donations made by an individual in a year of assessment of \u20ac1 million or, where the donor is associated with the NGB, 10 per cent of the donor's total income. THAT schedule 25B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997), which contains a table outlining the specified tax reliefs available to certain individuals which are restricted under Chapter 2A of Part 15 of that Act (limitation on amount of certain reliefs used by certain high income individuals) be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to the Resolution to provide that donations made under section 847AA of that Act, for the purposes of the high income individuals' restriction, cannot be used to reduce an individual's taxable income. THAT section 667D of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997), which contains provisions in relation to succession farm partnerships, be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT section 413 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, which contains definitions and interpretation provisions relating to the group relief measures in Chapter 5 of Part 12, and section 752 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, which contains provisions designed to prevent a tax avoidance scheme involving a dividend stripping device, be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997) be amended by the insertion of a new Part 27A to provide for the establishment of individual investment accounts, to be operated and taxed in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997) be amended by the insertion of a new section 739DA to provide for the tax treatment of investors in investment undertakings whose units are held in a recognised clearing system in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT Part 35B of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997, which provides Controlled Foreign Company rules to prevent the artificial diversion of profits from controlling companies to offshore entities in low or no tax jurisdictions and also provides for certain exemptions from the application of those rules, be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT Chapter 5 of Part 29 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997), which deals with the taxation of companies engaged in knowledge development, be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT section 247 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997), which contains provisions providing relief for companies for interest paid on certain loans, be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT Schedule 1 of the Finance Act 2024 (No. 43 of 2024), which provides the rate of e liquid product tax, be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT section 67B of the Finance Act 2002, which provides for the imposition of betting intermediary duty be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT section 132 of the Finance Act 1992, which provides for definitions of categories of vehicles for the purposes of Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT), be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution by providing that an increase of 1 per cent be added to the rates of VRT charged for Category A vehicles from rate band 3 to rate band 20. THAT section 84 of the Finance Act 2025 (No. 18 of 2025), which provides for an amendment to section 125A of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 (No. 31 of 1999) is to be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT section 125A of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 (No. 31 of 1999), which provides for a stamp duty to be levied on health insurance contracts that are entered into or renewed between authorised insurers and their customers in each quarter, be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT section 126AB of the Stamp Duties Consolidation Act 1999 (No. 31 of 1999) which contains provisions in relation to stamp duty levied on certain financial institutions be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997) be amended by the insertion of a new Chapter 4A, Part 42, to be referred to as \"Administration of permissible ceiling of general de minimis aid and agricultural de minimis aid\", having the effect of restricting reliefs or entitlements in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT the provisions contained in Part 4A of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997), which provides for the implementation of Council Directive (EU) 2022\/2523 of 15 December 2022 on ensuring a global minimum level of taxation for multinational enterprise groups and large scale domestic groups in the Union, be amended in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution. THAT the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997 (No. 39 of 1997) be amended by the insertion of a new Part 22C to provide for a new tax, to be referred to as \"derelict property tax\", to be charged, levied and paid in the manner and to the extent specified in the Act giving effect to this Resolution."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question put and agreed to."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Finance (No. 2) Bill 2026: Financial Resolutions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_17","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna - Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_17","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna - Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_18","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Cabinet Committees","counts":{"speechCount":52,"speakerCount":20},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_17","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_17","showAs":"Ceisteanna - Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_18","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter 'Chap' Cleere","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Shane Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tony McCormack","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tony-McCormack.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tony-McCormack.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"S\u00e9amus McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Geoghegan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Geoghegan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"James-Geoghegan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James O'Connor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_18.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 26, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee on infrastructure last met on Monday, 19 October and is scheduled to meet again on Monday, 19 November 2026. The Cabinet committee drives infrastructure delivery, ensuring that our unprecedented investment is delivering real results and addressing our infrastructure deficit. The revised national development plan provides for more than \u20ac275 billion in investment in critical infrastructure throughout the country until 2035. This includes more than \u20ac24 billion to be invested in key transport programmes nationwide. A further \u20ac12.2 billion will be invested in the water sector, improving water quality and rural water services and enabling new housing and upgrading of our water and wastewater infrastructure. The landmark investment of up to \u20ac18.9 billion, approved by the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities in its price review 6, is supported by a Government investment of \u20ac3.5 million equity in our overall grid. This is the largest single investment in the country\u2019s electricity network in its history. More than \u20ac20 billion of Exchequer capital investment was allocated in budget 2027, an increase of \u20ac1.1 billion plus 5.9% on the 2026 allocation. That is the highest annual spend in the history of the State on the lines of the Government\u2019s commitment to delivering the infrastructure our country needs. We have allocated \u20ac5.5 billion to the Department of Transport for next year to enable a record level of investment in public transport services and the road network throughout the country. Some \u20ac1.28 billion has been allocated to accelerate the transition to a secure, sustainable and affordable energy sector. We have committed \u20ac2.35 billion to Uisce \u00c9ireann for 2027. This investment will progress more than 400 projects next year, including the eastern and midlands region's water supply project, the greater Dublin drainage scheme and the wastewater treatment plants upgrades in counties Limerick and Waterford. Large, once-in-a-generation projects, such as MetroLink, are advancing at pace with an additional \u20ac6 billion allocated in the budget over the period 2027-2030. Tendering is progressing and significant enabling works are to start onsite from early next year. The housing activation office is accelerating delivery of critical infrastructure needed to unblock housing supply through 82 projects which are being funded under the \u20ac1 billion housing infrastructure investment fund to directly enable the delivery of 86,000 new homes. We are coupling all of this investment with the reform of our delivery systems so that critical projects and programmes are completed as efficiently and as quickly as possible. This includes many legal, regulatory and process reforms such as the introduction of a scale of fees for environmental judicial review, which provides a clearer cost framework for applicants. It aims to prevent unpredictable costs for the taxpayer and reduce the burdens of prolonged delays to public infrastructure. In addition, it is now possible to designate strategically important projects as critical infrastructure allowing them to be fast-tracked through approval processes. In July, the Galway city ring road was among the first transport projects to be designated as critical infrastructure."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter 'Chap' Cleere","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere Last year, the Taoiseach told this House that the Kilkenny northern ring road extension was extremely important for a growing city like Kilkenny. I welcome the fact that the project is now on the move with surveys starting on the ground this month. As the Taoiseach knows, the completion of this road is of vital strategic importance to Kilkenny. It will give the city a new crossing over the Nore taking traffic out of the city centre and making our streets safer for everyone. It is also key to opening up new housing and planned growth on the northside of the city and giving local businesses the access they need. The council and the people of Kilkenny are 100% behind this project. As the project develops, will the Taoiseach commit to ensuring the Government makes the necessary funding available to see this road completed? He is very familiar with the road."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn A first-year economics students in any of our universities will tell you that price, rent and access to housing are determined by supply but also demand. At a time of static supply, the Government is purposefully increasing demand through the issuing of tens of thousands of visas into the country. A total of 50% of people in emergency accommodation at the moment are non-Irish citizens. In Dublin, this figure is 58%. A total of 45% of mortgage drawdowns in some areas are taken up for people who have recently come to the country. In 2024, the Government issued 40,000 working visas and 60,000 student visas. The Government is building 30,000 homes. Can it not draw the dots between the two difficulties?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Shane Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Shane-Moynihan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Shane Moynihan Dublin Mid-West is one of the constituencies in the State that is delivering more and more housing growth. While this is very welcome, it is also putting unprecedented pressure on our local infrastructure. On many occasions, I have raised with the Taoiseach the need for concerted investment in a medium-term strategy to deliver DART+ South West as soon as we can by bringing forward funding for that and to ensure that the Luas line to Lucan gets over the line in terms of the emerging preferred route being published this year, along with a railway order as soon as possible afterwards. Houses are being built and people will need the public transport links to back those houses up. It is important that DART+ South West and the Luas line to Lucan are prioritised."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louis O'Hara The south Galway flood relief scheme is a critical scheme to protect homes in the south Galway area from flooding, which has had a devastating impact in the past. This scheme has been delayed for many years. Last week, we were informed that construction works as part of the project are not expected to start until 2029. This is hugely concerning for residents in the area whose homes are at risk and left exposed to potential flooding. I am asking the Taoiseach to commit here today that this scheme will be designated as a critical infrastructure project to ensure that OPW and planning approval can be expedited so that people's homes are adequately protected."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tony McCormack","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tony-McCormack.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tony-McCormack.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Tony McCormack Wastewater capacity is a major obstacle to housing delivery across Ireland with towns like Edenderry in my constituency unable to reach their full potential. The Government has found a practical solution through modular wastewater treatment units. I raised this at a meeting of the Oireachtas Committee on Infrastructure and National Development Plan Delivery where we heard that no developer-led schemes had yet progressed. Having listened to people in the industry, I believe the remaining obstacle is financial. We have the solution. Will the Taoiseach consider safe funding for these units to unlock badly needed houses across the country and not increase the price of housing to purchasers?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"S\u00e9amus McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"S\u00e9amus-McGrath.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy S\u00e9amus McGrath I wish to raise the ongoing delays with the BusConnects project in Cork. This project was initially announced in 2021 with the initial consultation phase but over five years later, we have seen little or no implementation. It was hailed as being transformational for Cork bus services with a 53% increase in the services available, 11 dedicated sustainable transport corridors and so on, but implementation has been chronically slow. I ask the Taoiseach to take the matter up with the NTA so that we can get a firm timeline on the implementation from here on."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa Underfunded and underdeveloped wastewater treatment in Dundalk is impacting the delivery of housing and future industrial development. I think of my own estate, Bay Estate, and places like Cluan Enda, which are at constant risk of flooding. While we need catchment flood risk assessment and management, CFRAM, protections, the fact is we are impacted because 80% of Dundalk consists of joint control systems that are not up to scratch in any way, shape or form. If we are talking about the Coes Road pumping station or the treatment plan, what was previously 2027 is now 2029 and what was 2029 is 2034. We need to see delivery."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger The Dunsink urban area plan is potentially one of the most ambitious public housing projects seen for decades. This is an opportunity for thousands of affordable homes. However, the way it has been dealt with so far does not bode well. First, the density increased from 7,000, indicated two years ago in a question that I put on the council, to 18,500. It has now gone down to 16,000. It was to be dealt with in one day and councillors had to insist on five more meetings. The way this has been handled does not bode well for the future of the project. The Government needs to step in and see that the infrastructure is delivered."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Geoghegan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Geoghegan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"James-Geoghegan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy James Geoghegan Digital infrastructure is a critical component of the AI transition we are seeing in our economy and society. I acknowledge the Taoiseach's establishment of a Cabinet subcommittee for AI and the success of the AI summit, which should be a yearly event. One of the recommendations of the Oireachtas Committee on Artificial Intelligence was for a citizens' assembly on AI. I have proposed it in the discussion document that I generated for my party's Ard-Fheis this Saturday. Is a citizens' assembly something the Taoiseach might consider as a way of getting through the misinformation and misapprehension and involving the public trust that is out there regarding the AI transition in our economy and society?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James O'Connor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy James O'Connor The route stop selection of the N25 Midleton to Youghal scheme is due for publication before the end of this year. This is an important infrastructure and national road upgrade that we have long fought for with the Taoiseach's co-operation. Could we get an update about the status of Government support for this project? We estimate the cost could be anywhere from \u20ac250 million up to \u20ac400 million. We need to see it completed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett For many years, we campaigned to get social and affordable housing on the Shanganagh Castle site. The Land Development Agency, LDA, has finally built it but now serious problems are already emerging in this flagship development. The council just did a survey of the 100 cost-rental homes and found that 40% of them did not meet standards. There are problems with disability access and heating systems and residents are being charged \u20ac120 a month for parking. The council asked the LDA to come in twice to discuss these problems but it did not turn up and neither did the private company that has been hired to manage it. Could the Taoiseach tell the LDA to hold itself accountable to D\u00fan Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and the people of the area for these serious problems?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy The data centre construction companies that the Taoiseach and his Government have been trumpeting as success stories have turned out to be rogue employers of the worst sort. Thanks to an Investigate Europe investigation, we know that workers on Irish-run sites have suffered serious injuries, including electrocution, a TB outbreak, rat-infested accommodation, unpaid wages, excessively long hours and union busting. Unions have won \u20ac1.3 million in compensation from Irish company BenBau at a Microsoft site in Sweden. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Is the Taoiseach confident, like his former Cabinet colleague Tom Parlon, that these companies comply with labour legislation?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Heneghan The Taoiseach knows my work on private wires, plug-in solar systems and long-range storage but, ultimately, it is all undermined if our electricity grid cannot keep pace. Two weeks ago in the Oireachtas Committee on Climate, Environment and Energy, I questioned EirGrid about renewable connection offers that depend on PR6 being delivered on time. We have seen PR6 and previous infrastructure being delayed so I asked EirGrid, which refused to answer my question three times, whether it will ensure that ESB and EirGrid provide clear connection platforms and if they fall short, who is responsible."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins Roads in west Cork have serious infrastructural deficits. Bypasses in Innishannon and Bandon, the northern relief road, the southern relief road and the Bantry bypass have all been talked about for the past 20 years. The last bypass involving any real expenditure was the Skibbereen bypass, which was built in 2003. The condition of the Ballydehob Road is shocking. There are no passing bays on the M71. I do not understand why we are left behind. I see today the Boher-Scart R572 road near Castletownbere and the Dromdeegy and Dunmanway roads have now been put off so the people in Castletownbere will not get their roads surfaced this year as was promised. What is wrong?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darren O'Rourke The failure to provide adequate wastewater infrastructure and the failure of Uisce \u00c9ireann to properly manage and upgrade existing facilities is contributing to the discharge of untreated and inadequately treated sewage into our waterways in Meath and Louth. This issue was very well addressed at a large public meeting in Navan last night. What is the Government going to do to address this failure? Will the Taoiseach commit to direct intervention with Uisce \u00c9ireann, an urgent assessment of wastewater infrastructure failures affecting Meath and Louth and a clear, funded timetable for necessary upgrades?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide Cobh, one of Cork\u2019s largest towns, remains dependent on a single road connection to the mainland. The proposed Great Island connectivity scheme has been under consideration since 2019 yet the Government\u2019s current timetable does not envisage construction beginning until 2030. There is a serious resulting constraint on housing development, economic activity and the safety of residents. Will the Taoiseach intervene to accelerate this project, provide the necessary funding and publish a credible timetable for delivering a second access route to Great Island?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness Households, families and businesses in Dungarvan have endured repeated water outages, including prolonged ones, over the last week. I want to acknowledge the Uisce \u00c9ireann workers on the ground restoring supplies and the work of my colleague, Councillor Kate O\u2019Mahoney, in supporting affected residents. However, serious questions now need to be answered about the causes of these outages, the conditions of the network serving Dungarvan and the investment required to prevent a repeat. Households and businesses have faced considerable disruption with communication from Uisce \u00c9ireann also falling far short of what people should expect. This cannot be treated as an isolated operational difficulty. The people of Dungarvan deserve answers."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh People are shocked by the decision by Iarnr\u00f3d \u00c9ireann to facilitate the greenway along the disused railway between Collooney and Charlestown. We have serious concerns about the future of the western rail corridor. Can the Taoiseach clarify the Government\u2019s long-term intentions for the strategic rail corridor, when the Claremorris to Athenry section will be delivered and whether he will commit to a clear timeline for extending the rail services northwards to Sligo?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle That is 21 Deputies for the Taoiseach to respond to, please."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I thank all the Deputies for the variety and range of questions presented. I am familiar with the north Kilkenny ring road. I must have said to Deputy Cleere a couple of months ago that I thought it was very important and now he has put the words back into my mouth to reinforce my commitment to the completion of the road. Lesson learned. The Deputy can be assured that the Government is committed to getting this road completed. Deputy T\u00f3ib\u00edn raised the issue of student visas and work visas. A lot of the work visas relate to our health service. Some of them are renewables. They are high but work permits generally are for the areas of the economy that need extra workers \u2013 our health service, some technology areas and so on."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Hotels, pubs, restaurants."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Not really actually, no. I mean-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn The general ones are higher."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy, are you-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Peadar-T\u00f3ib\u00edn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peadar T\u00f3ib\u00edn Educational."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The issue will be whether we want to try to work out a programme to switch off the economy to a certain extent. These are the choices facing us. We cannot slow things down. We can reduce students into the country. We can reduce work permits if we wish but then we would have to be prepared for the implications of that. We need to map out the implications of that in terms of services and so on. It is not a simple issue and it is not something that can be done just at the switch of a button. Deputy Shane Moynihan raised the DART+ South West. He has raised this consistently in the House. I have been pressing the Minister for Transport and for climate on this. I hope we will have some good news on this soon as well as the Luas line to Lucan, and the importance of public transport more generally. Deputy O\u2019Hara raised construction work on the flood relief scheme. If he had been told it was 2029, I presume this was by the engineers. We cannot rush a flood relief scheme. We cannot skip crucial milestones in terms of public consultation in flood relief schemes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louis O'Hara We have to expedite the planning."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle That is rhetorical, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I spoke to the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, on this and to the OPW. These are very complex engineering projects. They have to be done right. What happens is people give a timeline and then we say, \u201cWe were told it will not be until\u201d. The date that is given is the date at which people feel they will complete it, I presume, or else when they will start construction or whatever, but these all have to do with the planning, design and so on. On wastewater treatment plants, I think Deputy McCormack was suggesting that we would now support-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Tony McCormack","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Tony-McCormack.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Tony-McCormack.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Tony McCormack It was wastewater modular units."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Yes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Taoiseach, it does not work like that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I am just seeking clarity. That is all."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I know but there are still 17 other Deputies."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Do not worry. The point is the Government has been funding a lot in the construction sector. Eighty percent of all housing built in the country is now supported by the State. We want to get some action on these modular plants. There has not been enough delivery yet and the nature-based approach has not yet yielded results considering we have given it the green light. We are working on that with Uisce \u00c9ireann and the EPA. Deputy Michael McGrath raised Cork BusConnects. It is fair to say there was huge consultation on that. There was a lot of public consultation before the documents were ready for planning to go in. That probably took a lot of time since the announcement in 2021. I was involved in a lot of representations on behalf of people, as no doubt the Deputy was too. It created a lot of heat in different communities but ultimately I think they have arrived at an accommodation with a lot of communities and residents. I hope we can progress it as quickly as possible. It would be a transformation with bus corridors and transport in the city. Deputy \u00d3 Murch\u00fa raised Dundalk and CFRAM."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa Uisce \u00c9ireann as well."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle No."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach The Deputy had a lot in his question. He probably got the most in in 30 seconds of anybody. I will see what we can do with Uisce \u00c9ireann, and the OPW I presume, in relation to the implementation of CFRAM. On Dunsink, again, the Government does not run every local authority. We are asked repeatedly in the House to intervene on what is happening in local authorities. The Deputy is saying it has gone down to 16,000 houses. Is this the rezoning?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger No, the-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle That was rhetorical."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger The Taoiseach was asking me."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach In any event, I will ask my team to try and find out the issue there. The AI summit was a very successful summit with some very heavy hitters and good insightful speakers. A lot of companies came to Ireland. I am not so sure that doing it annually is the correct way to deal with something. Sometimes, you will not repeat the same thing again and again but you do need to have sequels, follow-ups and things like that. I have asked my officials to look at the prospect of sectoral approaches to AI. We have an Oireachtas committee as well. I will keep an open mind on the citizens\u2019 assembly but I know the Oireachtas committee is bringing in a lot of people which is where the action is at the moment in respect of public policy. It is amazing that Deputy James O\u2019Connor campaigned for something that had small beginnings in terms of money, and now he has quoted somewhere between \u20ac250 million and \u20ac400 million."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"James O'Connor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"James-O'Connor.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy James O'Connor Ballpark."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle No."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I think this road has to be done and this issue has to be dealt with because of the traffic queues, the number of workers on that corridor and the towns that have expanded beyond compare in very recent times. That will be needed and the Government will have to find the money to make sure we do that, but I think we are in a position to do it over the next number of years. On social and affordable houses in Shanganagh, I have not had the same account as the Deputy. Is he is saying 40% of houses are defective?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett The cost rentals."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach It is 40% of the cost rentals. I will engage with the LDA on that and try to get a report on what is happening there. On data centre construction, I do not know what companies Deputy Murphy is talking about. He said companies."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy BenBau, Collen and others."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Rhetorical."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Again, I will have to get a proper presentation on that. I am not so sure everyone in Ireland engaged in data construction. Many of these companies are global, not the ones the Deputy is talking about but other ones, and I do not think we can be branding everybody under the same title of rogue employers. I do not think that is fair. I have not seen the report the Deputy referenced. The good news for Deputy Heneghan is the Minister is making a lot of progress on private wires legislation and plug-in solar. The electricity grid and EirGrid were mentioned. We met EirGrid last week. It has outlined significant investment plans after 2030. The issue with EirGrid for everyone in the House is that the only thing that will slow things down is objections. Whether they are to power lines or connections, they are a big factor in progressing any grid infrastructure. We will have significant issues in the time ahead trying to get proper grid resilience and trying to strengthen and extend the grid and have a stronger grid. That is one of the big issues facing us. Deputy Collins named a lot of bypasses and I am familiar with all those areas. We are allocating a lot of resources. There is a lot of inflation in road construction and it is eating into the resources, but we will engage with Cork County Council about progress on a number of those roads. On sewage in Meath and Louth, we are working with the OPW and Uisce \u00c9ireann to try to deal with those issues. I do not have the specifics of the issues he referenced in Meath and Louth, but the Government, working through the agencies, is allocating unprecedented resources to deal with these issues. The Government is supportive of the Great Island connectivity scheme. There were planning issues in respect of it which had an impact on housing and relocation of industry from the docklands in Cork city to the east. We are supportive of the second access route. A lot will depend on the planning, design and so forth. Deputy Conor McGuinness praised the Uisce \u00c9ireann workers on the ground in Dungarvan who restored the water. The reorganisation of Uisce \u00c9ireann, as regards it moving out of the local authorities and so on, was a factor for a number of years. I think it has been completed so I hope we will continue to see an enhancement and improvement of the water network. The greenway is important. A lot of people wanted it and these are not mutually exclusive objectives. The all-island rail review predicted this stretch will not be in a position to accommodate a railway until approximately 2050. It is 2026 so meanwhile a greenway could do a lot for the area. We have already sanctioned funding for the extension of the western railway. We have made substantial progress on it and will continue to do so. We have allocated substantial resources to it. We should not lose sight of that either. The greenway can be an important amenity and create additional economic benefits for the region."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Cabinet Committees"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_19","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Cross-Border Co-operation","counts":{"speechCount":39,"speakerCount":17},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_17","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_17","showAs":"Ceisteanna - Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_19","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cormac Devlin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cormac-Devlin.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cormac-Devlin.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brendan Smith","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","memberCode":"Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathal Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":" A Deputy","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin Hayes","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_19.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputies will appreciate that we are now three minutes into the time for the next question. If it is okay with the Taoiseach, we will take his full response as read into the record."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I would like to be able to read some of it. We can take three minutes off the whole lot or we can go for three minutes longer."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Well then, we will add on time. I remind Members we cannot have a back and forth once Deputies have asked their questions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa Deputy Paul Murphy will try not to do that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle No, everyone needs to undertake not to do so. We have fewer Members, but to get an honest answer."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I propose to take Questions Nos. 27 to 43, inclusive, together. The programme for Government and the revised national development plan set out an ambitious agenda for building our shared island, backed by a total \u20ac2 billion commitment to the shared island fund to 2035. We are forging ahead with this investment and co-operation agenda across all sectors. The Narrow Water Bridge reached a major milestone in its construction on 20 October. Major steel components of the bridge arrived from Belgium at Carlingford Lough for assembly on site in the coming months. The bridge will do far more than connect two shores. It will bring communities closer, strengthen links between the Mourne Mountains and the Cooley Peninsula and help to unlock new opportunities for recreation, sustainable tourism and economic development across the region. I look forward to seeing the bridge take shape in the months ahead and to the lasting benefits it will bring for communities on both sides of the lough. On 23 June, the Government made a funding commitment of more than \u20ac377 million from the shared island fund to resource 12 new projects to be delivered as part of the initiative between 2027 and 2030. Among these capital allocations are \u20ac193 million to improve rail infrastructure and travel times between Dublin, Belfast and Derry; \u20ac35 million for the continuation of the hourly frequency service between Dublin and Belfast to 2030; \u20ac40 million investment in offshore renewable energy servicing facilities at eligible ports North and South; and a \u20ac3.5 million contribution to cricket grounds development in Belfast as part of the joint hosting by Ireland and the UK of the International Cricket Council, ICC, Men\u2019s T20 World Cup in 2030. There are also shared island fund contributions to enable major new co-operation programmes up to 2030 on water quality in Lough Neagh catchment areas North and South, with \u20ac33 million allocated; early years education; digital creative industries; industrial sustainability; a new support centre as part of the North West Cancer Centre at Altnagelvin; Border-area tourism development; and a docklands bridges delivery partnership. This brings to more than \u20ac1 billion the total investment by the Government from the fund to date, with more than 50 major all-island projects and programmes being supported by the fund. The latest dialogue phase of the shared island initiative, the shared home place programme, commenced this year. This invites people across the island and beyond to explore, through a heritage and culture lens, the question of what a shared home place means to them, past, present, and future. A number of components are being taken forward by the Heritage Council, national cultural institutions and a diaspora voices project through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The shared island media initiative, led by Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n, has a new shared island sound and vision strand, which will also include options for programming and productions in response to the shared home place programme. The shared island research programme continues to provide high-quality evidence and analysis of the island as a whole in economic and social terms. All research is available at a new repository, gov.ie\/sharedisland\/research , which I launched on 29 June, to host and increase accessibility to the more than 50 shared island research programme outputs to date. Further ESRI shared island work is in train on health inequalities, economic trends, productivity, regional inequality, gender-based violence and care of older persons, to be published over the coming months. Finally, implementation of the programme for Government commitment to a new North-South statistical series is being taken forward by the Central Statistics Office, CSO. There was a first publication on 3 June, Ireland and Northern Ireland: A Regional Economic Comparison. The series by the CSO, in consultation with its Northern Ireland counterpart, will provide further comparable data on social and economic measures across both jurisdictions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Louise O'Reilly) The first speaker is Deputy Devlin. There are a lot of speakers. I ask each one to take 30 seconds and then we will have a transfer and answer."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cormac Devlin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cormac-Devlin.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cormac-Devlin.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cormac Devlin I thank the Taoiseach. Given the popularity, success and demand for shared island funding, including the \u20ac10 million the Taoiseach referenced for the digital creative industries innovation programme announced by the Minister, Deputy James Lawless, in mid-October, will he outline some of the key priority schemes for the period 2027 to 2030?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brendan Smith","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","memberCode":"Brendan-Smith.D.1992-12-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brendan Smith The shared island initiative is not just a concept now. It is an important programme of investment which will help to realise the potential of many of the natural resources on this island. I particularly welcome the focus on broader tourism development, especially in the area of regenerative tourism. The Taoiseach was in the Cuilcagh Mountain area with me on the Cavan-Fermanagh border, where he saw first hand the Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark. I welcome the investment he approved for that tourism initiative. I also welcome that he approved the commissioning by the National Economic and Social Council of a study of the opportunities and challenges facing the central Border region. We have particular challenges in that region, both North and South, because we do not have any major urban centre. I hope the work will proceed as rapidly as possible to identify the opportunities because far too often in the past, currency fluctuations and so on destroyed our economies on both sides of the Border at different times. I therefore welcome that development."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathal Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathal Crowe There is no volume."},{"speaker":{"showAs":" A Deputy","uri":null,"memberCode":null,"role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"A Deputy There is no microphone."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathal Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathal Crowe Can the clock be stopped?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach We can hear the Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Louise O'Reilly) Yes, but it might not be recorded."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa He is going over to the Opposition benches. The flexibility of Deputy Crowe is to be commended."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathal Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathal Crowe I think this was Deputy O'Gorman's seat so it is a kind of in-between seat. The shared island unit has demonstrated the immense power of cross-Border investment from the A5 upgrade to the landmark \u20ac50 million investment in Casement Park. However, as we build world-class shared sport infrastructure, our competitive sporting structures must also evolve. The success of the women's all-island cup proves that cross-Border football works. It commands a massive public appetite and it can break down those age-old divisions. However, the men's domestic game remains structurally fractured and an all-island national team remains a distant ambition. If rugby and hockey can compete, win and unite as one island on the sporting stage, why not soccer? Will the Taoiseach commit that the shared island unit will actively engage with both the FAI and the IFA to explore the possibility of a fully unified league structure here on this island under a single historic all-island football association that truly represents everyone across this island?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Erin McGreehan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","memberCode":"Erin-McGreehan.S.2020-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Erin McGreehan The shared island initiative has real potential to strengthen the Irish language and our shared heritage. Omeath Park House has huge history. It was built by John Obins Woodhouse from Portadown and later hosted Col\u00e1iste Bhr\u00edde, founded by Eoin MacNeill, where P\u00e1draig Pearse is believed to have written the Irish Proclamation. Omeath is the home of the Irish language in the north east and right along the east coast. The Fadgies came from Omeath and set up the first urban Gaeltacht in Belfast. I want the shared island unit to invest in this community, in the Irish language and in protecting this history."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Ruair\u00ed-\u00d3-Murch\u00fa.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruair\u00ed \u00d3 Murch\u00fa I welcome the new Government body that is tasked with scoping out models and, I assume, challenges in relation to different constitutional futures in Ireland. Perhaps the Taoiseach could give details. This means research and preparations on the possibility of Irish unity. I assume this is Government leading out in relation to the issue. This does not take away from any work being done as regards reconciliation. Are there plans for a forum where we can have the conversations that need to happen on what a new Ireland would look like? This should not be held up by particular issues happening within political unionism at the moment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ruth Coppinger","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","memberCode":"Ruth-Coppinger.D.2014-05-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ruth Coppinger The one thing we share on this island is a danger of gender-based violence and we have the femicide epidemic. By my count, there have been four femicides in the North and 11 in the South this year. By femicide, I do not just mean women being murdered; I mean women murdered by men because they are women. The rate in the South has doubled since last year. Women's Aid has had an increase of one third in calls but not in funding. Why has Women's Aid in the North had its core funding cut completely and utterly when there is a femicide epidemic? Loredana Morosanu, the latest femicide victim, exhibited signs of violence and distress and sought help, but still got killed. Why did the justice Minister see fit to spend his time pulling up the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre about a consent advertisement when there is a femicide and gender-based violence epidemic on this island? I really think he needs to be held to account for that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett I was in Newry last night meeting with People Before Profit members who are part of the SOS Daisy Hill campaign, which is about the hospital in Newry from which the Southern Trust has decided to relocate maternity services to Craigavon hospital. Thousands of people have been marching in Newry because of this. The shared island unit comes into this because 71,000 people in the Republic use Daisy Hill Hospital. For them, it is the nearest acute hospital. The problem is with consultants. Is the Taoiseach engaged with this very serious issue which is affecting, on a cross-Border basis, the acute and maternity services for Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry. Will he engage with it? Should we not use the shared island fund to try to assist in developing an all-Ireland health service which will not dismantle maternity services and other services in Daisy Hill Hospital in Newry?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Louise O'Reilly) I ask people to stick to their time if we are to have any chance of an answer."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Someone living in the North who loses a loved one can contact one government service, called Tell Us Once, and it informs all relevant state bodies. No such thing is available in the South. Instead, people have the upset about correspondence still coming to the loved one who has passed away and the hassle of contacting multiple State agencies. Will the Government commit to introduce a similar tell-us-once service in the South to enable those whose loved ones have passed away to contact the State once and it then informs all relevant Departments?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoin Hayes","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoin-Hayes.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoin Hayes I join the Taoiseach in welcoming the repeal and replacement of the legacy legislation in the UK House of Commons. It was notable that some MPs raised concerns on committee stage over the Irish Government's commitment to fulfil its obligations to work with the UK Government as a result of this Act. Will the Taoiseach commit to ensuring that the Irish Government will fulfil its obligations to ensure that legacy is something we properly address? A core part of reconciliation has to be restorative justice. I was reminded of that as Brian Stack's family were here two weeks ago. Will the Taoiseach commit to ensuring that restorative justice is a part of the legacy and the resolution in relation to the Troubles?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Darren O'Rourke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Darren-O'Rourke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Darren O'Rourke I welcome the announcement of the new Government body to be tasked with scoping out the models and challenges for different potential constitutional futures. I ask the Taoiseach to indicate a timeline? Will it be before Christmas, which is the expectation? What opportunity will the people of Ireland have to submit to this research and planning exercise because the people of Ireland want to be part of this conversation?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Heneghan Talking about a shared island goes back to the need to talk about our shared electricity grid. There are ongoing delays with the North-South interconnector. If EirGrid is issuing grid connections for renewable projects that depend on major transmission upgrades, it should be reassessing those delays. I have asked this repeatedly of EirGrid and I ask the Taoiseach to ask EirGrid. We are talking about \u20ac19 billion in planned grid investment for our shared island, for the North-South interconnector and for all of Ireland. My question is simple: who is ultimately accountable for delivering that infrastructure on time? If EirGrid is issuing connection offers and the grid is delayed, can the Taoiseach ensure it reassesses those offers? I understand we need investment in our grid from renewable projects, but we need guarantees that the grid will be able to take them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness The Taoiseach has acknowledged that the shared island initiative is not enough to prepare for Irish unity. Will the body that is proposed to examine the case support a proper process of planning for a united Ireland? Will that process involve all communities and all perspectives? Will there be an opportunity for people from all across this island to feed into that process and to have their say? The conversation has been ongoing for a long time, but it has certainly gathered pace over the last number of years. People want to have their say and feed into that process. That road to Damascus conversion to the planning process is really welcome, late in the day as it might be, and people are up for the conversation. I am eager to have space provided for communities all across the island of Ireland to engage in the process."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh I also welcome the announcement for the preparation for the constitutional future and I look forward to getting the details of that. The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, ISIF, has significant investment capacity but its statutory remit currently restricts investments to the Twenty-six Counties. Given the considerable infrastructure and economic development needs and opportunities that would benefit the whole of the island, can ISIF's remit be expanded to allow for investments in projects in the North, thereby complementing the shared island fund and supporting balanced economic development across the island?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I thank all the Deputies for their contributions. I appreciate Deputy Devlin's comments in respect of shared island. I outlined some of the key allocations that will be focused on over the next number of years in my earlier reply. The Dublin-Belfast-Derry rail infrastructure will involve an investment of about \u20ac193 million up to 2030. The Minister for Transport and his Northern Ireland counterpart are taking forward this major investment project to boost rail connectivity between Derry, Belfast and Dublin. The work on a set of agreed projects, North and South, will increase line speed, capacity and service resilience, in line with the all-island strategic rail review, which we produced some years ago under the shared island unit, and the joint rail project prioritisation strategy. This is co-funded with aligned investment by the Department of Transport and the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure in both the Dublin-Belfast and Belfast-Derry lines. It builds on the strong partnership approach between the Government and the Executive on planning a co-ordinated investment in rail infrastructure and services, including the \u20ac700 million Enterprise fleet replacement programme, the contract signing for which I attended in Belfast in May, and which is in receipt of \u20ac165 million from PEACEPLUS. There is, therefore, significant stuff on rail. The continuation of the hourly frequency service to Belfast is a significant impact of shared island funding. We are now providing funding for the next three years, until 2030, for the Belfast-Dublin line. The hourly frequency service was introduced in October 2024. It effectively doubles rail connectivity between Dublin and Belfast, as the two largest cities on the island, supporting economic and societal connections. There has been a 40% increase in passenger numbers in its first year. We have an offshore renewable energy ports development scheme. A total of \u20ac40 million has been allocated to that. The idea is that the Minister for Transport, in consultation with his Northern Ireland Executive counterpart, is overseeing progress of a new offshore renewable energy ports development scheme. It will enable progress next year with eligible projects at an advanced stage of development. By investing on an island-wide basis, the scheme will increase the capacity, agility and resilience of offshore renewable energy, ORE, in many areas and support the development of island-wide supply chains for ORE. We are contributing to the cricket grounds in Belfast in terms of the redevelopment of cricket facilities at the Stormont Estate in Belfast. That will support the hosting of the T20 Cricket World Cup 2030. The programme for Government commits to an all-island approach to that. The Executive, Cricket Ireland and the Northern Ireland Civil Servants Sports Association are also funding the project. I can go on to the issue of water in Lough Neagh-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Please do not. We have a lot of questions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach A total of \u20ac33 million was allocated to improving water quality in the Lough Neagh catchment area. That is now under way until 2031. Both Departments are also contributing funding. Over \u20ac10 million is being provided by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and over \u20ac13 million is being provided by Northern Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs. Some \u20ac13 million has been provided to early learning skills and early learning and childcare services across the island. The digital creative industries has been allocated \u20ac10 million to strengthen those industries across the island, delivered by the Higher Education Authority. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, and I announced that on 16 October. The sustainability challenge fund has been allocated \u20ac20 million, and so in. There is also healthcare co-operation. Deputy Brendan Smith raised the issue of Border tourism and Cuilcagh UNESCO Geopark. He first brought this to my attention and the shared island initiative enabled for that to be purchased by the State to create, in essence, a nationally controlled park. We are now developing a tourism project there as well. There are also other tourism projects, particularly in Carlingford and Mourne, to complement the work of the Narrow Water bridge so that these areas become areas of destination in future from a tourism perspective. I hear Deputy Smith loud and clear in terms of the central Border region. That study is extremely important. There is a lot we can do into the future to create greater economic output and activity, which would benefit North and South. Deputy Crowe raised the issue of the A5 upgrade, which we are fully committed to. That is being funded directly out of our NDP-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathal Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Cathal-Crowe.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathal Crowe I referred to football associations."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach I am coming to that, but the Deputy also mentioned the A5. In terms of football, we do not try to prescribe or overly interfere with the running of things. There is a long history. David McCullagh's recent book, From Crown to Harp , is a very good publication. From the very beginning, following partition, both football associations went their separate ways, almost independent of the politics of what was going on at the time. There have been different attempts over the years to try to create greater synergy and harmony between the two football associations. I would love to see that. I will put it this way to the Deputy. Shared island funding is available for cross-Border collaboration and shared programmes between soccer in Northern Ireland and soccer in the Republic. I hope the two associations could continue to engage on that. Deputy McGreehan raised the interesting history of Omeath Park House. I will engage with her in respect of that in terms of the Irish language and the heritage there. Deputy \u00d3 Murch\u00fa raised reconciliation, which is very important. The shared island initiative is separate from any work. One of the successes of the shared island initiative is that all shades of opinion and all traditions have engaged with it in different communities in an open and constructive way. It is important that we protect that, without any preconditions. In terms of a new pathway and how we approach the future constitutional frameworks on this island, we need to bring as many voices as possible to the table, and do it in a way that is not just nationalists and republicans talking to each other. That has failed in the past. The Good Friday Agreement was based on the principles of people coming around the table to get-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Louise O'Reilly) There are seven questions outstanding. I ask the Taoiseach to please try to get to them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach Under the shared island initiative, we have worked with Women's Aid and provided funding for a joint approach between the National Women's Council of Ireland and Women's Aid in respect of gender-based violence. We want to do more projects with Women's Aid in respect of this issue. The Deputy is correct; it is a grave issue. We have real issues here, North and South, in respect of it. In response Deputy Boyd Barrett's question, we do not run the health services in the North. That is a matter for the elected representatives of Northern Ireland and for the Executive. There may be a background issue to the relocation of maternity services. Every health service has had strategic reconfiguration of services. It does not mean the end or closure of any particular hospital, but it can mean different things are going on in different hospitals. We contributed significantly to the cancer and heart centres in Altnagelvin Hospital. We do invest-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett Engage on Daisy Hill Hospital."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach -----in Northern Ireland hospitals, but we do not interfere with the policy. That is a matter for the Executive and those in government in Northern Ireland."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard Boyd Barrett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Richard-Boyd-Barrett.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett It is to do with training consultants. They need help."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Miche\u00e1l Martin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","memberCode":"Miche\u00e1l-Martin.D.1989-06-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"The Taoiseach There are lots of tricky and complex issues in respect of that. In response to Deputy Murphy, I will ask our public service to look at that service in Northern Ireland, with a view to seeing whether we can establish something similar here. It is a good initiative. The whole project is about learning from each other. Different jurisdictions can do things better and we can learn too and adopt some of what is going in Northern Ireland. They have been very helpful to us in emergency preparedness, for example, and supporting us when we have had emergencies in the Republic. Deputy Eoin Hayes raised restorative justice. We will commit to implementing that. Legislation has been agreed to by the Government in terms of implementing the framework agreement in respect of legacy. We are committed to doing that. I hope the Minister will be able to bring legislation to the House sar' i bhfad. Deputy O'Rourke raised the timeline. Again, my comments are similar to what I said earlier to Deputy \u00d3 Murch\u00fa. All voices are important. We have further work to do at Government level on this. We will revert as soon as the proposals are fleshed out. Deputy Heneghan raised the interconnector. I am not quite getting what he is hinting at. There have been strong political issues around the delay on the interconnector for a long number of years. We need the interconnector for houses, industry, farming and agriculture. I have said to EirGrid that it needs to communicate with communities up and down the country. We need a comprehensive engagement with communities in respect of energy needs into the future and the needs of our electricity grid, which are going to be critical. There are three dimensions to Deputy McGuinness's question. The shared island funding has been very impactful. I think we need reform of the institutions in Northern Ireland. It is a critical next step. I have been saying that for the last four to five years. We then need to have a pathway, as per the constitutional change we made in 1999. We desire unity in our Constitution. Our Constitution states that we want to pursue unity, but in peace and harmony. Some of the rhetoric we saw in recent times does not lead in that direction. We need to be very conscious of all of that. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh raised ISIF. There are organisations within Northern Ireland, such as Invest Northern Ireland and so on, which are working with new starts and the enterprise sector. I am not ruling anything out, but we would have to be careful that we are not cutting across Executive functions within the North."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Louise O'Reilly) I thank the Taoiseach. I am only the Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach. I will not be asked to Chair proceedings again after going this far over time."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Cross-Border Co-operation"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_20","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Message from Select Committee","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_20","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Louise O'Reilly) The Select Committee on Justice, Home Affairs and Migration has completed its consideration of the Victims of Sexual Violence Civil Protection Orders Bill 2025, and has made amendments thereto."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Message from Select Committee"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_21","debateType":"statement","bill":null,"showAs":"Our Rural Future: Statements","counts":{"speechCount":48,"speakerCount":40},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_21","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mair\u00e9ad Farrell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pat Buckley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pearse Doherty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Whitmore","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Whitmore.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Whitmore.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Martin Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"William Aird","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/William-Aird.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"William-Aird.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Natasha Newsome Drennan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Natasha-Newsome-Drennan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Natasha-Newsome-Drennan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoghan Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"George Lawlor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Clendennen","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paula Butterly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charles Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Seamus Healy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","memberCode":"Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Cahill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Connolly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter 'Chap' Cleere","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Edward Timmins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Edward-Timmins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Edward-Timmins.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Mac Lochlainn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Carol Nolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mattie McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Louise O'Reilly) I call on the Minister, Deputy Calleary, to make his statement under Standing Order 56."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Dara Calleary) Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh Gn\u00edomhach. It is good to see you in the Chair. We will all give the Ceann Comhairle a reference to say how good you are. Is c\u00fais \u00e1thais dom deis a bheith agam labhairt sa Teach inniu maidir le \u00c1r dTodhcha\u00ed Tuaithe, beartas forbartha tuaithe n\u00e1isi\u00fanta nua an Rialtais don tr\u00e9imhse \u00f3 2026 go 2031 a sheolamar seachtain \u00f3 shin. Gabhaim bu\u00edochas le hoifigigh mo Roinne a d'oibrigh go d\u00edograiseach chun an beartas seo a fhorbairt le roinnt m\u00edonna anuas. Nuair a sheolamar \u00c1r dTodhcha\u00ed Tuaithe in 2021, bhraitheamar ollmh\u00e9id na hacmhainne a bhaineann len\u00e1r gceantair thuaithe. Leagamar amach cur chuige uaillmhianach uile-rialtais i leith na forbartha tuaithe. Cuireann an leagan nua de \u00c1r dTodhcha\u00ed Tuaithe leis an dul chun cinn suntasach at\u00e1 d\u00e9anta go dt\u00ed seo. Leagtar amach f\u00eds ann i gcomhair ceantair thuaithe na h\u00c9ireann at\u00e1 br\u00edomhar agus ina gcuirtear daoine agus pobail tuaithe ag cro\u00edl\u00e1r na forbartha tuaithe. Our Rural Future 2036-2031 brings together commitments from across Government to ensure that rural communities have the infrastructure, services and supports they need to prosper. It includes a range of new measures and initiatives to support rural enterprise and employment, improve access to essential services in remote areas, tackle rural isolation and strengthen community resilience through innovation and technology. Before I get into the details of the new policy, I would like to spend a few moments reflecting on what has been achieved so far. In the past five years, Our Rural Future has delivered vital investment and supports to rural areas, strengthened local economies and improved quality of life for people across rural Ireland. Through sustained investment and strong partnerships with local authorities, State agencies and rural communities, the Government has delivered real improvements across rural Ireland. Government has provided an unprecedented level of investment in rural communities, with more than \u20ac1 billion allocated to support thousands of projects since 2020. These investments range from small-scale local improvements to large-scale regeneration initiatives, all delivering tangible social, economic and environmental benefits for rural communities. The first Our Rural Future policy set out an ambitious set of actions over its lifetime and our approach to implementation was successful. One hundred and fifty measures, or 84%, are either fully completed or being successfully implemented. This has shown we can and will deliver for rural Ireland. Through the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, and the town and village renewal scheme, over \u20ac560 million has been invested in rural regeneration projects, helping to tackle vacancy and dereliction, revitalise town centres and support economic activity in our rural towns and villages. The development of a national network of over 400 remote working hubs has opened up new opportunities for remote working, while the roll-out of the national broadband plan has improved digital connectivity. We have seen significant improvements in essential services. The connecting Ireland rural mobility plan, for example, has delivered 185 new or enhanced services since its launch in 2022, linking over 240 towns and villages to the public transport network. We have also strengthened the infrastructure at the heart of community life. The community centre investment fund has invested over \u20ac112 million in supporting upgrades to over 1,600 community facilities, helping to ensure that communities have welcoming, accessible and comfortable spaces in which to come together. We have allocated funding of over \u20ac150 million under the local improvement scheme, funding work on over 3,000 road projects and benefiting over 16,000 people. This year CL\u00c1R has been expanded, bringing the total population under it to over 1 million people for the first time. We can see the benefits of this investment on the regeneration and revitalisation of town and village centres and the enhancement of community facilities and public amenities, such as community centres, walking trails, libraries, playgrounds and public realm works. The funding and supports delivered under the rural development investment programme will continue to have a critical role to play in the implementation of the new Our Rural Future. One of my priorities is to ensure that funding available under the programme is responsive to priorities at local level. We will roll out further calls for proposals across all schemes under the programme to support small, medium and large-scale capital projects in rural areas, delivering \u20ac500 million in capital funding over the 2026-2028 period. We will implement improvements to the rural development investment programme to ensure this funding is more accessible to community groups on the ground. This will ensure that the communities most in need receive funding. One of the greatest privileges of serving as Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht is the opportunity to visit communities across the country and see at first hand the impact of our investment. Behind every project and every big figure are real benefits for real people and tangible improvements that are making a meaningful difference to people\u2019s everyday lives. Last month, I visited Leitrim and turned the sod on the Glenfarne wood project. This project received \u20ac2.45 million in RRDF funding and will transform the woodland and lakeshore of Glenfarne into a major visitor attraction within Ireland\u2019s hidden heartlands, bringing more visitors, more footfall, more spending and, consequently, more jobs to the area. I opened the new narrow gauge trail in Drumshanbo, which received \u20ac400,000 in outdoor recreation infrastructure scheme, ORIS, funding and demonstrates the real and lasting impact that investment in outdoor recreation can have on rural communities. In the heart of Manorhamilton, I had the privilege of opening the Manor youth hub. This previously vacant building has been redeveloped, providing a fully accessible, dedicated and vibrant youth hub. This demonstrates the change and transformation that can happen when a local authority, Government and, most importantly, a community work together to bring their vision to life. N\u00ed g\u00e1 a r\u00e1 go bhfuil tiomantas daingean againn lean\u00faint len\u00e1r n-uaillmhian a thabhairt i gcr\u00edch i leith ceantair thuaithe na h\u00c9ireann. N\u00ed hamh\u00e1in at\u00e1imid ag tos\u00fa; is ag cur leis an m\u00e9id at\u00e1 d\u00e9anta le blianta beaga anuas agus feabhas a chur air at\u00e1imid. C\u00e9 gur cheart d\u00fainn an m\u00e9id at\u00e1 d\u00e9anta againn go dt\u00ed seo a aithint, t\u00e1 a fhios agam nach bhfuil an obair cr\u00edochnaithe. We know that rural Ireland is continuing to face severe challenges, including access to essential services, housing, climate pressures and the need to create sustainable economic opportunities. This is why Our Rural Future 2026-2031 is so important. The overarching objective of the policy remains to support the continued economic, social and environmental development of rural Ireland. It brings together commitments from across Government to support balanced regional development, protect and enhance our rural environment and ensure that rural communities have the infrastructure, services and supports they need to prosper. We will build on the momentum and progress that have been achieved to date to deliver targeted, meaningful and practical benefits that improve the everyday lives of those living and working in rural Ireland. The policy is structured around five interconnected pillars which provide a clear framework for our continued whole-of-government approach to rural development. The first pillar, thriving rural places, focuses on investing in our rural towns, villages and communities, ensuring they remain vibrant, attractive and sustainable places to live, work and raise families. Through this pillar, we will build on the significant investment already being delivered through our rural development investment programme with a particular focus on revitalising our towns and villages, improving essential infrastructure and harnessing the opportunities presented by digital connectivity. The second pillar focuses on access to high-quality public services. It recognises that the availability and accessibility of these services is fundamental to the quality of life of people living in rural areas. This will include further improvements in rural transport, ensuring that health and disability services respond to the needs of rural communities and supporting access to education and childcare. Rud at\u00e1 t\u00e1bhachtach n\u00e1 go n-aithn\u00edtear faoin chol\u00fan seo nach m\u00f3r cinnti\u00fa gur f\u00e9idir rochtain a fh\u00e1il ar sheirbh\u00eds\u00ed poibl\u00ed d'ardchaighde\u00e1n tr\u00ed Ghaeilge. T\u00e1 an plean gn\u00edomha\u00edochta ina thaobh seo i bhfeidhm anois, le sprioc maidir le 20% cainteoir\u00ed Gaeilge sa tseirbh\u00eds phoibl\u00ed faoi 2030. A strong and diverse rural economy is fundamental to Ireland\u2019s overall prosperity and competitiveness. Our third pillar thus focuses on supporting rural enterprise and employment, developing key sectors of the rural economy and ensuring that rural Ireland is well positioned to respond to a changing economy, new ways of working and challenges that may come. We want to see rural businesses grow and succeed, new opportunities for enterprise emerge and for people across rural Ireland to have the opportunity to build rewarding and successful careers without having to leave their communities. Through Our Rural Future, we will build on the strengths of our rural economy, support innovation and enterprise and ensure that rural Ireland continues to make a vital contribution to our national economic success. Our fourth pillar, resilient rural communities, recognises that the greatest strength of rural Ireland lies in its people and in the communities they call home. Across rural Ireland, we see the enormous contribution of local communities, voluntary organisations and community groups whose dedication and commitment are central to our rural areas being vibrant, inclusive and welcoming places. Through this pillar, we will build on that strong community spirit, empowering local communities to shape their own futures and equipping them to respond to new and emerging challenges. We will also focus on supporting the well-being and safety of people living in rural areas while celebrating the rich cultural heritage and diversity that make our rural communities so unique. The final pillar, sustaining our rural environment, recognises the vital role that rural Ireland will play in delivering on our climate and environmental ambition. Rural Ireland is home to some of the world\u2019s most valuable natural resources and landscapes. We have a responsibility to protect and enhance them for future generations. Through this pillar, we will support rural communities to become more resilient to the impacts of climate change while harnessing the opportunities presented by renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and forestry and the growing bioeconomy and circular economy. Protecting and restoring biodiversity will also be a key focus, recognising the importance of our natural environment to the well-being and future prosperity of rural communities. We want to ensure our rural communities are not only supported through the transition to a greener economy but are empowered to benefit from the opportunities it presents. The new policy is about building on the momentum of the past five years, strengthening what is working but responding to the changing need and ambition of rural communities. We have focused on bringing all new and existing activity together in one place. This is how we will ensure that there is an effective focus on our rural communities across the full breadth of Government activity. The policy brings together a mix of new interventions and supports, with an expansion and improvement of existing activities in key areas such as rural transport, digital connectivity, enterprise support, support for inclusive community-building, the regeneration of our towns and villages and increased investment in our community facilities. One of the most important developments is the introduction of a new strategic rural investment fund for rural Ireland within the RRDF. This will provide a new approach to investment in major strategic investments at a regional level. It will broaden the fund\u2019s remit and is aimed to help unlock major strategic capital projects and consequently attract investment and support enterprise and employment creation in rural areas. The goal of the fund will be to improve the long-term economic competitiveness and sustainability of regional and rural areas. We are currently finalising the full detail of this intervention. However, my overall aim is to provide support for a small but targeted number of projects of significant scale that deliver on our ambition to drive economic growth in regional and rural areas. We recognise the particular challenges facing some of our most remote rural communities. I believe a community-led or social enterprise-type approach can help support things like community cafes, community pubs or community shops in rural towns and villages. A new pilot initiative will be developed to support the establishment of social enterprise and community-led approaches in our most remote rural areas where gaps in local services are most acute. Community-led initiatives such as community shops and community cafes are becoming more and more prevalent. I want to be there to support them. Support will focus on areas where these key services may no longer be present in a rural community. This support will help to address unmet local needs, create employment opportunities and strengthen community resilience. Throughout our consultation process, the issue of rural isolation was mentioned and raised extensively. To respond to this, a new joint pilot initiative between my Department and Department of agriculture will explore locally based innovative approaches to addressing isolation in farming and rural communities and to strengthen social connections and well-being. Some \u20ac600,000 is earmarked for this in year one. Our approach will complement existing interventions in this area such as SICAP, Tidy Towns, CCIF, LEADER, CL\u00c1R, men's and women's sheds, etc. The pilot will be place based and informed by local circumstances. The focus will be on new and innovative elements rather than simply funding existing activities or extending existing activities. We will see what is effective and what works well and then take our learnings from this pilot to inform ongoing initiatives that can be integrated into wider programmes such as SICAP and LEADER. Through a new community-led rural innovation fund, we will support locally driven initiatives that harness innovation and technology to address new challenges and build resilience in rural communities. I want to tap into local knowledge to see how new technologies will address specific local challenges in rural communities. We have set out the Government\u2019s 34 commitments for delivery across all Departments and agencies over the lifetime of this policy. These commitments are supported by clear and practical actions. They are backed by substantial investment targeted at securing a more sustainable and resilient future for rural communities. Over 230 actions are set out for delivery over the first half of the policy period to the end 2028 across a wide range of areas from health, housing and education to digital connectivity, enterprise development and our culture, heritage and language. The development of these actions was rooted in a set of principles which guided our policymaking. These principles were informed by our consultation process, our experience of delivering policy and international best practice. It is very important to me for this policy to be people centred and placed based. This means putting people at the centre of this policy and understanding that there is a huge variety in the rural places we all call home. We recognised the unique circumstances and needs of different rural communities throughout the development of these actions. Another one of our principles is progression. We will build on our achievements; however, we will retain the flexibility needed to respond to emerging challenges and opportunities across the wide variety of rural contexts. The policy is grounded in participation and inclusion. It recognises the importance of addressing exclusion, isolation and inequality. We recognise the interdependence of our urban and rural areas. The success of each contributes to the prosperity of the other. Based on this principle, we took an integrated approach to policy development to ensure Our Rural Future 2026-2031 is in line with national, local and sectoral strategy, so we can co-ordinate the delivery of our goals. Our policy is reflective of the core principles of the EU\u2019s long-term vision for rural areas. This vision is for rural communities that are stronger, more connected, resilient and prosperous, with local people actively shaping their futures. Rural communities must be at the heart of Europe\u2019s economic, social and environmental development. Indeed, I have just come from our EU Presidency event taking place in Naas, Europe\u2019s Rural Future, where over 200 people from across the EU have come together to discuss integrated approaches to rural development. At the heart of these discussions is the recognition that rural development must remain a strategic European priority. We must translate our shared vision into co-ordinated policies, effective investment and meaningful opportunities for rural communities across Europe. That is the central principle of our approach to rural development, combining national ambition and co-ordinated Government action with local knowledge, local leadership and local initiative. I will be returning to this conference tomorrow and our discussions will focus specifically on LEADER, including its contribution over 35 years to rural development, with a showcase of projects that are supported through the programme. T\u00e1imid f\u00f3s faoi ghealltanas daingean taca\u00edocht a thabhairt d\u00e1r bpobail Ghaeltachta agus na hoile\u00e1in, aitheantas a thabhairt d\u00e1 sainriachtanais chult\u00fair, teanga agus gheografacha, agus cinnti\u00fa go bhfuil na seirbh\u00eds\u00ed, an bonneagar agus na deiseanna acu chun go mbeidh rath orthu. Mar Aire Gaeltachta, chinntigh m\u00e9 gur th\u00e1inig na m\u00e9aduithe is m\u00f3 riamh ar bhuis\u00e9ad na Gaeltachta le dh\u00e1 bhliain anuas. Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire, an Teachta Jack Chambers, as a thaca\u00edocht sa r\u00e9imse seo. Through that support, we can invest \u20ac35 million in the new pier on Inis O\u00edrr. Progress throughout this summer has been significant and gives a sense of the large-scale investment in rural communities. Our Rural Future 2026-2031 is firmly rooted in a comprehensive public and stakeholder consultation process. This process captured the views and the inputs of more than 2,000 participants. The process included an online public survey with more than 1,200 responses; a series of eight stakeholder and public events across the country; online and bilateral meetings with key stakeholders, representative groups and public bodies; and a debate within this House. We particularly sought to capture the voices of the new generation. The voices of young people were captured through the rural youth assembly, an initiative itself born out of the first Our Rural Future policy. This engagement has ensured we had a consultation process that lasted over a year, and was followed with engagement with a range of Departments. It was also informed by the OECD\u2019s 2026 Rural Policy Review of Ireland, which highlighted the strengths of our whole-of-government approach. The OECD review had said, \"Ireland has built one of the OECD's most sophisticated rural policy frameworks and has a unique whole-of-government approach that maintains visibility on rural impacts across all departments in Ireland.\" I present this policy to the House and I look forward to the debate. However, I also intend to continue the debate across the country. We will host five regional events in the midlands, the west, the south, the mid-west and the Border region during January and February, alongside an online event to make progress and get feedback on this plan. Our Rural Future will continue to be underpinned by funding through my Department's programmes, and will also have the support of Government colleagues through their programmes in each individual Department. The new policy seeks to respond to the emerging opportunities. It seeks to prepare our rural communities for challenges that we anticipate but also those that we cannot, through a place-based approach which recognises that rural areas are unique and that each of our areas has different needs, priorities and strengths. We will ensure that the distinct needs, opportunities and challenges of each rural community are reflected in delivery across all Government sectors to strengthen rural outcomes. I intend to ensure delivery of this and to ensure accountability to the House and to the various committees of the House, but most important, I intend to assure accountability to communities across the country whose futures are intertwined with this document. Go raibh m\u00edle maith agaibh."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness T\u00e1 strait\u00e9is n\u00e1isi\u00fanta l\u00e1idir de dh\u00edth orainn chun todhcha\u00ed na tuaithe a chinnti\u00fa. Is l\u00e9ir sin d\u00fainn go l\u00e9ir. A strategy for rural Ireland is important. It should set a clear direction, identify the challenges facing our communities and establish how the Government intends to address them. Our Rural Future 2026-2031 is an opportunity to do precisely that. Unfortunately, while it contains some welcome commitments, it falls short of what rural communities need and deserve. The central weakness of this strategy is that it does not adequately address the biggest challenge facing rural Ireland, namely, the ability of people to remain in, return to and build a future in their own communities. Young people cannot afford homes, families cannot find suitable sites to build on, and older people are increasingly isolated as local services disappear. The Government\u2019s own consultation identified housing and generational renewal as major concerns, yet there is remarkably little in this strategy that explains how those challenges will actually be addressed. Young people want to stay in their communities. They want to build a home, to raise a family, to make a future where they grew up but, increasingly, they cannot afford to do so. They cannot secure planning permission or find a suitable site to build on. Ba cheart go mbeadh s\u00e9 de cheart ag daoine \u00f3ga teach a th\u00f3g\u00e1il, agus clann a th\u00f3g\u00e1il, ina bpobail f\u00e9in faoin tuath agus sa Ghaeltacht. The Government has to answer some very basic questions, and this plan needs to answer those questions too. How many additional affordable and social homes in rural Ireland will be facilitated under this strategy? How many serviced sites will be provided? What measurable targets are being set in the housing space? If this is to be a whole-of-government approach, it really needs to answer those questions. It is not enough to say this is a matter for housing. That needs to be seen as core to developing, protecting and enhancing rural Ireland. We have heard plenty about housing delivery, vacant property and planning reform, but there is nothing sufficiently concrete on affordable housing for younger families, for serviced sites for local people, as I mentioned, or for tackling dereliction. The consequences are already evident. Research commissioned by the National Youth Council of Ireland found that 68% of young adults aged 18 to 24 are considering moving abroad, while 71% believe they would have a better quality of life elsewhere. That should be a serious warning to the Government. Generational renewal is not simply about attracting new businesses or promoting tourism. It is about whether young people can afford to remain in the places they call home. There are other significant weaknesses too. Small rural schools need certainty about their future. Rural families need access to childcare and school transport. People need access to GPs, primary care, community nursing and mental health services. Digital healthcare has a role to play here, but it cannot replace appropriate face-to-face care. The plan, and we in this Chamber, need also to talk about infrastructure. Rural communities are increasingly frustrated by the centralisation of services and the failure to provide basic infrastructure. Water services, roads, public transport and broadband are fundamental to sustaining our rural communities, yet people are too often left waiting while investment and decision-making are concentrated elsewhere. That is not to ignore the ageing population. Post offices, banks, shops, pubs and Garda stations have disappeared and are disappearing from communities. These are much more than commercial premises and public service buildings. They are part of the social infrastructure that allows people to remain connected and supported, that allows people as they get older to remain independent and to continue living independently in rural Ireland. On that point, I wish to acknowledge something positive in the strategy. I welcome the inclusion of a pilot initiative to tackle isolation in farming and rural communities. As the Minister will know, I have raised this repeatedly with him and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, and have called for Government support for the farmer's yards initiative as an example. That model, developed by Dr. Shane Conway and Dr. Maura Farrell and piloted in Mountbellew mart, demonstrates the value of familiar community spaces in bringing people together. Is fi\u00fa f\u00e1ilte a chur roimh an tionscnamh seo, ach n\u00ed leor tionscnamh p\u00edol\u00f3tach amh\u00e1in chun dul i ngleic leis an bhfadhb seo. Isolation is not confined to farming communities. It affects older people and younger people. It affects people living alone and families across rural Ireland. We need a sustained whole-of-government response to tackling isolation and loneliness, supported by proper resources and investment in community services, public transport and local services. It is really good to see that pilot scheme included, but it needs to be more than a pilot scheme. Hopefully, it will develop as such in time. Rural Ireland has enormous strength. Its people, its communities, its businesses, its culture, its primary producers and its contribution to our national economy should never be underestimated, but those communities cannot thrive on goodwill and resilience alone. They need the Government to match commitments with investment and delivery. The ultimate test of this strategy is straightforward: can people remain in, return to and build their futures in their own communities?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louise O'Reilly This policy did not get off to a great start, and I will tell the Minister exactly why. I looked at the picture of the people who launched it, and the Minister knows what I am going to say, but it was the junior Minister, Jerry Buttimer; the Minister, Peter Burke; the Taoiseach, Miche\u00e1l Martin; the Minister, Deputy Calleary; and the junior Minister, Se\u00e1n Canney. I made a remark on social media about it. I said, \"There they are now.. there's all the lads at the lads launch.. launching the document for lads..\" It did not look great. As a woman who represents a significant rural constituency, I looked at that, as did my constituents, and we thought, \"Where are we in all this? Do we feature? Do we figure?\" That did not send a good message at all. It is bad practice to exclude women. There are laws about it but we will not get into those. It was not a great look, and that is where the Government started from. I went on from there to read the strategy. As the Minister knows, I am a Dublin TD. There would be absolutely no point in my trying to deny that. I am blue and navy. However, I represent a constituency with a significant rural population. They are also very proud to be blue and navy. Many of my constituents, like the people living in Ballyboghil, Balscadden, Garristown and Oldtown and right across Fingal West, cannot rely on public transport. They do not have it. There is a myth that everyone in Dublin has a bus that goes past their front door. That is not true and it is most definitely not true for my constituents. They have absolutely no choice. They have to use their cars. Public transport is not an option. They must use their car or get a lift. The relentless rise of energy prices is absolutely creasing people. They live in Dublin and they pay Dublin prices for their homes but they do not have any of the facilities that one might imagine would be available. They do not live in an urban setting. They want to live in rural Ireland. They want to be able to raise their families there. They want to be able to build a decent life. As Deputy McGuinness has said, the real test of this strategy, and the one I think it will fail, will be whether it facilitates people to build a life for themselves where they were born and where they grew up. People who live in rural Ireland are the very same as those of us who live and grew up in urban Ireland. They want to live near their families and they are being priced out. It is the same for my constituency. One third of households right across the State rely on home heating oil. The cost of it is very high for the people I represent. Only two weeks ago, at the social protection committee, meals on wheels volunteers told us they cannot afford to use their own cars. They are worried they will lose volunteers simply because they cannot afford the rising cost of diesel and petrol for their cars. Rural Ireland depends on meals on wheels. It is an absolute mainstay. The Government talks about wanting to combat rural isolation, but if they are losing volunteers simply because they do not have the wherewithal to put diesel or petrol in their car, that is not a good place to be. I know we have spoken many times about the cost of home heating oil and the cost of heating one's home. This is very acute. People who depend on home heating oil do not have the option of allowing arrears to build up; their homes simply go cold. In order for rural Ireland not just to exist but to thrive, they need sustained investment, and that is not writ large in this document."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mair\u00e9ad Farrell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Mair\u00e9ad-Farrell.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mair\u00e9ad Farrell When I speak about our rural future and the future we have for our rural communities across this State and, as the Minister will know, across County Galway, the one thing that always springs to my mind is the basic, essential, fundamental infrastructure that any community needs in order not only to survive but also to thrive. One of the key issues that is raised with me continuously is the state of our roads across Connemara. The Minister will know Kylemore Abbey. Everybody has heard of it. Near Kylemore Abbey is Kylemore bridge. Over the winter, every few months, we see flooding at Kylemore bridge that makes the bridge impassable for local communities. It really concerns and terrifies the local community when they are not able to pass over the bridge. This has been going on for a long time and it is high time that all ducks were put into a row and that action was taken in relation to Kylemore bridge. Chomh maith leis sin, t\u00e1im cinnte go bhfuil aithne mhaith ag an Aire ar Ros Muc agus go bhfuil a fhios aige c\u00e9 chomh deacair is at\u00e1 s\u00e9 nuair nach bhfuil an buninfreastrucht\u00far ar f\u00e1il i leith\u00e9id\u00ed Ros Muc. M\u00e1 bhreathna\u00edmid ar Ros Muc mar shampla, is d\u00f3cha go l\u00e9ir\u00edonn s\u00e9 na deacrachta\u00ed at\u00e1 ar fud Ghaeltacht Chonamara freisin. Is l\u00e9ir an easpa infheist\u00edochta sa bhuninfreastrucht\u00far. T\u00e1 b\u00f3thar ag dul tr\u00edd Ros Muc at\u00e1 i ndroch-chu\u00ed. T\u00e1 g\u00e1 le hinfheist\u00edocht cheart ann ionas go mbeadh s\u00e9 s\u00e1bh\u00e1ilte don cheantar agus go mbeadh s\u00e9 sa chaoi gur ch\u00f3ir d\u00f3 a bheith. Teasta\u00edonn an infheist\u00edocht sin. Aon uair a arda\u00edm leis an gcomhairle contae \u00e9, deirtear liom nach bhfuil an t-airgead ann. Ba mhaith liom go gcuirf\u00ed an t-airgead ar f\u00e1il do bh\u00f3thar Ros Muc."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pat Buckley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Pat-Buckley.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pat Buckley The Minister mentioned that the Government has five interconnected pillars. The first is \"Thriving Rural Places\", focusing on investment in our rural towns, villages and communities. Pillar 2 is to include improvements in rural transport. We in Sinn F\u00e9in believe that you should have a chance to build your own home, raise a family and make a future in the place you call home. That means action on affordable housing, serviced sites, dereliction, infrastructure and removing the planning barriers. On that, we still have massive issues with flooding in east Cork, particularly in my town, Midleton, but also in Whitegate, Rathcormack, Mogeely and other places. We do not have good rural transport. As regards the N25 from Cork to Midleton, the most dangerous road is probably from Midleton to Youghal, after which you hit Waterford. We do not have a railway because it was got rid of in the seventies. People are struggling. You cannot build confidence once you cannot get in and out of a town. Our post offices in rural areas are gone. Our pubs are gone. Those were the meeting places. I know of people in rural areas who during the Covid pandemic wrote to themselves so the postman would visit them. The postman was the only person they were seeing. I hope the Minister is right when it comes to this strategy for rural Ireland but I know for a fact that there is an awful lot more to do. We have had boil water notices for nearly ten years. In the Whitegate area it was affecting around 10,000 or 12,000 people. That is on and off. We are on about trying to build local communities and local areas and what we have here is zero confidence among commuters. There is, however, also a plus to this. If you were to have a proper public transport rail line from Midleton to Youghal, taking in Killeagh, Castlemartyr, other towns and the surrounding areas, with a spur out to Mogeely or Ballycotton, that can grow. The price of houses could come down. People could have a better chance to commute to and from college in UCC or wherever they are going. You can now get on the train in Midleton and go to Mallow. It takes the pressure off the hospitals in Cork city. There is a possibility of growing, but the most important thing here is that if we do not invest in the interconnectedness - one of the pillars - on rural transport, we are starting at a low base. There is a lot to be done."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pearse Doherty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Pearse-Doherty.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pearse Doherty For too long, rural Ireland has been left behind. Those of us who live in rural Ireland have all watched that decline. We have watched the post offices close, we have watched the banks disappear and we have watched essential services being stripped away - many times, essential government services being taken from our communities. Businesses have struggled, young people have been forced to move elsewhere and towns and villages that were once thriving communities, once known throughout the world for their outstanding beautiful Irishness, proud of their traditions, are becoming unrecognisable. We cannot accept that as inevitable. We need to turn the tide and we need to give people a genuine opportunity to live, to work and to raise their families in rural Ireland. That means investing in local services, improving our transport infrastructure, investing in water infrastructure, supporting employment and ensuring that people can access housing that is affordable in their own communities. A thriving rural community needs schools, shops, post offices, healthcare sevices, banking facilities and places where people can meet and socialise. These are the things that make a community a place to live rather than somewhere people return to at the end of the day. We also need to recognise the importance of supporting local businesses in creating employment opportunities so that young people are not forced to leave in search of a future elsewhere. Our Rural Future must be about more than just words and ambitious targets. The plan the Government has announced has the same types of ambitions as the old plan but the reality is, when I look at the communities around me, I see more decline. I see fewer post offices, banks and other services. There needs to be real delivery and a change of direction here. It needs to be about turning the tide. It needs to be about improving services, supporting local communities and giving people a genuine reason and opportunity to stay in rural Ireland. D\u00e9anann an Ghaeltacht suas cuid mh\u00f3r d\u00e1r gceantair thuaithe. T\u00e1 an Ghaeilge i mbaol. Caithfidh an Rialtas infheist\u00edocht mar is ceart a chur isteach i gceantair Ghaeltachta \u00f3 thaobh sc\u00e9imeanna agus infreastrucht\u00fair de. Caithfidh s\u00e9 cead a thabhairt do dhaoine at\u00e1 ag iarraidh a gcuid chlann a th\u00f3g\u00e1il leis an Ghaeilge a bheith \u00e1balta bheith ina gc\u00f3na\u00ed sa Ghaeltacht. Cialla\u00edonn s\u00e9 sin go gcaithfear dul i ngleic leis an fhadhb thith\u00edochta i gceantair Ghaeltachta."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide There are elements of the new Our Rural Future strategy that are welcome, particularly the commitments to rural enterprise, community development and the regeneration of towns and villages. However, there is a considerable gap between the Government's ambitions for rural Ireland and its willingness to systematically provide the infrastructure and amenities that rural communities need. One of my main concerns is the extent to which the Government has come to depend on the unpaid labour of volunteers to provide essential community facilities. Across my constituency of Cork East, I meet extraordinary people who spend countless hours fundraising, preparing grant applications and navigating planning processes for basic community amenities. There is something seriously wrong with a system in which providing a playground or community centre depends on a handful of volunteers having the time and expertise to pursue it. Some communities have well-established voluntary organisations with substantial fundraising capacity. Others, including communities that are largely made up of newly arrived young families, do not. The Government should not be allocating investment according to how effectively local volunteers can compete for funding. We need predictable multi-annual investment based on population need that takes account of disadvantage, remoteness and existing gaps in amenities. This system also reinforces an outdated clientelist form of politics, where community groups spend years lobbying for funding and, when a grant is finally approved, the local Government TD arrives for the photo op with the oversized cheque. Public investment is presented almost as a favour bestowed on a grateful community rather than something determined through proper planning and an objective assessment of need. People should not have to spend years campaigning for sports facilities, reliable water, public transport or action against dereliction. On housing, the strategy recognises the importance of enabling people to remain in, return to and establish their lives in rural communities, but where are the specific housing delivery targets for rural towns and villages between now and 2031? Young people are being priced out of the communities in which they grew up. Meanwhile, derelict properties are left to rot in our towns and villages. Castlemartyr in east Cork is a particularly striking example. It is a beautiful heritage village whose main street has been disfigured by long-standing dereliction, much of it associated with properties owned by one family. How can one family be allowed to retain control of so many neglected properties while the wider community pays the price? Their deterioration damages Castlemartyr's architectural heritage and restricts opportunities for housing, business and tourism. Why have the statutory powers vested in the local authorities to tackle dereliction not delivered meaningful results? If property owners can leave buildings deteriorating indefinitely without effective consequences, we will continue losing the character and vitality of rural Ireland. We need proper enforcement, effective levies and compulsory acquisition where owners persistently refuse to act. On water supply and other basic services, residents in Ballyhooly, near Fermoy, have endured serious water supply problems for over a decade. Low water pressure, amounting at times to a loss of supply, has left households struggling with everyday essential tasks, including showering and washing clothes. We are talking about a reliable supply of water to people's homes in 2026. Despite repeated remedial works by Uisce \u00c9ireann, residents are still waiting for a lasting solution. The rural strategy promises modern and resilient water infrastructure. What use is that commitment to Ballyhooly residents without a funded programme and a date by which their supply will finally be reliable? The extent of Government neglect is extraordinary when communities are still campaigning for services this basic. My third major concern is rural public transport. Local Link has transformed daily life in some areas but in substantial parts of my own constituency it has never developed into a meaningful regular service. For somebody travelling to work or college, attending medical appointments or just participating in community life, an occasional bus is inadequate. For people without a car, particularly older people, disabled people and young people, the consequence is often deepening isolation. The strategy commits to completing Connecting Ireland and further expanding Local Link. That is welcome but where is the minimum standard of public transport provision that every rural community should reasonably expect based on population need? The National Transport Authority should produce a funded plan identifying underserved communities, the routes they need and delivery dates. I welcome the strategy's recognition of the diversity of rural Ireland and its commitment to inclusion. Too often, self-appointed representatives of rural Ireland suggest that certain opinions and traditions are more authentically rural than others. Concern about climate change, nature conservation, river pollution or animal welfare can be portrayed as an attack on rural communities. Having grown up in the countryside myself, I find it particularly galling to be told that caring about nature somehow makes somebody less authentically rural. Many of us developed our appreciation of nature precisely because of where we grew up and our connection with the land. We also need to stop blaming individual farmers for environmental destruction when so many have been locked into a system that rewards ever greater intensification. Farmers face rising costs, volatile markets and agricultural policies that have too often treated hedgerows, native trees and wildlife habitats as obstacles to productivity. There is a different way forward. Hedgerows Ireland has proposed rewarding farmers for protecting and improving hedgerow quality rather than simply measuring their presence, while the excellent BRIDE Project in east Cork brought farmers together to restore biodiversity across the River Bride catchment demonstrating what can be achieved through co-operation, practical support and payments linked to environmental results. We should build on these initiatives, supporting farmers to earn a decent living while restoring nature, protecting water quality and developing more sustainable agriculture. Rural Ireland includes people of every background, profession and outlook. The Government's commitment to inclusion must be reflected in how investment is distributed, particularly to disadvantaged and isolated communities. The real measure of this strategy will be whether people can find a home in their community, access reliable public transport, turn on a tap and expect water to come out, and enjoy the basic amenities that give them a decent quality of life. Rural Ireland does not need more romanticising, political gatekeeping or praise for its resilience. It needs serious systematic investment in the everyday foundations of a decent life distributed fairly across communities."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Whitmore","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Whitmore.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Whitmore.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Whitmore Ireland is probably quite unusual in that no matter where you are born, be that in the middle of the city or in a large town, you are only a generation or two away from rural Ireland. Many of us have family or community connections even if we do not live in rural Ireland ourselves. The face of rural Ireland has changed quite significantly over the last number of years. There has been some positive change, as there has been across the country but, in some ways, there has been change that is quite regressive. My colleague mentioned sustainable agriculture and the intensification of agriculture we have seen over the last 20 or 30 years in Ireland. That is hugely problematic for those communities the Government is trying to make vibrant, strong and resilient. In order to do that, we need to take another look at agriculture and how it has been forced into developing into a more intensified system than is positive for the community. If you go into any supermarket in this country looking for vegetables or fruit, the first thing you will notice is that most of it is coming from overseas. It is coming from the UK. There are apples from Fiji and New Zealand. Those sections of the supermarket are a pure illustration of how broken agriculture is in Ireland and how much we need to do to make it more secure, more resilient and better able to meet the needs of the communities that survive on agriculture and the farmers within those communities. We import 83% of our fruit and vegetables, many of which we could and used to produce in this country. We hear all the time how food secure Ireland is - I think we are in the top 1% or 2% of countries when it comes to food security - it is a really lazy narrative because it does not show what it pretends to show. In fact, if our food supply lanes were shut down in the morning, we would be surviving on beef and dairy, and that is the reality. While there are positives, and there is a huge economy is exporting beef and dairy, what we and what previous governments have done is turned our backs on the more traditional sectors like the fruit and vegetable sector. In the 1990s, we had 600 producers. We are now down to 70. Alarm bells are ringing about how food insecure we are. There is a huge piece of work to be done to look at our farm and agricultural sector and reform it in light of not just climate change but the global instability that we are seeing. We are not doing that work, and I ask that the Minister participates in it and raises it with his colleagues."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Paul O'Shea","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Paul-O'Shea.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Paul O'Shea I welcome the opportunity to speak today on the publication of the Government's new strategy, Our Rural Future 2026-2031. I welcome this five-year strategy which sets out an ambitious and positive vision for the future of rural Ireland. It recognises the importance of our towns, villages and rural communities and, importantly, the need to ensure that people can continue to live, work, raise families and prosper in the communities they grew up in. As a Deputy representing Cork North-West, I know only too well the enormous contributions that rural communities make to our country. We have strong agricultural traditions, local businesses, thriving community organisations, sporting clubs and a tremendous volunteer spirit. These are the foundations of rural Ireland and deserve continued support and investment. The new strategy contains 34 high-level commitments supported by an action plan with 234 practical measures and timelines. I particularly welcome the fact that this is a whole-of-government strategy. Rural development cannot be the responsibility of one Department alone. It requires co-ordination across Government with investment in infrastructure, housing, transport, enterprise, education, health and community services. I wish to highlight a number of areas where the strategy can make a real difference to communities throughout Cork North-West. The commitment to thriving rural towns and villages is particularly welcome. Towns such as Kanturk, Millstreet, Macroom, Newmarket, Charleville and Buttevant, and the many smaller villages throughout my constituency, have enormous potential. We must continue to tackle vacancy and dereliction, bring unused properties back into productive use, support town centre regeneration and encourage new businesses to establish themselves in rural locations. Our towns and villages should be places where people want to live, shop, work and socialise. I particularly welcome the proposed strategic rural investment initiative to help unlock major capital projects at a regional level. It is important that this funding is not just accessible to large projects but also to local authorities and community organisations with worthwhile projects that can make a lasting difference. Supporting rural employment and enterprise must also remain a central priority. Agriculture continues to be important to the economy of Cork North-West but we must also support diversification, food production, rural tourism, small businesses and new forms of employment. The expansion of broadband has already transformed opportunities in many rural areas across Cork North-West, and over the next week or two, we will celebrate the completion of the rollout of fibre broadband in rural Cork. It also allows people to work remotely, establish businesses and access services without having to leave their communities. We must continue to build on that progress to ensure that rural communities have the connectivity needed to compete in a modern economy. I also want to welcome the emphasis on a high-quality public service and essential infrastructure. Balanced regional development cannot happen without infrastructure on housing, wastewater, water, public transport and local amenities. In many villages throughout Cork North-West, the availability of wastewater treatment remains a significant barrier to the development and population growth. We must address these infrastructure deficits if we are serious about encouraging people to settle in our rural communities. Finally, I welcome the strategy's commitment to sustaining our rural environment. Our farmers, landowners and rural communities have a central role to play in protecting biodiversity and improving our water quality."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Martin Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Martin-Daly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Martin Daly I welcome the publication of the Our Rural Future strategy. It is a really important document at this time. From where the Minister comes from, I know he understands rural communities really well, and people understand that as well. Picking out the rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, in particular, which has brought the Minister and I up and down the Roscommon-Galway constituency to Boyle, Ballaghaderreen, Ballagh, Roscommon town and Monksland, as well as to An Chistin, the project in Castlerea. In Boyle, the An R\u00edoga project involved the conversion of the old Royal Hotel, a derelict site in the heart of the town. It is the start of a regeneration of that town and it includes working and art spaces, and a new library is now coming along there. It is really important that we provide sites in towns like Boyle, Castlerea, Monksland and Ballinasloe for people to work remotely in, so they can live in their towns and close to their communities because the heart of our communities is our agriculture communities. While many of our agricultural enterprises in the west might be considered marginal and supported by jobs that people to commute to, it is important that commute is as short as possible. Sustaining rural farming is also hugely important as a social exercise because it is the backbone of our rural communities, and it is extremely important that we do so. In terms of the regeneration of housing, the cro\u00ed c\u00f3naithe scheme has been hugely successful in county Roscommon and east Galway. At almost every site, crossroads and boreen, we see old houses being brought back into life. It is hugely encouraging to see young couples setting up in rural Ireland where there were thriving communities before and which are being regenerated but we need to press that on. It is extremely important that the children of farmers will have the opportunity to build on their land providing they satisfy the adequate planning authorities to again keep our communities strong and resilient. Transport is a huge issue in rural Ireland. We have a situation in Ballygar in east Galway where if someone wants to go to their local hospital, Portiuncula, they have to get a taxi into Roscommon town, and trains to Athlone and then Ballinasloe for a 17-mile journey. We need to develop the rural link transport network. It is extremely important to maintain people in rural areas and to allow them to use public transport to get to college, hospitals and health clinics. In addition to that, I have met traders, such as publicans, in Roscommon town, for example, and they are having difficulty around attracting trade in at nighttime because there is no taxi service. We need to have a look at our hackney licence laws to encourage people who would take a hackney licence and provide services. We should also extend the pilot programmes for the Local Link buses which are very successful in places like Sligo, Longford and Buncrana. Wastewater treatment plants are extremely important to enable villages and communities to grow. Many communities have been left unable to develop over the past number of years, so I welcome that investment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"William Aird","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/William-Aird.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"William-Aird.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy William Aird I welcome Our Rural Future 2026-2031 and its focus on building stronger rural communities. As a Laois TD and a member of the Oireachtas committee on social protection, rural and community development, I believe that rural development must remain a national priority. We must ensure that rural Ireland has the jobs, services, investment and infrastructure needed to thrive. Three priorities must underpin this strategy. The first is supporting rural enterprise and employment. Laois has enormous potential, a skilled workforce, strong rail connections, a strategic location on the M7 and M8, and the proximity to major population centres. We must translate these advantages into jobs, investment and opportunity for our young people. How? By supporting small businesses, attracting new investment, developing local enterprise and expanding remote working opportunities. Agriculture must remain at the heart of rural development. Family farms are vital to food production, rural employment and local businesses. Farmers must be able to remain economically viable while meeting environmental targets. Agriculture and rural development policies must work together. The second thing is improving access to essential services. A thriving rural community needs more than just jobs. It needs reliable public transport, accessible healthcare, childcare, education, and affordable and appropriate housing. Access to these services allows older people, people with disabilities and those without a car to live independently and stay connected in our communities. Social inclusion must be central to rural development. That means tackling rural isolation and disadvantage, investing in community transport, strengthening local health services and community facilities and supporting voluntary and community organisations. Third, it means revitalising our towns and villages and creating opportunities for the future. We must maximise regeneration through LEADER, town and village renewal and the rural regeneration and development fund. Revitalised town centres bring vacant properties back into use, improve public spaces and strengthen local amenities but regeneration must go hand in hand with greater housing availability, improved infrastructure and sustainable population growth. Young people should be able to live and raise families in their own communities with access to affordable housing. We must also protect our rural environment and natural resources, maintain viable family farms, support climate action and create green jobs and new opportunities for rural communities. The success of Our Rural Future 2026-2031 will depend on delivery, not promises. Clear actions and accountability must be backed by adequate funding, strong co-ordination between the Departments and engagement with local authorities."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle I thank the Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"William Aird","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/William-Aird.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"William-Aird.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy William Aird We need to see tangible results, more jobs, better services, more vacant properties brought back into use and more vibrant towns and villages. I want to see rural communities-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle Deputy Aird."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"William Aird","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/William-Aird.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"William-Aird.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy William Aird A strong rural Ireland means a stronger Ireland."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Natasha Newsome Drennan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Natasha-Newsome-Drennan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Natasha-Newsome-Drennan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Natasha Newsome Drennan I welcome the opportunity to speak on Our Rural Future 2026-2031 but I must be frank. We have seen a habit form with Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael in this Government and the previous one of rolling out grand strategies where the follow-through has left us wanting. As someone who grew up in rural Ireland and who is raising a family in a rural community, this strategy is particularly relevant to me and my family's life. I would strongly welcome increased support and resources for rural communities but I am worried this plan is, at best, half-hearted. Look at how Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael have stood by while the issues affecting rural communities have only worsened. Our schools are being put into increasingly difficult positions as they lose teachers and SNAs because they fall slightly below the student threshold. That threshold is the same whether it is a school in Ballyhale or Donnybrook. That is deeply unfair. The inflexible school transport limit has ensured that scores of children just over the limit are denied school transport, putting their parents in an impossible position. Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael's handling of rural infrastructure has ensured parts of Kilkenny have endured years of drinking water bans. Irish Water's track record across Kilkenny has been shocking. It has squandered public funds and what does the Government do? It gives the CEO an \u20ac118,000 pay rise. Communities like Castlecomer have endured water restrictions and drinking water bans for years. Garda numbers across Kilkenny and Carlow have still not reached previous levels, despite our population greatly increasing. Rural communities are not looking for the Minister to reinvent the wheel. It is clear what is required. As I said at the start, I have a vested interest in this strategy succeeding. I am raising four boys in south Kilkenny and I want them to have opportunities to stay, live, work and raise their own families in the community that raised them. Our bus service, Expressway route 4, has been stripped in half. This happened this year, the year the Government brings out this plan. What does that say? I would clearly hope the Minister takes the time to talk to communities across rural Ireland and asks them what future they see for themselves and the next generation because too many of these plans are being drafted by people who have little to no experience of rural Ireland. I encourage the Minister to get out to the people who live in the heart of our rural areas. They need to have their say because what we have seen is not giving us any hope at all. We have not seen it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mark Wall","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Mark-Wall.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mark Wall I welcome the opportunity to talk to the Minister this evening on behalf of the Labour Party about the Government's Our Rural Future policy statement. As the Minister knows, I made a public consultation submission where I highlighted a number of improvements the Labour Party would like to see, especially around the area of transport and housing. From the outset, I welcome any commitment to address the number of issues that are impacting rural communities throughout the State like many of those in my own area of Kildare South. The five pillars are all areas that nobody will disagree with as being vitally important to rural Ireland. However, this policy statement is unfortunately very light on a real commitment to multi-annual funding which would allow many of the organisations mentioned here tonight to plan for the future. For too long, many rural communities across Ireland have been left behind by their urban counterparts when it comes to investment. Not for the first time, the Minister will hear me raise the need to modernise our community rural halls and bring back into life those rural schools that have been left behind. I acknowledge the community centre investment fund but with any investment comes the need to ensure these vital centres in our rural communities can continue to operate. For example, Brownstown community hall on the edge of the Curragh is struggling due to the high increase in insurance and heating costs and it needs help. That is just one example of what is happening in my own area. These rural communities need assistance with the high increases in overheads just to keep the doors open. Once again, I want to put on the record of these Houses the success of many of the Rural Link transport projects that have made such a difference to many rural communities. In many rural areas, they have been a real life game-changer, allowing rural residents to connect with their local major urban areas for employment, GP services, shopping and social gatherings, to mention a few. We need to see a realignment of the school transport system with these Rural Link routes to provide the school transport that is missing and needed at this time in many rural communities. Joined-up thinking and joined-up travel times could make a difference. However, we now see many of these new Rural Link routes stopped or put on the long finger. Once again, I raise with the Minister route 893, which is the service to the rural areas of Suncroft and other rural locations and villages like Nurney and Kildoon. It is a game-changer for those living there. When will we see this service begin? We are still waiting on the updated rural planning guidelines to allow those born in the countryside to live there and support the many rural schools, pubs, shops, parishes and sports clubs that are on their knees at the moment. Too many genuine rural people are being told to go and live in larger urban settlements and this needs to stop or rural Ireland will not have a future in many places. Our rural older population needs special and continued support. I have mentioned rural transport already but they also need to see the security of additional Garda patrols in their communities and an enhanced community alert system. They also need a grant for security lighting and house alarms, something I have raised with the Minister in the past. This would prevent the many and growing terrifying incidents our rural population is subjected to. While so many communities in Kildare South continue to see more and more housing development, we are seeing a lack of social infrastructure to live with this. Examples are clubs in Kilcullen where they have not got the additional pitches to support this additional housing. We need to see investment on this. For many rural dwellers, their commute to work is now nothing short of mental torture. We need to provide a real right to remote work as we ramp up our public transport. Rural Ireland is very important to the Labour Party. Many of our councillors, TDs and Senators live there, including myself. We will continue to advocate for those who live there. I look forward to working with the Minister further on these important matters."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoghan Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoghan Kenny I welcome the publication of Our Rural Future and echo the words of my colleague, Deputy Mark Wall. Rural Ireland is important to the Labour Party. Rural Ireland does not need another strategy full of promises; it needs delivery. I represent communities across north Cork and I know their enormous potential but I also see challenges facing families, businesses and young people every day. On public transport, in recent months, I have submitted parliamentary questions about services in Whitechurch and Mourneabbey, in particular. In Whitechurch, new homes are being built and the population is growing, yet residents are still looking for adequate public transport. In Mourneabbey, I have raised the need for proper Local Link connections and requested one specific link in Mourneabbey. I would appreciate if the Minister could intervene on that. Local Link has been a tremendous success, but we need genuine rural transport guarantees with affordable reliable services connecting our communities. We must also support rural pubs. I welcomed the contribution towards rural pubs in budget 2027, but we must ensure further support is found for our shops and small businesses in rural Ireland. These are at the heart of our communities, and rising costs are threatening their survival. As the Labour Party's spokesperson on education, I also want to highlight school transport. No child should be disadvantaged because of where he or she lives. We need universal, free, school transport with adequate capacity to meet demand. Looking at my hometown of Mallow, some \u20ac4.1 million has already been spent progressing the long-awaited Mallow relief road, yet we are still waiting for a planning application. That project demonstrates why rural communities are frustrated by endless delays. As I said, I welcome this publication but it needs delivery."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly I take this opportunity to raise an issue with the Ministers related to local authorities in rural areas. This Friday, I will meet the chairperson of Tipperary County Council, my colleague Councillor Fiona Bonfield, whom the Ministers have met previously, with Councillors Louise Morgan Walsh and Michael Chicken Brennan. We had to have a crisis meeting in the past couple of days on where the council is going from a budgetary point of view. Tipperary County Council, one of the largest councils in Ireland, is heading into its worst ever budgetary situation. It needs intervention from the Government. The cost of inflation for the roads budget in Tipperary this year is \u20ac3.8 million. The cost of doing business is \u20ac750,000 extra. The Uisce \u00c9ireann transition cost is \u20ac900,000, and the 40% cut in centralised management charges for water services is costing \u20ac675,000 because it runs out this year. That is deeply unfair. The costs related to concentric cabling are increasing every year. Over a number of years, it will cost the council up to \u20ac15 million. This is a local authority that is maxed out on the LPT, at 15%. It is increasing rents and rates and may have to cut services. This is not sustainable. Tipperary is a massive county. There is going to have to be some form of intervention. I have never seen a local authority management team come to me in the manner in which it has on this. Our meeting has been pulled forward to allow me and others to raise this issue with the Ministers. Intervention is needed because without it, the situation will be stark for all Tipperary County Council members and its executive over the coming year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"George Lawlor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"George-Lawlor.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy George Lawlor In this strategy, the Government is announcing dozens of commitments and hundreds of actions for rural Ireland, but rural communities in the likes of my county, Wexford, have heard many promises before. As we know, people judge policies by what is delivered on the ground, not by the number of commitments listed in a document. Rural Ireland does not need another plan; it needs delivery. The Government talks about balanced regional development, yet major public investment continues to be concentrated around Dublin and the greater Dublin area. In places like Wexford and other rural areas, businesses, commuters and workers contribute just as much per capita to the economy but frequently find themselves at the back of the queue when it comes to infrastructural funding, public transport improvements and economic development projects. It would appear that when Dublin needs investment, the Government writes a cheque, but when the likes of County Wexford need investment, the Government writes a strategy. The strategy speaks about building resilient communities, yet when I proposed a Bill a short time ago in this Chamber to give a real right to remote work to assist people living in rural Ireland to work there, it was rejected outright by Government. Now, it is talking about creating digital hubs. Post offices have faced untold pressure to survive, rural Garda stations have been decimated, local bus services remain inadequate in many areas and accessing healthcare often means lengthy travel, and that is if you are lucky enough to secure the services of a GP. The Government cannot tackle isolation while withdrawing or failing to support the services that keep rural communities connected. Community resilience starts with keeping services in communities, not just talking about them. The real test of Our Rural Future is not in how many commitments are printed in a Government document. The real test is whether a young family in Gorey, a farmer in Enniscorthy, a pensioner in New Ross or a small business owner in Wexford town can see a tangible improvement in their daily lives. Right now, many people in Wexford would say the Government's actions simply do not match its words."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Clendennen","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Clendennen I welcome the strategy, Our Rural Future 2026 to 2031. However, if I cast my mind back ten years, there was a dark cloud hanging over many rural communities that did not see a future and had no hope. The establishment of the committee for rural affairs and the Department and Minister for rural affairs has made a real and material difference in how we invest and improve rural Ireland for the better. I have heard other speakers talk about pubs and post offices, and there is no doubt that consumer behaviours and attitudes are changing. It is important, however, that we give them a hand up rather than a handout. In fairness to the Government, there have been supports for post offices and pubs. It is a model which, if we get it right, can be extended to other businesses on main streets in villages and towns across the country. Several of the different funding schemes and the hundreds of millions that have been allocated were mentioned, as was their importance to community groups led by local authorities in many instances. However, one particular scheme that was not referenced in the document is the local improvement scheme. In County Offaly, we are waiting up to 12 years for some applicants to receive a local improvement scheme. I ask the Minister to include this in the strategy and ensure there is a greater level of financial commitment to it in future. I acknowledge and thank the Minister for visiting County Offaly and for the \u20ac2 million community centre in Moneygall and the \u20ac15 million library in Edenderry. However, there is a real problem regarding volunteers. The Minister referred to volunteer fatigue and an over-reliance on a small number of individuals in every community. I could name them in nearly every community. I acknowledge Birr Tidy Towns, in particular Bernie Flannery and Bernie Taylor Lynch, the team who won a gold medal in the recent Tidy Towns competition and all the groups in the county. We need a promotional campaign around civic engagement and responsibility to encourage the next generation to get involved. I will raise the cost of community projects versus public sector expenditure. In Edenderry, we have a lot of projects on the go. Last week, we got a quote of \u20ac30 million for a local swimming pool through the local authority. The local committee made a few phone calls and a provider from outside this country is coming to meet it this Thursday. It will do it for half that price. There is something seriously wrong with our public procurement process when tenders are coming in at double the price for community projects. I also want to address insurance. Huge progress has been made with the likes of Tidy Towns. At one time, municipal grants that were coming in were being paid out with the other hand to insurance companies. IPB Insurance then stepped into the breach and now covers Tidy Towns groups. That model needs to be extended to other registered PPN groups and facilities. I ask the Minister to look at the community employment scheme. It is a measure that needs to be secured into the future. Local authority enterprise parks, working with the IDA and Enterprise Ireland, need to be addressed to allow businesses to scale because many are simply not viable now. We must also see further housing development in smaller villages, unlocking opportunity for smaller builders and embracing energy and national digital infrastructure. There is a huge opportunity here for community benefit funds but we need to get it right. We need to ensure that where energy is invested in, we see lower prices in our energy bills."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Albert Dolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Albert-Dolan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Albert Dolan I warmly welcome the Government's updated Our Rural Future policy spanning from 2026 to 2031. I commend the Minister for the ambition and confidence this Government has shown in the future of rural Ireland. As somebody who was born and raised on a farm in County Galway, I know the greatest asset rural Ireland has is its people. There is a community spirit in rural Ireland that is irreplaceable and undeniable. It is something you truly have to be a part of to understand. It is the volunteers, sporting organisations, community development committees and neighbours who look out for one another. That spirit is the foundation upon which we must build our real future. We have already seen the positive impact of Government investment through the rural regeneration and development fund, the town and village renewal scheme, investment in broadband and the revitalisation of our communities, the investment in sports capital and the investment in our community centre investment fund. All of these primarily end up in rural communities. This new policy builds on that progress, with commitments to stronger public services, rural enterprise, better connectivity and resilient communities. I will highlight three priorities I believe must be central to its delivery. The first is public transport. Across Galway East, in communities like Athenry, Tuam, Headford, Gort and Loughrea, we need better bus and rail connections, more frequent services and greater capacity. Public transport should connect rural communities employment, education and opportunity. We have seen marked progress in these domains in the last few years but there is a real opportunity to expand the rural link services across east Galway to capture more communities. The second priority must be investment in our villages and community infrastructure. Our community centres, village streetscapes, footpaths and public spaces are the lifeblood of rural communities. As the Minister will be aware, many schemes throughout east Galway are struggling to get participants. That is good because it is a sign of the number of people in employment but, at the end of the day, we need people who will be able to help maintain our villages. We need to look at the structure of village maintenance as it cannot always be left to Tidy Towns committees. There has to be a structure in place for regular maintenance. Some villages are thriving and succeeding in getting through that, while others are being left behind. There is a balance to be struck there. The third priority must be to provide an opportunity for younger people to build a future in rural Ireland. I want young people across Galway East to have the opportunity to build a home, find meaningful employment, raise a family and thrive in the communities where they grew up. This means that housing, serviced sites, wastewater infrastructure and practical planning policies that support rural communities are essential. So often, young people go for planning permission only to be turned down and some planning policy to be referred back to them as to why they failed, without there having been an engagement at the start from the planning authority to explain how they should qualify. Even in the case where they may have had a pre-planning meeting, it is not a case of the authority asking how it can give planning permission. It is often a case of it asking how it can refuse it. There needs to be a shift in mentality in our local authorities. I am immensely optimistic about the future of rural Ireland. I have seen the impact investment has had in rural Ireland and I am excited for the future and to see what comes next."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paula Butterly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paula Butterly Like many colleagues in the Government and in Opposition, I welcome this new rural policy. We are developing and increasing our commitment to rural communities on the foundations of the investment that has been very much at the heart of Fine Gael and Fianna F\u00e1il policy over the last number of years. I will highlight three essential points and I ask the Minister to take them into consideration. Regarding transport, in County Louth we have had both strategy and funding and we have been very lucky to be able to build on a good transport system that goes from north to south on a regular basis. We have trains and buses that go by on an hourly basis, yet we still cannot connect the county from east to west. Indeed, we cannot connect County Louth to County Meath from east to west. I cannot get a bus from Clogherhead to Dunleer or Ardee or even on to Trim. People who would like to rely on public transport for meeting friends \u2013 we know socialising is very important - attending a GP appointment or even changing medication or bandages, whatever is needed by our older population, have to rely on family. I have raised this again and again. We need to be able to connect our counties, not just north and south but also east and west. That leads me to my second point. Strategy is fundamental. Without strategy we do not know which services we need and how much they will cost. However, no strategy is worth anything if we do not take into consideration who it needs to serve, and that must be the people and community. At the heart of that are our loved ones, particularly those who are older and those who are more disadvantaged or disabled. Fundamentally, what we need is a statutory home-care policy that will allow older and disabled people to be cared for in their home. We talk about social prescribing and we know it is good for people to get out into their community and take part in activities. It is, however, equally important, if not more important, that our loved ones get to stay in their home. Until now, we have not developed the right policy to allow this to happen. People who live in rural areas will not find it easy to get a carer. Indeed, they will not be able to stay there indefinitely and die in their own bed. This must be a priority when we talk about rural Ireland."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Fionnt\u00e1n-\u00d3-S\u00failleabh\u00e1in.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Fionnt\u00e1n \u00d3 S\u00failleabh\u00e1in The Death of an Irish Town is otherwise known as No One Shouted Stop . I was thinking of John Healy's seminal work today, a book that has never been as relevant as it is today, other than when it was first written almost 60 years ago. Rural depopulation and emigration are once more sucking the lifeblood of rural Ireland, with our young people being pulled toward our congested capital city or the emigrant plane bound for Sydney or Perth on the other side of the world. Dublin-centric policies are causing the managed decline of rural Ireland and some GAA clubs are even facing extinction. Some 78% of GAA clubs are in rural areas with declining populations. Gaeltacht communities, which have represented the essence of Irishness for 2,600 years, are being sidelined and absolutely decimated, scriosta amach is amach. N\u00ed bheidh Gaeltachta\u00ed ann a thuilleadh m\u00e1 t\u00e1 siad b\u00e1naithe ag an imirce n\u00f3 murar f\u00e9idir leis an aos \u00f3g maireacht\u00e1il agus teaghlach a th\u00f3g\u00e1il iontu. We cannot have Gaeltacht communities if the young, native Irish-speaking population cannot build or live in them. Bheadh s\u00e9 sin trag\u00f3ideach. Hearts are being ripped out of many rural villages which are being stripped of essential services. Young Irish people cannot buy, build or rent a home, and many cannot get planning and live locally in rural Ireland. Sadly, seven out of ten young people recently surveyed said they did not see a future for themselves in Ireland. This has to change. The success of this new rural strategy will be judged on whether young Irish people can remain in order to live and start families in rural communities. Sin \u00e9. Otherwise it is meaningless. We also need roads that do not wreck our cars, policies to safeguard family farms and support those of us who are reliant on home-heating oil, basic public services, including affordable public transport, school transport for all and pubs that can survive. We need banks and post offices, so that a family in the west or in Wicklow or Wexford is treated the same as a family in Dublin. In terms of wastewater, small developers are often prevented from building desperately-needed housing due to a lack of wastewater treatment plants. I could mention several areas where this is happening, for example, Aughrim in County Wicklow or Ferns and Camolin in County Wicklow, to name but a few. In the case of Camolin, the lack of housing means a lack of families and fewer children to sustain the local primary school. This was being discussed when I started on Wicklow County Council in 2014, and the situation has not developed any further, which is unbelievable. That is symptomatic of a wider broken and bureaucratic system. We need action. We need easily accessible grants to regenerate our towns, village centres and rural Ireland, and a system that looks beyond repurposing neglected hotels and community centres as IPAS cash cows for the local speculator. In short, we need to complete revival of rural Ireland."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley This debate on the future of rural Ireland is important, but for years this issue has been debated and plans have been brought forward in various reports and reviews. However, the problems still persist. Missing from many of the programmes and plans is the need to create functional and vibrant rural villages. The approach of various Governments through the years has been somewhat disjointed. Villages continue to lose vital services such as shops, pubs and post offices. There are not enough people to sustain the core of villages. Improving rural areas in counties such as County Laois, for example, would mean bringing life back to villages like Ballacolla, Camross and Ballybrittas, where wastewater treatment services are needed. If we want to retain local shops, pubs, schools, etc, we have to have people. That is the missing piece. We can come up with these Mickey Mouse schemes every now and then to put a sticking plaster on the problem but if you have people, you have businesses. This means having affordable sites and serviced land to buy, along with social and private housing. Villages need to be places where people can walk to school, the shop, the pub, the church or their local employment office, if needed. The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage has a target of 11,200 homes in Laois in the next seven years. That means a population increase of one third in the county - about 33,000. However, not all development has to be in Portlaoise. The services in Portlaoise are stretched beyond their limit. The sensible and sustainable approach should be to increase population in our villages. This means improving wastewater treatment and water capacity. It means having that land serviced for small modest housing schemes. Ballybrittas does not even have a wastewater collection network despite the fact that it is almost beside the motorway. This offers the prospect of regenerating these villages and bringing life back into them. Other villages such as Ballylinan Camross and Ballycolla do not have any or are short of wastewater infrastructure. We need housing to sustain services. We also need to improve the linkages between villages and towns with bus connections. That needs to be improved. Good work is being done but it needs to be expanded. We need EV charging points, which we not have in wide strips of Laois. In short, we need to get people back living in the villages. That is the solution here."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charles Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charles Ward As a rural TD, I am, of course, very interested and invested in support of any policy development in rural areas, particularly in Donegal. We need our rural towns and communities to be places of opportunity for people. Right now, that is not happening. We need our rural towns to be prioritised, particularly when it comes to tourism. We want them to be places where people can live; work; thrive; reach their full potential; grow socially, mentally, physically and personally; and build fulfilling lives going forward. Too often, young people in rural Ireland do not see their hometown as a place of opportunity. Rather they see it as a place that is limiting them and holding them back and that attitude needs to change. The lack of significant investment is reflected in many aspects of life in Donegal from limited public transport to poor broadband to poor road infrastructure. In particular, the north west is years behind. We are the forgotten county, yet tourism has the opportunity to grow in Donegal if it is invested in. Tourism will grow if we invest in it and take the chance. There is an urgent need for greater investment, particularly in Donegal. While destinations such as Killarney have become established tourism hotspots, they are increasingly experiencing capacity pressures. This highlights the importance of developing alternative destinations and spreading the benefits of tourism to other areas and alternatives such as Finn Valley or Malin Head. The Malin Head visitor plant management plan was rolled out in 2018 but has still not progressed. This needs to be progressed but for it to be progressed, Donegal County Council will need funding. Funding these projects is vital. I know the Minister of State has been to Finn Valley in the past. I ask him to come and see the potential in Inishowen and the islands over the next year. Donegal can thrive just like Kerry but we need investment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Seamus Healy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","memberCode":"Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Seamus Healy Any discussion or debate on the future of rural Ireland has to be welcomed and is obviously very important. While rural Ireland is a fine place and a great place in which to live and work, we obviously need to identify issues that need to be addressed. There are various issues across rural Ireland that pop up in every constituency, including south Tipperary, which would be described as a rural constituency. The various services that give rise to difficulties would be housing; water services; vacancy and dereliction; the number and the resourcing of An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na; rail and road transport; and industrial development and jobs. The poor situation in south Tipperary with regard to water services is fundamental and is hugely difficult. Many of our schemes are under boil water notices. In Tipperary town, 5,500 consumers have been on a boil water notice since 11 February. The Ardfinnan regional water supply scheme has been on a boil water notice since 7 June and has just come off a \"do not consume\" notice. Glenary in Clonmel and Newport in the north of the county have just come off of a boil water notice. There are significant difficulties. This is something that very many TDs in this House both Opposition and Government have raised on an ongoing basis. Irish Water is not fit for purpose and should be abolished. It should never have been established but it should certainly be abolished and the services returned to the local authorities, which looked after these services in the past. I refer to the question of vacancy and dereliction. Pushing the derelict site tax out to June 2028 is not good enough, particularly in relation to large-scale derelict areas. We have one of those in Market Place in Clonmel. It has effectively been a ghost town for the past ten years and even prior to that was the subject of an auction. I think a developer has been sitting on that for years. The derelict site tax should be brought into being immediately with regard to large developers that are sitting on properties. We also have a problem with garda\u00ed right across the constituency. The new Garda districts, which in our case means Clare and Tipperary, are simply not effective and we have fewer garda\u00ed now than we had in 2024, so that is something that needs to be dealt with. Other issues include transport, for example, the western and eastern sections of the N24 and rail services from Limerick to Waterford through south Tipperary. Those are some of the issues that need to be dealt with."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Cahill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Cahill I welcome the publication of Our Rural Future 2026-2031 and the Government's commitment to supporting rural Ireland. Rural Ireland is essential to our national identity. It is where our communities, culture, traditions and local sporting organisations have been built over generations. I welcome the five strategic pillars outlined in this policy, particularly the commitments around thriving rural places, high-quality public services and resilient rural communities. However, as a TD for County Kerry, I want to highlight the very real challenges facing rural communities in north and south Kerry, particularly the Iveragh peninsula. We need to be honest about what is happening on the ground. In September 2025, just 83 children started across 12 primary schools in the Iveragh region. That is a stark indication of the demographic challenges we face. We are also seeing the impact on our GAA clubs, which have been the backbone of rural communities for generations. I acknowledge the work of Joe McCrohan, chairman of the South Kerry Board; Michael Murphy, demographics officer with the Kerry County Board; and former Kerry footballer Bryan Sheehan from Cahersiveen, who have all highlighted the challenges facing our clubs and communities. I first arranged a deputation as a member of Kerry County Council back in 2024 where these three men came before the meeting of Kenmare Municipal District and outlined the issues facing our county, in particular the Cahersiveen-Iveragh region, which historically has been ravaged by forced immigration and now rural depopulation. Bryan, Michael and Joe were subsequently interviewed by Marty Morrissey on \"Six One News\" in regard to this matter. We are now seeing clubs having to amalgamate and field underage teams. These amalgamations are not happening because communities want to lose their identity or independence. They are happening because there are simply not enough young people living in these areas and that should concern all of us. When the rural school struggles to maintain its numbers, when a GAA club cannot field a team and when young people cannot see a future in their own community, we have to ask ourselves what more can be done. I previously called on the Taoiseach and the Minister for rural and community affairs, Deputy Calleary, to establish a dedicated task force to address rural depopulation in Iveragh, south Kerry. I believe that call is even more relevant today. We need a co-ordinated approach involving Departments, Kerry County Council, local communities, the GAA and other organisations that understand the challenges facing rural Ireland. I would also like to see south Kerry considered as a pilot area for targeted interventions to tackle rural depopulation. I have called for this previously. Housing must be central to that approach. I have called for the exploration of a community-led cluster-type housing model working in partnership with local GAA clubs and community organisations. I sincerely hope that the new rural planning guidelines go far enough. There are plenty of young couples out there who are in the position to build and get a mortgage big enough to build a house. They should be given every opportunity to do so. We need to look at how we can utilise local assets, address planning and infrastructure barriers, and create opportunities for our young people to build their lives in their communities where they grew up. I welcome the commitments in this policy around rural housing, the local improvement schemes, the expanded Local Link services, digital connectivity and the new strategic rural investment fund. These are all very important measures but we must also ensure we deliver tangible outcomes for the communities that need them most. The policy contains 37 high-level commitments and I ask that the demographic decline is addressed especially."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Kyne Cuirim f\u00e1ilte roimh phlean an Rialtais don tuath, \u00c1r dTodhcha\u00ed Tuaithe. Tr\u00e9asla\u00edm leis an obair at\u00e1 d\u00e9anta ag an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, ag an Aire St\u00e1it, an Teachta Buttimer, agus ag feidhmeannaigh na Roinne. Rural Ireland is varied and is intertwined and connected with our large towns and cities. There is no one solution to solve the challenges of rural Ireland. You would have to go to each town and parish to identify the issues and challenges they face. Some places are very strong. Again, a lot of that depends on location. My own area of Moycullen, Killannin, Oughterard, Bearna, Oranmore, Claregalway and Athenry are strong urban areas with their own challenges due to the pressures of growth but have the advantages of being close to Galway city, which has a strong influence and strong job opportunities. Other areas are more isolated and have their own particular challenges. We got good news this week about the Galway city ring road. This will have such a positive benefit to the whole region, not just Galway city but also the county, including Connemara, in increasing connectivity and opportunities for further investment as well as tourism opportunities. We want to see that project built as quickly as possible. We have seen the benefits of the Moycullen bypass, the western rail corridor and further plans for that, which will be of huge benefit to the region with the investment in rail services there. We look at the investment, an infheist\u00edocht, at\u00e1 d\u00e9anta agus at\u00e1 ag dul ar aghaidh in Inis O\u00edrr. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 sin f\u00edorth\u00e1bhachtach. Tr\u00e9asla\u00edm leis an obair at\u00e1 d\u00e9anta ag an Aire, an Teachta Calleary, agus ag an Rialtas air sin. T\u00e1 fadhbanna f\u00f3s ar Inis Me\u00e1in \u00f3 thaobh sh\u00e1bh\u00e1ilteacht an d\u00e1 chaladh at\u00e1 ann. C\u00e9n plean at\u00e1 ag an Rialtas maidir le hinfheist\u00edocht ar Inis Me\u00e1in? Teasta\u00edonn plean go g\u00e9ar. There is also investment in other piers, such as Cleggan Pier, which has a hugely important role in accessibility to Inisbofin as well. The rural broadband plan is working. It allows for remote working or for people to work from home. I acknowledge the Government\u2019s investment in that. We want to see completion of that next year. The cro\u00ed c\u00f3naithe scheme has been hugely beneficial with people renovating run-down cottages and houses and in providing opportunities for people to acquire a house in rural Ireland. There is investment in sports capital. I was hugely involved in the community centre fund with the then Minister, Heather Humphreys, and Deputy Calleary, in relation to maintenance, refurbishment and new community centres. Rural Ireland has challenges but all in all there are also many positives for the area."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Connolly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Connolly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Connolly Cuid\u00edm leis an m\u00e9id at\u00e1 r\u00e1ite ag mo chomhghleaca\u00ed \u00f3 mo Dh\u00e1ilcheantar f\u00e9in maidir le c\u00farsa\u00ed c\u00e9ibhe. T\u00e1 s\u00e9 luaite sa phlean mar sprioc \u00e1irithe go mbeidh muid chun an ceann ar Inis O\u00edrr a chr\u00edochn\u00fa. Cuirim f\u00e1ilte roimhe sin ach feicim sa phlean chomh maith go bhfuil dh\u00e1 ch\u00e9ibh i gContae Mhaigh Eo luaite, ceann ar Oile\u00e1n Chliara agus ceann ar Inis Toirc. Ba bhre\u00e1 liom sprioc mar sin a fheice\u00e1il sa phlean d\u2019Inis Me\u00e1in. Ar mhaithe le s\u00e1bh\u00e1ilteacht na ndaoine at\u00e1 ina gc\u00f3na\u00ed ann agus iad ag baint \u00fas\u00e1id as seirbh\u00eds\u00ed b\u00e1id, ba cheart go mbeadh c\u00e9ibh cheart ar Inis Me\u00e1in. Mar is eol d\u00fainn agus mar at\u00e1 luaite ag mo chomhghleaca\u00ed, t\u00e1 taighde ar bun faoi l\u00e1thair ag an gcomhairle contae ar an mbealach is fearr chun s\u00e1bh\u00e1ilteacht a chruth\u00fa agus a choime\u00e1d do mhuintir Inis Me\u00e1in agus iad ag baint \u00fas\u00e1id as seirbh\u00eds\u00ed b\u00e1id. Ba bhre\u00e1 liom a fheice\u00e1il sa phlean seo go mbeimid ag cur leis an obair sin agus ag cur leis na c\u00e9ibheanna eile at\u00e1 luaite sa phlean chomh maith le c\u00e9ibh Inis Me\u00e1in. Agus c\u00farsa\u00ed Gaeltachta ardaithe agam, ba mhaith liom focal n\u00f3 dh\u00f3 eile a r\u00e1 maidir leis an nGaeltacht agus a todhcha\u00ed. Labhra\u00edonn an plean seo faoin r\u00f3l l\u00e1rnach at\u00e1 ag \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta agus faoin obair chun tac\u00fa le heacnama\u00edocht r\u00e9igi\u00fanda na nGaeltachta\u00ed. T\u00e1 an t-\u00fadar\u00e1s ag d\u00e9anamh an-obair air sin ach ceapaim go bhfuil deis eile ann don Ghaeltacht. Baineann an deis sin leis an gcusp\u00f3ir at\u00e1 in Acht na dTeangacha Oifigi\u00fala (Leas\u00fa) go mbeidh inni\u00falacht sa Ghaeilge ag 20% d\u2019earcaithe nua don earn\u00e1il phoibl\u00ed faoin mbliain 2030. Dar liom, is deis \u00e9 seo don Ghaeltacht. T\u00e1 d\u00fashl\u00e1n ag an t\u00edr an sprioc sin a bhaint amach ach n\u00edl muid ag baint \u00fas\u00e1id cheart as na ceantair Ghaeltachta chun \u00e9 sin a bhaint amach. Ba cheart d\u00fainn breathn\u00fa ar na seirbh\u00eds\u00ed St\u00e1it agus smaoineamh ar chuid acu a dh\u00edl\u00e1r\u00fa go ceantair Ghaeltachta. The policy the State had previously of decentralisation was a very successful one in terms of the development of public services outside of the Dublin region and the creation of industry and jobs in regions through public services. We should look at our Gaeltacht regions to see if we can use the opportunity of the available workforce in those regions that would help us to achieve the 20% target for those employees in the public sector to be proficient in the Irish language by decentralising some services there. We do face a significant challenge. This would be one way for the challenge to be overcome quite easily, with the technology involved now and the availability of broadband throughout rural Ireland. This is an opportunity we should examine. I would like to mention one other issue before I finish, that of water. Around 10% of households in the country are still not connected to a public water supply or a group water scheme. We need a scheme like the national broadband plan to extend public water services to those households. It is a public health issue as well as one of the availability of water."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sh\u00f3nagh-N\u00ed-Raghallaigh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sh\u00f3nagh N\u00ed Raghallaigh Rural Ireland is the backbone of this country. The people of south Kildare are proud of their rural communities, their heritage and way of life. Families have lived and worked in these areas for generations and we have a responsibility to ensure that those communities not only strive but thrive. Unfortunately, this strategy does little to achieve that goal. It is a polished document full of good intentions and worthy aspirations but it fails to address fundamental challenges facing rural Ireland today. The two core issues that were raised during the consultation process were housing and generational renewal, yet both remain largely unaddressed. The Government chose to ignore the reality on the ground and created another fluffy policy document that will just gather dust. The reality is simple. People can no longer afford to live in the communities where they grew up. Young people are priced out of the rental market and buying a home is completely out of the question for the vast majority of people. What rural Ireland needs are measurable targets for affordable housing, serviced sites and the refurbishment of derelict and vacant properties. We have to follow through with delivery and not another strategy. Until we see a step change from the Government in this regard there will be no rural future to speak of. This plan does not commit resources to tangibly improve the public services that people are crying out for in Kildare South, such as childcare places, primary care and out-of-hours GP services. South Kildare has some of the lowest garda numbers per capita . Water infrastructure in Derrinturn and Allenwood is at breaking point. Narraghmore and Moone have lost their post offices in recent times. The strategy will not deliver for these communities. There is no concrete commitment to expand the oversubscribed school transport scheme, nor is there any further investment in special educational placements to allow children with additional needs to attend school with their siblings in their local area instead of being shuttled across towns and sometimes counties to attend school, and that is if they can attend school at all. While little in the document is objectionable, little in it inspires confidence. It provides no real hope for communities struggling to retain their population, attract young families or maintain essential services. A genuine rural future means affordable homes, accessible public services, thriving local communities and dignity for our older people. This document falls well short of that standard and is further evidence of how out of touch the Government is. Caithfimid todhcha\u00ed \u00e1r gceantair tuaithe a chinnti\u00fa. N\u00ed chabhr\u00f3idh an strait\u00e9is at\u00e1 os \u00e1r gcomhair anseo leis an aidhm sin mar go bhf\u00e1gann s\u00e9 na ceisteanna is t\u00e1bhachta\u00ed ar l\u00e1r, is iad sin maoini\u00fa seirbh\u00eds\u00ed poibl\u00ed agus c\u00farsa\u00ed tith\u00edochta. Leanfaidh b\u00e1n\u00fa na tuaithe ar aghaidh fad is a theipeann ar an Rialtas tithe inacmhainne, \u00e1iseanna c\u00faraim leana\u00ed, c\u00faram sl\u00e1inte poibl\u00ed agus \u00e1iteanna scoile do ch\u00e1ch a chur ar f\u00e1il."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins This is another rural plan; let us hope it delivers. How much time do I have?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paula Butterly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Paula Butterly) You have five minutes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins I thank the Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach. What will make this any different from what has come before, which is a lot of talk, promises and non-delivery? That is a serious matter. People would like to get to the nuts and bolts of this and where the money will be spent. I remember the regeneration fund which was in place in the past. We had a project in Schull. There was a meeting here and pictures were taken of all the committee members. A senior Minister was sitting inside. His seat was in trouble, the money was shifted that night back to his constituency and the poor people who had come up from Schull lost everything. That is the kind of game that goes on here in relation to funding. It is not equally given out. The Minister of State was not there so I am not pointing the finger at him, but I know it for a fact because I saw the pictures and the carry-on. I rang the committee and was told we had it, which was fantastic, but the committee did not have it in writing and the next day, when the announcements were made, Schull was not in the game or at the races and the people were stunned. That was a serious error because it led to a big downfall in west Cork and projects in Schull. It was an off-season project that would have worked all year round on the pier in Schull. However, we are where we are. The problem we have now is that tomorrow we will be talking about the Short-Term Lettings and Tourism Bill. I would like to think there was something in this that might salvage a lot of the businesses the Government is going to destroy tomorrow evening when it sets the train in motion. I have spoken to the Taoiseach about this on numerous occasions. He promised me that the planning aspect of it would not be included. Now we have seen the Bill. We have combed through it and had public meetings. There were full houses in west Cork of people who deliver short-term lets like through Airbnb. The Government will destroy their businesses within two years with the new planning guidelines that are coming in. What has the Government got in this document to solve that? The best thing I have heard of it doing is that it will put a tax on beds to make sure that if tourism does not go down, the Government will take it down. I do not understand what its plans are. We need to get to the nuts and bolts of this. Will there be funding for rural roads? Earlier I brought up with the Taoiseach the N71, the Innishannon bypass, the Bandon bypass, the northern relief road, the southern relief road, the Bantry bypass, passing bays in Castletownbere and promised funding being withdrawn. It is in the public domain that funding for roads that needed work has been withdrawn. It looks to me as though some parts of rural Ireland will get some of this money, maybe, but the decent parts of rural Ireland will be forgotten. We will be back to square one on the wastewater treatment plants. We want to grow villages like Goleen, Ballydehob, Rosscarbery, Shannonvale and so on, but we do not see the money being invested there in the wastewater treatment plants. People see raw sewage in the tide. If that was a farmer, he would be closed down straight away, but when it is the State it is different. A blind eye is turned to it. In farming and fishing, too, we have a serious crisis. I spoke today about a fisherman who went out in his trawler on five days last week and it cost him \u20ac22,850 in fuel. That is game over as far as he is concerned because it is not sustainable. The price of fish we buy in the shop will not go up that much. The Common Agricultural Policy, CAP, will have serious and devastating consequences. We are leaders in Europe at the moment and we are not able to lead the ship to safety. We are not able to lead farming into safety. Instead, CAP is being cut by 25% while in the last ten years the money that farmers pay to buy a lorry load of ready-mix or fertiliser has doubled. Everything has doubled and now the Government wants to cut farmers' money by 25% because the rest of Europe wants arms to go to war. What the hell is going wrong in Europe? Europe is starting to turn against the people it should protect. I will turn to greenways, as I have the floor. There will be a public meeting on 20 November in Ballinascarty and we will see what kind of public representatives we have in west Cork and whether they will turn out in strength to support people who do not want to wreck their farms. I know a farmer in Ballinascarty who has been told the walkway will go through his farm. He explained that there are farm sheds, calf sheds and milking parlours, and he was told not to worry about them, that they would be shoved sideways. Jesus, what is going on in this country? What is wrong with taking away a ditch at the side of the road to make a walkway? What is wrong with going to meet James O'Mahony in Kilcrohane, who put the most famous walkways around the world, or Jim O'Sullivan in Beara? They did not destroy anyone's farm doing it. They took away ditches, but they did not go down the middle of a farm or put a 5 m tar roadway in the middle of a farm. All of that has to stop, including me."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paula Butterly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paula-Butterly.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Paula Butterly) Indeed. Deputy Lawless."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Lawless The people of rural Ireland do not want any more glossy documents, targets or reports. We need action and delivery from the Government. I will raise three important issues. The first is the western rail corridor. I welcome the fact that work has begun on clearing the Athenry to Claremorris line, but it needs to be delivered on time. I would appreciate if in his reply, the Minister of State could talk about the delivery timeframe for it. I was deeply disappointed to hear the Taoiseach intervened in support of the greenway between Collooney and Bellaghy because if this goes ahead and the greenway proceeds, I fear we will never see a railway north of Claremorris. That is a huge concern for so many community groups and politicians across the political divide in Mayo. The second issue is planning. We cannot have a rural Ireland if people do not live there. In the past two years since my election, I have sat with constituents who have come to me with planning documents because they were refused planning permission. Some applicants were refused on the basis of local need. Incredibly, one person who attended the local national school, whose father attended the local national school, whose children are attending the local national school and who is seeking to build in the catchment area of the local national school, has been refused planning permission on grounds of local planning need. This is happening right across the country. The statements on planning need to happen. They need to be implemented. We need to address the planning system and adopt a permissive attitude to planning. We cannot have a situation where we are looking for grounds for refusal. We have to change the attitude to planning. It is important. If we want to have rural communities and sustain towns and villages, we have to allow people to live there. We need to address the planning attitude. It must become permissible to build. We should be looking for reasons to give people planning permission to build on family land. The third issue is that in rural Ireland we have significant difficulty with home care packages. It is a reality that we have an ageing population and I know families and elderly people receiving home care packages under which a different individual attends every day. We must address the lack of housing for older people in our communities."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty If rural Ireland is to survive, it needs a population. It needs to have people who are able to work from home. Increasingly, the jobs will be hybrid ones, especially in the farming sector. We need to encourage people to diversify from agricultural practices. We have for too long focused on beef and dairy, and with the way the global situation is changing, they may not be sustainable. I have mentioned that our own food security is hugely threatened and, therefore, Government policy needs to push more for self-reliance in producing homegrown tillage products. There is huge potential if we allow people to build in rural areas in properly sustainable homes using wind and solar. It is a win-win for everyone. We should be encouraging people to repopulate the countryside to keep the schools and post offices open."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Keira Keogh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Keira-Keogh.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Keira Keogh I welcome the publication of Our Rural Future 2026-2031. I commend the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and the Department on this ambitious plan. Its five pillars are grounded in reality. Its 34 commitments and 234 actions and timelines will help to ensure its delivery. As the Minister of State knows, Mayo is blessed with remarkable natural beauty, innovative businesses, strong farming communities and vibrant towns and villages that consistently demonstrate resilience and ambition. We have places with strong identities, proud traditions and extraordinary community spirit, which is often shown in the community future plans and through our voluntary groups. Today I think of people like the vivacious volunteer, disability advocate and all-round community person Avril Graham, whom we sadly lost this week. I think of her family, her colleagues across the various organisations she was involved in and her friends. May she rest in peace. The challenges of rural life in Ireland are very real, including the lack of water services. I think of residents in Newport, who are still waiting on their wastewater treatment plant. I think of frequent power outages. I think of the islanders in communities like Achill. I think of the struggles with transport, the need for upgraded roads like the R312 from Erris to Castlebar and the fact that Mayo is facing double-digit school closures. That is why we need to continue to invest in our rural towns and villages, expand digital connectivity, strengthen transport services and improve essential infrastructure. I welcome the recognition in this plan that communities in rural areas are different. The needs of the islanders on Clare Island are very different from those of the residents in Ballinrobe. In these rural communities, sometimes smaller investments can make the greatest difference. I think of TFI Anseo in Achill, which I know the Minister of State is quite involved in. It has surpassed 11,000 journeys in its first year. I think of the roll-out of the national broadband plan to Inishturk, which has literally bridged the digital divide across the ocean for its 50 residents and is now enabling enterprise, education and a host of opportunities. I want all rural parts of Mayo to have a vibrant community, vibrant community centres with digital hubs, safe footpaths and roads, and reliable transport. I want young people to be able to build on their own family land, something that has come up repeatedly today. Of course, they need to adhere to policies, but we need to guide them and help them rather than see them engaged in what can be a costly, drawn-out process that can often end up with a negative result. I want accessible and affordable childcare. In rural parts of Mayo, too many parents, often women, are unable to return to their careers due to a lack of childcare. Mayo has really ambitious plans like the breakwater in Roonagh, the suspension bridge at Downpatrick Head and the regeneration of the Westport convent site, which is well under way. Last week, we saw work start on 18 age-friendly homes. Of course, we really need to see the strategic development zone at Ireland West Airport. I look forward to working with the Minister of State and the Minister to see many of these delivered while ensuring we are not overwhelming our volunteers. They need consistent and accessible funding and less bureaucracy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter 'Chap' Cleere","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Peter-'Chap'-Cleere.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere I welcome the opportunity to speak on Our Rural Future. I commend the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, on their work on it. I am very proud to have lived my whole life in a rural part of Kilkenny. I know that if a plan like this is executed properly, it can mean a whole lot for towns and villages like mine. As Fianna F\u00e1il spokesperson for rural affairs, I believe this plan has potential to address the most pressing issues facing rural areas. I want to set out what I would like to see delivered in rural areas, particularly in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny. Everybody deserves to feel safe in their homes and in their communities. We need more garda\u00ed on the streets of Carlow and Kilkenny. People on the ground are telling me that they want to see more garda\u00ed on the beat, particularly in our smaller towns and villages. The funding in the budget for an additional 1,000 new garda\u00ed next year is a really important start, but we need to see a greater geographical spread of these resources. People want to see a garda on their main street. It helps the community to thrive when people know their local garda by name and it makes them feel safer where they live. More than 2,200 pubs in Ireland have closed in the last 20 years, the majority of them in rural areas. When the pub in a village closes, people lose a vital place to meet. In particular for older people living on their own, that is a huge loss. I have been pushing for support for rural pubs since I was elected and I was absolutely delighted to see \u20ac15 million allocated in this year's budget. The details have to be right and the money has to go to the rural pubs that are struggling most. Keeping these doors open is one of the best ways we have of tackling isolation, a key aim of Our Rural Future. I look forward to working closely with all those stakeholders to come up with a scheme to benefit all. I also welcome new Government guidelines to make it easier for people to build one-off rural homes in their locality. These changes are the biggest overhaul of our rural housing policy in more than 20 years. The guidelines strike the right balance between supporting rural communities and ensuring vibrant towns and villages while protecting the character of our countryside. The reality is that someone born in a rural area, living in a rural area or working in a rural area should be entitled to build in that rural area. As well as saving our pubs, there are other ways that this plan can tackle isolation. Farming can be a lonely life, and I welcome the new pilot to tackle isolation in farming communities. Our community centres matter just as much. Making the community centre investment fund permanent means these centres can plan ahead instead of scraping by from year to year. I also urge every sports club in Carlow and Kilkenny to get their applications into the community sports facilities fund before 26 February of next year because every club that gets funding is another place for people to come together in and we need that in rural areas. This plan commits to publishing progress every year. I will be keeping a very close eye on it to make sure it delivers for Ireland, but more importantly, for the people of Carlow and Kilkenny."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Edward Timmins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Edward-Timmins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Edward-Timmins.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Edward Timmins I will follow on from the previous speaker and start with rural planning, which is important in dealing with the housing challenge. I have worked through four country development plans in Wicklow and made many changes. I welcome the proposals brought forward by the Minister of State, John Cummins, which should come into force in January. Many aspects are making it difficult and we must make changes. Social or economic need must trump views and prospects in planning decisions. Individual councils can insert this in their development plans, as I did in Wicklow. We need to identify hamlets to allow clustering of houses in rural areas and broaden the qualification for building in hamlets to include nearby villages and towns. Housing need criteria should not be applied to someone who owns a house in an urban area and wants to move back to their rural area. On multi-unit housing, there should be more support to make it economically viable to build estates in towns and villages in rural areas. The development levy waiver scheme meant that some developments that were not economically viable to develop suddenly became viable. We should look at reintroducing this waiver; otherwise, the only housing developments that can happen in these places are social housing. I know that Local Link has been discussed a lot this afternoon. While Local Link buses are a great addition to rural areas, I ask that the timetables be reviewed so that they can be availed of by more people. I am particularly talking about connectivity, for example linking in with other buses that go to third level colleges. Many of our student population travelling to college could avail of the service if it was better aligned to existing college-going buses or linking the timetables with train timetables. The 132 bus is the only public transport from west Wicklow to Dublin. The Minister of State is familiar with it. The promised increase has still not materialised. The proposed 199 link bus from Glendalough to Bray has still not happened and hopefully it will in the new year. Another subject has not been mentioned today and is not widely known around Ireland. It is known only in Wicklow and the south Dublin uplands. It is called the PURE project. PURE stands for protecting uplands and rural environments. It is an environmental project established to combat illegal dumping, fly-tipping, in the Wicklow and Dublin uplands and was officially launched in September 2006. It has been a massive success and has hugely reduced the amount of rubbish seen on the sides of rural roads. It also brings together members of the communities who help to pick up this rubbish. I ask the Minister of State to consider rolling this out across the country. The rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, is a great scheme but it is not working as well as it should be. It needs to come with funding for a dedicated person in the council to oversee. In my experience, nobody is taking responsibility and nothing is getting done. Money is not being spent. This loses value over time because of inflation. It is incredibly frustrating."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Mac Lochlainn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-MacLochlainn.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Mac Lochlainn I looked through the five pillars earlier. I want to reflect on those pillars when I make my comments about what urgently needs to happen for our inshore fishing communities. There are about 2,000 inshore fishermen throughout the State who have licences and a tradition. That tradition dates back hundreds of years in some families. It is a noble tradition. It is an integral part of the culture and the identity of not just our coastal communities but also our country. I have toured the country as Sinn F\u00e9in's spokesperson on fisheries and the marine. I have met fishermen at piers and harbours across the State, and what one man said is burnt into my mind. He broke down in tears as he told me that he had to tell his son that there were not the resources for both of them any more and that he would have to fish alone. The tears flowed as he reflected that he would be the last of his family, the members of which have fished for hundreds of years, to stay on the water. It is that serious. When I started out as my party's spokesperson six years ago, there were very few fishermen around the coast who talked about financial assistance, because that is not what they are about. They are about fishing. The truth is that with the cost of fuel, the cost of bait and the unpredictability of markets, they just cannot sustain themselves any more. There have been welcome initiatives in recent times, including the basic income for the arts scheme. That is a welcome scheme. We need more money and for more artists to be able to avail of the scheme. The National Inshore Fishermen's Association is proposing a similar scheme for fishers. That scheme would reflect the integral cultural heritage that is so important to the Irish people. It would keep them at sea, but they need some financial assistance to do that. We have been assisting farmers for decades through the Common Agricultural Policy. We can do this. I appeal to the Minister of State and to the Government to come forward with a scheme to assist inshore fishermen. Sinn F\u00e9in brought forward a proposal in its alternative budget. Approximately \u20ac35 million is what it would cost. That is not a huge amount of money to keep all of our active inshore fishermen on the water, as well as contributing to environmental sustainability. There is so much to the scheme that has been proposed. If we are serious about Our Rural Future's five pillars and plan, we have to bring forward a scheme to financially assist our inshore fishermen and to contribute to sustaining everything that they and they families have done for hundreds of years."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Carol Nolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Carol Nolan After years of lecturing rural Ireland, Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael have finally realised something, namely that the people who built their parties no longer trust them. Rural communities have watched decision after decision being imposed on them and being presented as both inevitable and the price of progress. For years, Government policy was shaped around a political consensus that treated rural concerns as obstacles to be managed. Farmers, motorists and communities dependent on employment in the area of peat were told that they were the problem. The Green Party was allowed to run the show in the previous Government. There is no serious focus on the midlands - as a TD for Offaly, that is of great concern to me - despite it being the region that carried the heaviest burden of the so-called just transition. In fact, the word \"midlands\" is not even mentioned in the document we are discussing. We know now that the Government's territorial just transition plan did not directly assess employment prospects in County Offaly, which was the county that bore the greatest brunt of the unjust transition. It is the county that is most affected by the end of peat harvesting and peat-fired generation. Thousands of workers were told that new opportunities would replace what was lost. Yet, years later, the Government still cannot tell us how many equivalent permanent jobs have actually been created in the midlands. The document also avoids another uncomfortable truth. Over recent years, rural Ireland has been subjected to a relentless stream of policy proposals aimed at reducing livestock numbers and restricting agricultural activity. Farmers listened to discussions about herd reductions, methane targets, rewetting programmes and land use. The Government did not listen. Suddenly, however, it is changing its point of view."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae Many young boys and girls cannot get planning permission to build houses for themselves in order to put a roof over their heads. This is happening in areas like Killarney, Killorglin, Kenmare and Dingle. In many places, they cannot get the basic right to planning permission. Draft proposals have been put in place by the Minister. They are supposed to come into force next year. I hope that happens, because many people are depending on it. They have a right to get planning permission, or at least to have a fair chance of getting it. As stated, they cannot get it at present. This is one of the most important things. If we do not have people in rural Ireland and do not have houses for them to live in, we are not going to have rural communities."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Healy-Rae I thank the Minister of State for his helpful visits to Tuosist GAA Club, R\u00e9alt na Mara, the national school, Pobalscoil Inbhear Sc\u00e9ine and other places during the summer. Soft talk by any of us is no use whatsoever to rural Ireland. We have a serious problem with depopulation. I thank the people and their voluntary groups, such as the GAA clubs, the small schools that are keeping life in rural areas and South Kerry Partnership, North and East Kerry Development, for their efforts. I refer also to the small businesses and people involved in self-catering establishments that we will be discussing over the next number of days. Rural planning is an important issue. I welcome the initiatives that have been taken in that regard. I refer to small shops, pubs and post offices. It is important to enhance those businesses in order to keep them alive and help them to grow."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mattie McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mattie McGrath I am delighted that the Minister got this portfolio. I compliment him on his work so far. He mentioned the community hubs. I hope he will accept my invitation to visit Ballylooby in south Tipperary, where the community is undertaking work on an old pub as a community hub project. The members came together. I hope he will come and see for himself. South Tipperary has benefited from some schemes relating to rural areas in the past. They are good schemes. I know the Minister of State is a practical man. He is a rural man, so he understands what is involved. I look forward to giving him a c\u00e9ad m\u00edle f\u00e1ilte to Tiobraid \u00c1rann theas. Beidh m\u00e9 ag caint leo. I hope he meets the committee in Ballylooby. It is an energetic and ambitious project, and there is great energy among the community to try to resurrect the pub. They had three pubs and a shop there. They have nothing at all now - gach rud imithe. They have ambitious plans to restore that old pub as a cafe and as a centre for the community to operate out of. Beidh f\u00edorfh\u00e1ilte roimhe."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht (Deputy Jerry Buttimer) Ar dt\u00fas b\u00e1ire, gabhaim bu\u00edochas le gach Ball a ghlac p\u00e1irt sa d\u00edosp\u00f3ireacht iontach seo chun an tuarasc\u00e1il maidir le \u00c1r dTodhcha\u00ed Tuaithe a phl\u00e9. I welcome the debate. I thank all Members for their contributions. The essence of the debate is that we can agree on many different strands of where we have been, where we are and where we will go. I will work backwards for a moment. I apologise that I will not get to reply to all the Members' contributions. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae referred to people in rural Ireland. He is right. We need people in rural Ireland. I look forward to visiting him and Deputy Michael Healy-Rae in Rathmore in a couple of weeks' time, because I grew up on a small rural farm with my grandparents on the Cork-Kerry border. I understand the importance of what the Deputies are talking about. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae is right. Soft talk is no good. We need to have a plan. The plan is here. Depopulation did not happen yesterday or today; it has been going on for a long time. The Minister, Deputy Calleary and I met with the GAA demographics committee in south Kerry. Deputy Cahill referred to it earlier. This is not the plan that was conjured up for a glossy magazine, as Deputy Lawless said. We are continuing the work done when we created the Department, recognising the importance of rural Ireland. The Minister and I, and the whole of government, are committed to making rural Ireland a better place to live, which needs to happen and which is why the Minister of State, Deputy Cummins, is drawing up the draft statement and guidelines on Gaeltacht housing and planning. Everybody who says we need more people living in rural Ireland is correct. Second, it is about work. Some Members who referenced rural Ireland are no longer present but I make the point that the majority of Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland jobs are outside of Dublin. To be fair to the majority of Members present, I have met them on visits to constituencies. They are committed advocates for their areas, working to pursue development of people and communities. As Minister of State with responsibility for community, I see first hand the gargantuan spirit, an fuinneamh, the energy, the enthusiasm and the creation of community that is so important. Linked to that is the piece we have been doing around being able to have people work, raise a family and run a business. This is not a glossy magazine. There are commitments and actions that are accountable and there will be a mid-term review. Some 84% of the previous plan was implemented. Some will not like me saying this but the national broadband plan was delivered on time and in budget, connecting Ireland. The 400-plus remote working hubs give people a hybrid working model where they can choose to work one day, two days or whatever number of days and then commute. Deputy Gogarty spoke about this and he is dead right As Minister of State with responsibility for rural transport, I recognise the importance of rural transport. I will give Members some figures. There were 11 million passengers under Connecting Ireland last year, a 225% increase in six years, while TFI Local Link provided 6.97 million passenger journeys last year, a 20% increase. With the Ministers, Deputies O'Brien, Canney and Calleary, I am about connecting people to services and adding new routes. Deputy Wall referred to school transport. We are in discussions to change the delivery model of school transport to ensure we have it linked to rural transport. I am fully aware of the points made by the Deputy - I commend him on his contribution - and Deputy Kenny on the importance of rural transport. Deputy Daly referred to the rural hackney licence. We have changed it. I modified that earlier this year. I am looking to get more people to become drivers and to transport people. The piece around the pub in the budget came from the conversation about the centrality as a hub of the community. The new planning guidelines are central to having people living and raising their families in rural Ireland. It is about consistency of approach, as we heard from Deputy Timmins in the context of planning. It is the overhaul of rural planning guidelines that Deputies Mattie McGrath and Danny Healy-Rae spoke about. It is about ensuring people with a connection to rural Ireland remain there. Post Covid, we have seen an increase in the number of people back on the roads stuck in traffic. I gave Members independent figures showing the importance of rural transport. I will certainly take up Deputy Ward's invitation to Donegal. My good friend, Deputy Mac Lochlainn, and I have a long-standing commitment to go back to Donegal. Regarding the fishers, the rural social scheme provides the opportunity for low-income farmers and fishers to undertake work in local communities. I refer Deputy Mac Lochlainn to page 100 of the document in terms of the actions around what he spoke about. I share his point of view. He is right to raise it and he has articulated it well about inland fishing. I will happily sit down and talk to him further about it, even though it is not my area of responsibility. He is right to raise the point and he has raised it repeatedly. I see first hand in his county, Donegal, the importance of that connectivity. All of us in this Chamber are proud of rural Ireland. I am optimistic about rural Ireland. Given the day that is in it in the United States of America, I will paraphrase Bill Clinton: we are always thinking about tomorrow and the importance of tomorrow for people. That is why part of what we are doing is developing and increasing our commitment to rural Ireland. Deputy Butterly spoke about the importance of transport and connecting people. My ambition and motivation as Minister of State with responsibility for rural transport is to connect people to people and people to place. We speak about ending social isolation. Deputy Butler, the Minister of State with responsibility for mental health, with the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, has put in huge work. We have had conversations across Departments about enhancing the transport offering. We are ambitious. The priority for us in government is to deliver and to have more people working, staying and living in rural Ireland. The debate has been very clear. We are, as a House and as politicians, vested in our local areas and that Kickhams pride in the local place we see every weekend in our sporting and GAA clubs. That is why we need a plan. That is why the document is produced to continue the next iteration of Our Rural Future. It is about addressing the challenges articulated by many Members, which we as a Government face and it is about the core challenges under rural planning, investment in housing and connectivity. It is about continuing that investment and seeking to address the complexities of the challenges. I was smiling at Deputy Lawless's reference to the five pillars. The five pillars are interconnected. They are about a thriving rural place where people can flourish, which means we invest in our towns, as in the example of the RRDF. We have high-quality public services in healthcare and education. Listening to some Members, excluding those present, you would not realise we have never had more teachers, SNAs and investment in schools and in the physical public realm. What we are committed to and have achieved up to now is that resilient rural community. Deputy Clendennen is right. I have not heard from anybody in the debate about the fundamental issue we must all face, whether we are urban or rural, which is how we must address the change in consumer behaviour and attitude. I pose the question: how many people in the Chamber use their local post office? How many go into their bank branch? How many go into their local shops and buy there, as opposed to going online? Government has changed and has supported local post offices. There is much more that unites us than divides us in this report. I thank Members for their contributions. I look forward to us being held to account and to delivering not just a document, but a real plan for the future development of rural Ireland."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Our Rural Future: Statements"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_22","debateType":"motion","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Overcrowding: Motion [Private Members]","counts":{"speechCount":61,"speakerCount":40},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_22","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maurice Quinlivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maurice-Quinlivan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Maurice-Quinlivan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donna McGettigan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donna-McGettigan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Donna-McGettigan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"R\u00e9ada Cronin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/R\u00e9ada-Cronin.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"R\u00e9ada-Cronin.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jen Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Marie Sherlock","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoghan Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charles Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Seamus Healy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","memberCode":"Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Carol Nolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mattie McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Cahill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"M\u00e1ire Devine","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/M\u00e1ire-Devine.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"M\u00e1ire-Devine.S.2016-04-25","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Johnny Mythen","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Johnny-Mythen.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Johnny-Mythen.D.2020-02-08","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Verona Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Verona-Murphy.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Ceann Comhairle We move to Private Members' business. It is a motion re hospital overcrowding, safe staffing and winter preparedness. The Minister for Health has tabled an amendment to the motion. In addition, Aont\u00fa has tabled an amendment to the Minister's amendment. I call on Deputy Cullinane to move the motion."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane I move: That D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann: notes that: \u2014 the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation recorded 12,274 patients without a hospital bed in September 2026, the worst September on record, including 1,994 at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and 1,008 at Cork University Hospital (CUH); \u2014 the number of recorded emergency department experiences lasting more than 24 hours increased from 33,843 to 36,410, up 7.6 per cent, and for patients aged 75 and over, the number exceeding 24 hours increased from 10,019 to 12,106, a sharp increase of 20 per cent; \u2014 recruitment restrictions, unfilled essential posts and delays in offering graduates permanent jobs are undermining patient safety and winter preparedness; and \u2014 there is a significant bed deficit across our hospitals as acknowledged in the Government's Acute Hospital Inpatient Bed Capacity Expansion Plan 2024-2031, especially in the Mid-West which faces continuing capacity risks at UHL; considers that overcrowding robs patients of dignity, endangers lives, exhausts staff and safe discharge requires appropriate support along with patient and family involvement; condemns successive Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael Governments' failure to deliver sufficient capacity and reform, and recognises the Minister for Health's responsibility to sustainably fund the health service, address capacity shortages, and ensure safe care across every hospital; and calls on the Government to: \u2014 remove recruitment restrictions blocking the filling of urgent and priority vacant posts, replacement, leave cover, and redelegate recruitment authority to health regions with adequate funding linked to patient needs; \u2014 honour permanent contract commitments to nursing and midwifery graduates, and improve staff training, recruitment, and retention through a funded workforce plan; \u2014 legislate for safe staffing, fully implement the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix, and fund multidisciplinary staffing and surge capacity, ensuring financial controls cannot override patient safety; \u2014 take urgent action on the capacity and patient safety concerns raised at CUH and UHL, with clear responsibility for resolving priority vacancies, addressing service restrictions and providing additional staffed capacity; \u2014 deliver the promised 3,000 additional acute inpatient beds, funded through a multiannual capital plan with hospital-by-hospital capacity targets to meet population needs; \u2014 accelerate elective hospitals in Cork, Galway and Dublin and the opening of surgical hubs to protect scheduled care from cancellations; \u2014 deliver a funded Model 3 hospital with a second emergency department for the Mid-West, alongside immediate improvements and expanded urgent care at UHL, Ennis, Nenagh and St John's hospitals; \u2014 expand regular and out-of-hours general practitioner, pharmacy, primary care, home care and community services to reduce pressure on overcrowded hospitals, deliver care closer to home, and improve early intervention; \u2014 fully fund the National Ambulance Service strategic workforce plan; and \u2014 publish funded regional winter plans and multiannual improvement plans with clear responsibility, published deadlines, demand forecasts, staffing and capacity targets, targets to end trolley waits, and escalation arrangements with a target of achieving consistent population-based capacity levels across each region. The situation in our hospitals and the context we are having this debate in have never been so stark. The Minister might have noticed that last month that we reached the milestone of 1 million people on some form of acute hospital waiting list. We have 260,000 more on community waiting lists. The month of September, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, was the worst on record, quickly followed by October, which was also the worst on record. People are bracing themselves for this month and for December and January. I have spoken to a lot of healthcare staff who work in hospitals, including in emergency departments, and they are bracing themselves for a really difficult number of months ahead. Last year, we saw over 12,000 patients over the age of 75 waiting 24 hours in an emergency department and tens of thousands left without being seen. That is the context. I know that lots of good work is being done in hospitals and staff are doing their best to bring down waiting lists but the people with whom I spoke - staff, patients, healthcare trade unions, advocates and campaigning organisations - are saying that things are not getting better. In many ways, they are getting worse. I spoke to a nurse a number of weeks ago. She works in an emergency department. Almost every day she goes into work, she is confronted with patients on trolleys, patients on chairs and, in some cases, patients on the floor and she has to treat and manage those patients in those circumstances. She said to me: I treat the patients. I manage them in some cases. I toilet those patients. There's no dignity for the patient. There's no dignity for that staff member. There's no dignity for anybody in that circumstance. I am sure I do not have to remind the Minister that when we have chronic overcrowding in our hospitals, it comes with consequences for patient safety. We saw it come into very sharp focus, particularly in the mid-west and Limerick, in the past and I sincerely hope we never see tragedies like that again. The only way we can avoid all of that is to properly equip our hospitals for the winter ahead. In an unprecedented move because I have not seen it in the time I have been health spokesperson, CEOs of hospitals and regional executive officers of hospital groups are raising red flags and telling us that things have never been so bad. They are talking about urgent posts as they see it - priority posts - that are not being filled. The last time this was raised, the Minister compared hospitals and put it back somewhat on hospital managers but if one talks to the staff in those same hospitals, they will tell you that they are working to the maximum. I put down a parliamentary question that the Minister might have seen regarding the amount of money the HSE has spent on overtime, particularly in the area of nursing but also elsewhere. It has gone up each and every year and is at a record amount for this time of the year so that pressure is falling back on existing staff. What is happening at the moment is very dangerous. It is dangerous for patients and it is not good for staff in terms of burnout and morale. When hospital managers say to me that there are very serious patient safety risks because urgent posts are not being filled, I take that very seriously but I do not see the same urgency coming from Government. I and others have raised with the Minister in this House the case of student nurses who have not been given proper contracts. I have never been given an answer as to why that happened. I have not been given a suitable answer as to why it is still the case and why that was allowed to happen in the first place. The Minister cannot pass the buck all of the time and blame everybody but herself. I accept that hospital managers obviously have their job and the HSE and the Department have their job but the buck ultimately stops with the Minister. I am looking at a situation where one million people are on acute hospital waiting lists; 260,000 people on community waiting lists; and a national children's hospital now stands as a monument to Government failure. This hospital should have been opened years ago but we are now hearing that it could be next year or the year after. The whole thing has become very chaotic and I have not even mentioned the chaotic way in which we fund the health service. I hope that despite the amendment tabled by the Minister, she recognises how difficult things are in hospitals at the moment for patients - for every single patient who is not being treated quickly enough and for those coming to emergency departments and being left waiting for too long and in some cases then getting worse. Their condition worsens because they are not being seen. That is not a good outcome for anybody and it is certainly not a good outcome for patients so I very much hope that the Minister will listen to what has been said, lift the restrictions on recruitment and ensure that hospitals have the capacity and the staff that they need to get them through a very difficult winter."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maurice Quinlivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maurice-Quinlivan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Maurice-Quinlivan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maurice Quinlivan Can the Minister answer one simple question? Can she guarantee the people of Limerick that it will be safe to use University Hospital Limerick, UHL, in January and February? That is my simple question to her. As she knows, UHL remains the most overcrowded hospital in the State. To date, 19,215 people this year have been on trolleys there. I have warned that the hospital could face up to 400 emergency department presentations every single day during the winter and it cannot cope with that. My greatest concern relates to January and February when flu, winter illnesses and increased demand will put an already stretched hospital under even greater pressure. If UHL is struggling now, what will happen at the height of winter, which in hospitals is normally January and February? We cannot wait for a serious tragedy before Government acts. These are not just numbers. They are people. They are families and elderly patients who deserve safe, dignified and timely care. The crisis is a result of decades of underinvestment - too few beds and persistent staffing shortages across the entire mid-west. That is documented. We have been underfunded for decades. We need immediate action - more staff, more beds and recruitment of essential staff while the embargo has to go. We need better discharge arrangements and a credible winter plan. We also need a long-term solution. The people of the mid-west cannot continue to depend on a hospital that is consistently overwhelmed. For the Government to say it is doing all it can is simply not true. It is a lie. The warnings are there. The Minister cannot say that she is not aware of the risks facing the hospital. The people of Limerick deserve much better, our healthcare workers deserve our support and our patients deserve safety. What is the Minister going to do to ensure that UHL can cope in January and February?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donna McGettigan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donna-McGettigan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Donna-McGettigan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donna McGettigan I thank Deputy Cullinane for bringing forward this motion. This motion followed a briefing from the HSE but I would say that this briefing was more of a warning on the failure to address the overcrowding crisis in our hospitals, particularly in the mid-west. How many more warnings must be received before the Minister takes action and how many more avoidable deaths must occur before patient safety becomes a priority? The situation in the mid-west is simply unacceptable. According to the CSO, people in my own county of Clare must travel further for treatment than people in any other county in Ireland, and that is assuming the service even exists. We do not even have a sexual assault treatment unit in the mid-west. How can the Minister justify such a lack of essential services? What was her response recently when my colleague Deputy Doherty raised the issue of overcrowding, staff safety and the warning of avoidable deaths? She chose to pit hospitals against one another. Pointing fingers and shifting the blame will not put beds or staff in our hospitals and it certainly will not save lives, so let me shift the focus back on the Minister. On her watch, trolley numbers have reached a record four-year high and the number of recorded emergency department experiences lasting more than 24 hours has increased by 7.6%. UHL has been described by patients as chaotic - even like a war zone. I have constituents who are genuinely terrified of being sent there. No patient in this country should have to fear entering a hospital. We have a significant bed deficit across our hospitals and, with overcrowding and the recruitment freeze, patient safety is once again being put at risk. This crisis is not inevitable. It is a result of years of failure to provide the capacity, staff and services that our communities desperately need. Comparing hospitals and making excuses will solve nothing and ignoring the warnings will put more lives at risk. I urge the Minister to listen to healthcare workers and patients and to support this motion and the actions within it, such as a second emergency department for the mid-west as close as possible to Ennis for those in the west and north of Clare. I ask her to immediately remove recruitment restrictions and legislate for safe staffing. These are just some of the much-needed life-saving actions because people deserve better. Patients deserve dignity and staff should feel safe at work but, above all, nobody should have to lose his or her life because this Government failed to act on those warnings. We have already had too many avoidable deaths and we cannot and must not allow there to be another."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rose Conway-Walsh","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Rose-Conway-Walsh.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh Mayo University Hospital is heading into winter in a dangerously vulnerable position. I have read the Minister's response to the motion that has been put forward tonight. When she refers to safe staffing, she says that the framework continues to demonstrate positive impacts for patients. That is just not true and it is not true in Mayo University Hospital. The hospital has 85 vacancies, the emergency department is under relentless pressure, patients are facing unacceptable delays, with 42% of patients seen within the six-hour target, and exhausted staff are expected to do the work of three or four people. Let me say unequivocally that they and all public sector workers have Sinn F\u00e9in's full support and solidarity in the industrial action they have been forced to take to get a fair pay deal from this Government. The current crisis is not just a staffing crisis. It is a national patient safety crisis. That is what the Minister is presiding over. I hate to say this because when she became Minister for Health, I thought, \"Great, changes were going to be made here. We're really going to see the results of this,\" and what do I get? The Minister promised me last January when Stephen Lavelle died in agony waiting for an ambulance that it would not happen again, yet last week somebody else was six hours waiting for an ambulance - six hours with chest pains and no care, just waiting for an ambulance to come. The ambulances are backed up in accident and emergency because the staff are not there, as the Minister is refusing to put the positions in place. In some cases the positions were given to people. Young nurses were told they could start. They gave up their other jobs to take up positions in Mayo University Hospital but a clamp has come down from a national level to say they are not now going to get the jobs. It is absolute chaos that is happening at the moment. There are other letters here from people. One person wrote about their mother who was on a hospital trolley from 1.30 p.m., and at 9.36 p.m. she was still on a trolley. What is going on here? I believe there is one carer to get food for all of these people, to get them a drink of water, and to check them in. It is really heart-breaking and it is absolutely wrong. This is what the people I am dealing with and the people of Mayo have to put up with in hospitals on a daily basis. The Minister promised it would be better; it is worse, and we are only in November. It is much worse."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louise O'Reilly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Louise-O'Reilly.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louise O'Reilly There are some things that we know for a fact. Number one is that recruitment freezes do not work; they hurt patients and they make working conditions incredibly difficult for staff. The second thing we know is that you cannot gaslight healthcare workers into believing there is no recruitment freeze when they can see it with their own eyes. Fianna F\u00e1il tried this in 2007. Brendan Howlin and the Labour Party tried it in 2013. It did not work then and it will not work now. I only have a short time to speak this evening and I would like to appeal to the Minister to do what it says in our motion and to expand regular and out-of-hours GP services. There is no hospital in my constituency. The Government has confirmed that it will not be providing a minor injuries unit for Dublin Fingal West, and we have no out-of-hours GP service. There are no private sector providers willing to step into the breach. With the Minister's ideological outlook I understand that might be her preferred option, but there are no private sector providers stepping into the breach here. Could the Minister give consideration to appointing HSE doctors to provide a D-Doc out-of-hours service to serve the people of Balbriggan, Rush, Lusk, Skerries and surrounding areas because, as it stands, once the GP's surgery closes the people in my constituency have to travel to Beaumont, Swords or Drogheda for any service at all, as however minor or major they cannot get it locally? That is wrong. It is a fundamental breach of what was committed to in Sl\u00e1intecare. We spent hours \u2013 weeks and weeks \u2013 devising the Sl\u00e1intecare strategy as a way to deliver for communities and it has been completely set aside. The latest recruitment freeze is one that completely goes against what is contained within Sl\u00e1intecare. It is bad for patients. Recruitment freezes hurt patients. We know this. Recruitment freezes also hurt staff. What the staff on the picket line a few weeks ago wanted was to be in work but they want safe staffing. They want the health service to be a decent place to work so that there will be sufficient staff there to deliver for patients. That is all they want. Why should that be in conflict with the Minister? It should not. She should be working with the workers. She should work with the Opposition and ensure this is delivered. Instead, it falls on deaf ears every single time. Healthcare workers deserve so much better than this Government, but so also do patients. It is the patients who will suffer because we know that when a recruitment freeze is put in place the impact is felt by the vulnerable, the elderly and the sick."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sorca Clarke Every year, like clockwork, we hear the same thing: winter is coming; hospitals tell us they are under pressure but the Government tells us it has a plan. This winter has barely started and already October was the worst on record for patients waiting on trolleys, on chairs and in corridors. In Mullingar hospital last Tuesday alone, 21 patients were waiting for a bed \u2013 16 of them were waiting in the emergency department. These are sick people who need to be admitted to the hospital but there are simply no beds for the hospital to be able to take them. It is impossible for anybody to say that they did not see this coming. The hospital in Mullingar serves a population of around 200,000 people, yet according to the HSE's own figures, it had the exact same number of beds at the end of 2025 as it had at the end of 2024, and a 98% occupancy rate throughout 2025. There are 48 beds promised but they are not scheduled to be delivered until 2029 at the earliest. There was not one extra inpatient bed last year in the regional hospital in Mullingar \u2013 48 were promised but none are due to come before the end of 2029. Where are patients supposed to go for the next three winters? What exactly are they supposed to do? What are the staff supposed to do? Beds are only part of the problem. I have spoken to newly qualified nurses across my constituency who were led a merry dance at the HSE job interview and then blindsided by bureaucracy. While we are crying out for nursing staff, we are leaving newly qualified nurses so uncertain about when they may start the job that they are now looking at Australia and the NHS. I need somebody to make sense of that for me because I just cannot do it. The staff in Mullingar, like in every other hospital, are doing their absolute best, but they cannot be expected to continue to plaster over gaps in a system where the system simply does not have enough capacity. In essence, that is what this motion is about. We need safe staffing. We need the beds to go with it, and we need a properly funded winter plan with deadlines. When I speak to my constituents, they say to me repeatedly that they pay the same taxes as everybody else, and they ask why they are not getting the same levels of services. They have a point. They should not have to settle for less. No patient waiting on a trolley can safely say they are being serviced to the best of what their taxpayer funding should be doing."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire I spoke to a lot of staff in Cork University Hospital, CUH, during the recent public sector strike. They are extremely worried. It is not just hospital management alone; the staff and the people of Cork are extremely worried about what they are potentially facing this winter, and rightly so. It is very clear that there are significant challenges there. I commend our spokesperson, Deputy Cullinane, on this motion. I would have hoped that when a hospital leader brought forward concerns about patient safety, the response of the Minister for Health would have been to say: \"I hear what you are saying. We are not going to have those patient safety issues because I'm going to address them with these resources. We are going to make sure that does not happen. We are going to make these interventions, investments and the support the hospital needs.\" I would not have expected a Minister for Health to come down on the hospital and ask it to get back into line. It seems nobody is allowed to shoot from the hip or talk straight except the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. If anyone else does it, it seems to me they are brought back into line. We have heard about the additional staff. It is very clear that they have been linked to the surgical hub \u2013 something that will be of benefit in the long term - but, ultimately, the hospital is looking for 1,000 positions. It is not expecting all of those to be provided overnight but only about seven positions have been filled recently. This is not particular to CUH. To be totally honest, an awful lot of it is just upside down. Direct pay costs are down but they are being swallowed whole by increases in overtime and agency staff \u2013 swallowed four or five times over. Instead of permanent staff coming in, taking up positions and increasing the capacity, the Minister is spending twice or three times the amount on time and a half, agency staff and money going out of the system. It gets even worse. We have things like two CT scanners lying idle while we are looking for radiographers to take up the positions to try to ensure they work. What is happening there is that we are going to have agency staff eventually bringing them back into use while people are waiting on a panel for permanent positions. They are people who want to work for the State and the HSE but the Minister is going to take them on as agency staff, even though she will not take them on permanently. It is absolutely upside down."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health (Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill) I move amendment No. 1: To delete all words after \"D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann\" and substitute the following: \"acknowledges: \u2014 the increased pressure on urgent and emergency care (UEC), given that there has been increased demand in emergency departments (EDs) with patient attendances up 7 per cent (+98,500) nationally, and attendances by people aged 75 plus up 9 per cent (+18,000) compared with 2025; \u2014 the commitment in the Programme for Government to further reducing EDs overcrowding and enhancing urgent care services nationwide; \u2014 the ongoing and important work undertaken by our nurses, doctors and wider healthcare workforce in our hospitals and across the health service, often in challenging and difficult conditions; \u2014 the progress being made providing more care in the community, consistent with the objectives of Sl\u00e1intecare, and the significant reforms being implemented in primary care, general practitioner (GP) and pharmacy services; and \u2014 that there has been substantial and sustained investment in health service staffing and funding in recent years, with Budget 2027 allocating \u20ac29.1 billion for health services as the Government continues its investment in more care, closer to home; notes that: in relation to the urgent and emergency care plans that: \u2014 during the first ten months of the year, ED attendances rose by 7 per cent, with 98,300 additional presentations nationally when compared to the same period in 2025, with effective governance and oversight essential in ensuring operational grip is maintained at national, regional and hospital levels; \u2014 for 2026, the top six sites accounted for 51 per cent of the daily average 8 a.m. trolleys, University Hospital Limerick (UHL), Cork University Hospital (CUH), St Vincent's University Hospital, University Hospital Galway, Mayo University Hospital, and Sligo University Hospital; \u2014 the next seven sites accounted for 29 per cent of the daily average 8 a.m. trolleys, Mercy Hospital, Tallaght University Hospital (TUH), University Hospital Kerry, Letterkenny University Hospital (LUH), Mater Misercordiae University Hospital, St James's Hospital and Naas General Hospital, this means that 13 out of 29 sites accounted for 80 per cent of 8 a.m. trolleys; and \u2014 to respond to the winter season demand, the Government is progressing with implementation of additional patient safety and patient flow steps, including a GP respiratory support programme, additional specific ED plans for each of the ED sites and identifying key unblockers of patient safety flow for the winter period; in relation to safe staffing and safe care that: \u2014 the Government supports and has invested significantly in the Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix (the Framework), noting that the Framework is an evidence-based approach to determine the appropriate nurse staffing levels and skill mix in acute hospital settings and EDs across Ireland; \u2014 the Framework continues to demonstrate positive impacts for patients, staff and organisations where implemented, for example, reduced length of stay, reduction in staff intention to leave, and efficiencies through reduced agency usage; \u2014 Ireland's approach aligns with the World Health Organization guidance, utilising a blended model of Benchmarking and Patient\/Acuity-based staffing, the Framework is grounded in a needs-based care principle, measuring nursing workload by systematically assessing individual patient care requirements and levels of dependency, this enables staffing to be dynamically adjusted in response to patient complexity and care intensity, rather than relying on fixed ratios; and \u2014 significant progress has been made, with baseline implementation achieved in all 26 adult EDs, and across 39 acute hospitals nationwide, this means that 96 per cent of identified baseline staffing requirements have now been delivered nationally and is a critical measure of patient safety; in relation to the Winter Vaccine Plan that: \u2014 vaccination is recognised as one of the most impactful public health interventions available and has led to many lives being saved dramatically reducing the impact of infectious diseases also protecting finite hospital resources, noting that the flu and Covid-19 vaccination programmes are already currently underway for the winter season; \u2014 the flu vaccine is available free of charge to eligible groups from local GPs and pharmacies throughout the flu season, eligible groups include, adults aged 60 years and over, individuals in specified health related at-risk groups, children aged 2 to 17 years, and healthcare workers; \u2014 Covid-19 vaccinations are available to certain eligible groups without charge through local GPs and participating pharmacies; \u2014 the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infant immunisation programme is also being delivered this winter, helping to protect babies from serious RSV illness and reducing the risk of hospitalisation during the respiratory virus season, uptake to date has been encouraging, with high levels of immunisation reported through maternity hospitals; \u2014 in the week ending 25th October, shows the following - Influenza activity continues to increase but remains at baseline-low levels overall, noting there were 139 cases notified in week 43, with incidence highest in those aged 80 years and older, in terms of uptake, it can be noted that, of adults aged 60 years and older, there are 34.6 per cent vaccinated compared with 36.9 per cent last season; \u2014 RSV activity has remained stable at baseline levels in recent weeks, with 16 cases notified in week 43, (down from 17 cases in week 42), with incidence highest in infants aged under one year, in terms of uptake, it can be noted that, there is 88.3 per cent cumulative uptake in our maternity hospitals; \u2014 for Covid-19, activity was stable and remained at low-moderate levels, with 203 cases notified in week 43 (up from 191 cases in week 42), incidence was highest in those aged 80 years and older, in terms of uptake, it can be noted that, of adults aged 80 years and younger, there are 37.4 per cent vaccinated, compared with 38.3 per cent at the equivalent campaign stage last season; and \u2014 it is widely recognised that flu and Covid-19 vaccinations can significantly reduce hospitalisations by preventing illness and serious complications, in mid-January this year, it was reported in Ireland that around 76 per cent or three quarters of intensive care unit admissions due to the flu were in people who had not received the influenza vaccine; in relation to investment and recruitment that: \u2014 there has been substantial and sustained investment in health service staffing and funding in recent years, between 2019 and the end of 2025, overall health funding increased by approximately \u20ac10.6 billion, or 68 per cent, while the health service workforce increased by more than 30,000 staff, or approximately 30 per cent; \u2014 within acute hospitals specifically, real expenditure increased by approximately 52 per cent and staffing by 33 per cent over the same period, compared with an increase of approximately 14 per cent in hospital activity; \u2014 investment continued in 2026, with Budget 2026 providing for an additional 3,300 Whole-Time Equivalent (WTE) staff, by the end of September 2026, the actual workforce had increased by over 4,000 WTE since the beginning of the year, and by over 6,000 WTE in the past 12 months; \u2014 there has been continuous significant increases in funding of the Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome since 2022 to this year's budget of \u20ac292.9 million, which is providing for an additional 263 service posts; \u2014 significant Government investment is being provided to expand healthcare education to address future supply of healthcare workers to ensure Ireland can meet growing healthcare needs, including an investment of \u20ac28.5 million to support the delivery of more than 1,100 additional healthcare training places by 2028, representing a significant increase in training capacity across medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social care, and Health and Social Care Professions; \u2014 there is no blanket recruitment freeze in place, the purpose of the workforce and financial controls in place are to ensure that available staffing is directed towards patient needs and priority services, while preventing recruitment and other expenditure from creating unfunded and unsustainable commitments, this arises from recruitment activity that is greater than sanctioned by the Government and the Houses of the Oireachtas; \u2014 each Health Region must manage recruitment within their available pay allocation, taking account of the cost and mix of staff, agency expenditure, overtime and allowances; and \u2014 the most recent Health Service Executive (HSE) data shows that nationally, 1,145 of 1,375 graduate nurses and midwives have been offered positions to date, an offer rate of 83 per cent, and more than 1,000 have accepted, it is likely that this offer rate has improved as we know through the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland registration data, that 1,184 graduates have now successfully completed the registration process and the Department of Health is looking for further ways to enhance graduate recruitment; in relation to multiannual capital funding that: \u2014 the enhanced National Development Plan provision for the health sector for 2026 -2030 is \u20ac9.25 billion, this multiannual capital allocation is the largest ever capital investment plan in the history of the State and largest investment ever in health infrastructure in the State, this multi-annual investment is translated through the HSE annual Capital and Digital plans; and \u2014 the establishment of the Mid-West Health Planning Board is central to the medium to longer term strategy for the Mid-West Region, the Board is made up of senior regional HSE leaders and multidisciplinary expertise across service delivery, clinical care, infrastructure, finance, and enterprise, it also includes patient and service-user representation to ensure that community needs and lived experience inform the Board's work, it is tasked with developing a robust service configuration and capital development plan for the Region and to put in place a credible roadmap for safe, accessible and sustainable healthcare in the Mid-West, it will focus on how services can be organised across hospital, community, primary care, and pre-hospital services and at how care can be provided closer to home, where appropriate, how pressure on UHL can be reduced, and how existing and future locations can best work together for the whole region; in relation to moving care closer to the community, that: \u2014 our health service continues to make steady progress towards providing more care in the community, consistent with the objectives of Sl\u00e1intecare, for example, reforms in primary care through the Enhanced Community Care Programme, the structured chronic disease management programme in general practice and the continued evolution of community pharmacy services have strengthened the healthcare system's ability to meet population needs closer to home; \u2014 notwithstanding demand pressures that remain significant, these investments are creating stronger alternatives to hospital-based care and providing a foundation for more integrated, person-centred services as close to home as possible, \u2013 creating a 'home first' approach as opposed to a 'hospital first' approach to the provision of health services, when it is clinically appropriate to do so; \u2014 the Government continues to expand community-based and digitally enabled models of care, offering increased choice and improved outcomes to patients, these approaches focus on preventing avoidable hospital attendance and admission, supporting earlier discharge and are key avenues for relieving pressure on our health services; \u2014 technological advancements such as remote monitoring and telehealth are transforming how healthcare can be delivered, creating new opportunities for remote monitoring and virtual consultations; and \u2014 virtual wards are now operating in every HSE Health Region and have provided care to over 5,300 patients, freeing up over 48,900 virtual bed days, these services are helping to relieve pressure on EDs and acute hospitals while ensuring that hospital capacity is available for those who need it most; in relation to Surgical Hubs and Elective Hospitals, that: \u2014 significant progress has been made in increasing elective care capacity through the development of new Surgical Hubs and Elective Treatment Centres (ETCs), known also as Elective Hospitals, under the National Elective Care programme; \u2014 four Surgical Hubs are currently operational at TUH, Mount Carmel Community Hospital, Swords and Cork, with hubs in Limerick, Galway and Waterford due to open in the coming months, additional new surgical hubs for Sligo and LUH are in design phase; \u2014 once all surgical hubs are fully operational, the Surgical Hubs will deliver additional capacity across 12 specialties: Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Gynaecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedics, Ear Nose and Thorat (ENT), Pain Relief, Plastic Surgery, Urology, Vascular Surgery, Dermatology, and Maxillofacial Surgery, examples of elective procedures include Biopsies, Steroid injections, Carpal tunnel treatments, Hernia repairs, Tonsillectomies and Cataract Surgery, some of the benefits already delivered or underway include: \u2014 the Reeves Day Surgery Centre opened in late 2020, and has become the blueprint for Ireland's Surgical Hub Programme, up to end August 2026, the Centre has treated more than 20,000 patients since opening and was delivering almost 5,800 procedures annually by 2025, the facility has supported a 17 per cent reduction in TUH's total day-case waiting list, with three in four patients waiting less than the 12-week Sl\u00e1intecare target; and \u2014 the South Dublin Surgical Hub at Mount Carmel Community Hospital is demonstrating that dedicated elective capacity can deliver measurable reductions in waiting times and waiting lists, while simultaneously releasing capacity within acute hospitals; \u2014 since opening in February 2025 to end of August 2026, the Hub has delivered 8,006 procedures, including 4,275 procedures in 2026 alone, reduced average waiting times in participating specialties from 8.5 months to 4 months, a reduction of more than 50 per cent, reduced the number of long waiters by 63 per cent, from 330 patients to 121 patients and supported patients from across the wider Dublin Midlands network, including hospitals with significant concentrations of long waiters; \u2014 the Dublin and North East Surgical Hub commenced operations during the week of 29th June, 2026, and is currently in the early stages of implementation, it commenced activity in specialties with some of the largest waiting lists in the region, including Plastic Surgery, General Surgery, Urology and Pain Management, most importantly the Hub is being targeted at a region with one of the largest concentrations of long-waiting patients nationally, particularly in Beaumont and the Mater hospitals, where more than 3,100 day-case patients are waiting over 12 months for treatment; \u2014 the Cork Surgical Hub opened on a phased basis from 29th September, with Gynaecology amongst the first procedures delivered, expanding to include General Surgery, Dermatology, Ophthalmology and Neurology, Hernia repair, Carpal tunnel Surgery and pain relief injections; \u2014 plans are progressing for Elective Hospitals in Cork, Galway and Dublin, a Planning Application for the ETC at St Stephen's in Cork was lodged on 12th October, while an application for planning permission for Galway at Merlin Park is expected to be lodged in early 2027, work on the Preliminary Business Cases for Dublin is advancing; and \u2014 separating elective from emergency and acute care means fewer cancellations and delays for elective care and frees up hospital theatres and day beds in Model 3 and Model 4 hospitals for more complex cases and better addresses unscheduled care needs.\". I want to acknowledge at the outset the very real pressures facing our emergency departments. This year, attendances have been almost 7% higher than the same period last year, with admissions increasing by more than 5%. First of all, I want to acknowledge the thousands of healthcare professionals working every day across hospitals, community services, primary care teams, ambulance services and throughout the wider health system, in particular those in emergency departments and emergency care services. Their commitment, professionalism and dedication are extraordinary. We know what the demand growth means in practice. It means that we have to protect our patients' dignity and we have to protect patient safety. That means we have to manage patient flow even better because patient flow matters and we can all see the impact where it works and where it does not work. I see it for myself. Other Deputies see it for themselves. We visit emergency departments and speak to staff right around the country, sometimes with notice, sometimes without notice. I know the impact of overcrowding on patients and their families and on staff working in the hospital. I know what good looks like and I know what bad looks like. Every patient in an overcrowded or red hospital is one hospital patient too many. Comparisons matter because transparency matters. It matters as much to point out the good practice as the bad practice. That is why that is relevant and important. That comparison of performance across the board is specifically enabled by the regional structure, which I know the Deputy agrees with. Today, at 8 a.m., there were 454 patients waiting on trolleys for admission from emergency departments, which is lower than 544 on the same day last week and higher than the 375 patients yesterday. That is too high. It is a number that is greater than the demand increase and we have to acknowledge that, but there are three important elements. First, that is not a uniform experience across the country. For example, today, of the 29 hospitals, 17 of them are completely in green. Therefore, what the Deputy describes is not a uniform experience. Eight hospitals out of 29 today have zero people on trolleys and 50% of all of the patients on trolleys today come from five hospitals. In that context, it is very relevant it to make comparisons. There are 34 people on trolleys in the whole HSE Dublin and North East region, which includes Beaumont and the Mater, which are two busy hospitals. It includes Cavan, Drogheda and Connolly. It is a really busy area. There are 34 in the whole area, but there are 44 in St. Vincent\u2019s. Comparisons matter because it matters how we measure progress. Second, that there has been progress in 2025 and 2026 and those hospitals have stayed improved. There remains serious work to be done at a number of sites. I see, as do patients, the hospitals that are doing well, notwithstanding huge demand pressures, such as Navan, Connolly, Drogheda, Tullamore, Portiuncula and Waterford. There are many with no patients waiting on trolleys. The reality is that performance varies considerably. That matters and it matters that somebody articulates that. Some sites have demonstrated consistently strong patient flow, effective seven-day discharge practices and robust operational management and they maintain effective patient flow throughout the week by focusing relentlessly on demand and capacity management. However, patients also see, as the Deputy does, hospitals that are not doing so well. Today, just five out of the 29 emergency departments account for 50% of the trolley congestion total. These include Galway, which had been doing much better but had a slip today, St. Vincent\u2019s, which has been in persistent difficulty, and Cork, which has recruited 324 people this year and has more radiographers than any other hospital in the country. Cork has recruited more people than Beaumont, the Mater, St. James's and Tallaght combined this year and has more radiographers than those hospitals as well. We have 29 hospitals with emergency departments. Our persistent problem is with eight or nine of them. Patient flow is the key challenge. It begins with prevention and care in the community. It includes ambulance services, emergency departments and acute hospitals, and it also includes moving people out of hospitals safely and promptly when they can. We have a specific challenge to improve patient flow at specified sites. This year, out of the whole of 2026, 13 hospitals accounted for 80% of the 8 a.m. trolleys. What I am saying is that we have different issues in different hospitals. Let me highlight, though, some of the additional important patient safety steps we have taken and for which Sinn F\u00e9in has called. Let us just acknowledge that we have a shared perspective on that. We are committed to the safe staffing framework. Baseline implementation has been achieved in all of the adult emergency departments. That is a key marker as agreed with the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, and I know that is what Deputies want. It has also been implemented in 39 acute hospitals nationwide. In practical terms, 96% of baseline staffing requirements are now in place. In relation to recruitment, the only reason there is a freeze on recruitment or that there is any restriction on recruitment in the last two months of this year is because the HSE has already recruited 5,000 people in the last 12 months. There has been no stoppage in recruitment, and what we will do is make sure that any additional recruitment this year delivers on agency conversion, which I know is a priority for Deputy Cullinane, tries to stay closer to the budget, which I know is a priority of all of the Deputies on the Joint Committee on Health, and responds to specific areas. For example, we are looking at specific positions that can assist with patient flow and patient safety in the winter period along with graduate nursing hiring. Some 83% of graduate nurses have an offer. That figure was actually from a couple of weeks ago and has, in fact, increased in the last number of weeks. We have approved additional graduate nursing requirements. They should not have had the uncertainty, however, and that will not happen next year. The truth of all of this is that we are experiencing and will experience a much bigger challenge. Our population will grow from 5.3 million people to potentially 7 million in 2057. More significantly, the number of people aged 65 will continue to grow rapidly. That is a good thing, but we will have to provide care in different ways. Therefore, we have to do two things at the same time. We have to address our current pressures and plan our resources for the future. Yes, we need more resources, but we have to change how care is delivered. Adding resources, while important, is not going to keep pace with future demand. We have to become more productive. We have to separate scheduled care from unscheduled care. We have five surgical hubs opening this year and in the early part of next year in the hope of taking pressures off everywhere. They are already making a difference. In Mount Carmel, waiting time for surgeries, for example, plastic, general and orthopaedic, has fallen by approximately 50% from eight and a half months to four months despite increased demand. The number of patients waiting more than two years has fallen by over 60% in relevant specialties. Therefore, the surgical hubs relieve pressures on hospitals because those procedures would otherwise have to happen in those hospitals. This measure relieves waiting times for the many people who need that care. It is also why we are trying to shift towards community-based care throughout our network of 180 primary care centres. It is why, in addition to delivering new bed capacity, we are trying to deliver additional innovative ways to help get people out of hospital and help them avoid hospital through virtual care. That is now operating in every HSE region. We have 115 people on a virtual ward today who would otherwise be in hospital. We have provided nearly 49,000 virtual bed days in St. Vincent's, Limerick, Tullamore, Drogheda, Mercy, Kilkenny and Galway. It helps prevent unnecessary attendance. Then, there is also the community care virtual ward in Letterkenny, which is reducing hospital reattendances by 83% for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, following their diagnosis and keeping them out of hospitals. It is also why we are trying to make sure that we have full use of facilities and equipment in which taxpayers have invested. That means using all of the four CT scanners that have been invested in by the taxpayer in Cork. It means Beaumont using its CT scanner. It means using what we have on weekends and in the evenings. That is enabled by the significant investment we have made in the public-only consultant contract, now accepted by more than 70% of consultants. Yes, we will take additional steps this winter, as we always do, as is in Sinn F\u00e9in's motion, and as we did last year. We will have an additional targeted GP respiratory illness support programme to coincide with the flu season and reduce pressures on emergency departments. Each hospital with an emergency department has a dedicated additional patient flow and elder care support plan tailored to its own circumstances, given that they all have slightly different needs and pressures. They will have an individualised plan, which is very important. However, the central point around operational grip is the key one. There are hospitals that have improved and sustained that improvement from 2025 into 2026, even during rising demand. There are hospitals, such as Galway, which went through a complete reset in March of this year. Although it has had ups and downs, it has a completely different approach - a totally different wraparound care - to how it manages patient flow. It was routinely having 50 and 60 people on trolleys last winter. Where it goes into red, it is more often in the 20s now. That is too many, but it is such an improvement within one year. The investment did not increase by that amount. It had increased recruitment, as all hospitals did. Rather, there was a massive process change and cultural change, and those have been sustained. Limerick has improved enormously. There are 34 people on trolleys in Limerick today. That is too many, but it was routinely 70, 80 or 90. It has improved so much."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maurice Quinlivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maurice-Quinlivan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Maurice-Quinlivan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maurice Quinlivan I would disagree with the Minister's figures."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill What it needs is additional GP support before people come to Limerick because there are too many people presenting who are not sufficiently acute to be in an emergency department and who need better care in other places. That is what Limerick needs. The hospitals all need something slightly different, but it is those eight or nine hospitals where we have not approved patient flow in the way that has happened across the HSE Dublin and North East region, across the midlands, largely, and across many different hospitals just within that period. That is because of the dedication and focus of staff, which happens in every single hospital. However, there are key enablers to how patients move through the hospital that reduce the pressure on the entry point, which is the emergency department. That matters very much. There is no automatic correlation between increased staff and patient flow. It is about processes."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Cathy Bennett","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Cathy-Bennett.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Cathy Bennett We are very fortunate in Ireland to have among the most highly trained, qualified and dedicated healthcare professionals in the world. However, the Minister is not heeding the warnings in relation to serious and life-threatening risks that will happen this winter and deaths that will occur unnecessarily. This situation arises from the lack of respect for front-line workers, such as the paramedics in the National Ambulance Service who are made to reapply for their jobs or the newly qualified nurses and midwives in Galway and Dundalk being left without job offers. They do not want gradual employment. They want jobs today. Of course, there is the ongoing recruitment freeze. In the same breath, the Minister tells us about front-line workers and that she wants to talk about productivity before she talks about pay and conditions. Let us talk about productivity in the Department of Health. All I can see is serial waste, which will escalate to nearly \u20ac3 billion being spent on the children's hospital, money that could have been used to prevent people from striking and prevent recruitment freezes or front-line staff. This could all have been prevented. What impact or risk is the Minister willing to accept in terms of patient safety? The Minister needs to think about this urgently. Commitments to our nurses, midwives and paramedics must be honoured. We need a funded workforce plan to reduce reliance on expensive private agency cover. In Monaghan hospital, we need a medical assessment unit. The Minister spoke of how, in Cavan hospital, there were hardly any people waiting on trolleys in its accident and emergency department today. I can tell the Minister from experience that queues of people are waiting in the emergency room - hundreds of them - although they may not be waiting on trolleys. I am asking the Minister for a medical assessment unit in Monaghan hospital, which would prevent people from going near Cavan hospital. They would be assessed in Monaghan hospital and not have to go near Cavan hospital."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Louis O'Hara","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Louis-O'Hara.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Louis O'Hara Every day, doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants and other healthcare workers do their best to deliver quality care to patients. However, the Government has completely failed to ensure that our health service is adequately staffed and resourced to respond to demand. We see the consequences of this failure across the State, with record numbers of people waiting for hospital beds. The INMO has reported that University Hospital Galway, UHG, saw over 1,100 patients treated outside of a bed last month. This reflects the worst month of October in the last ten years. Despite these worsening trends, the Department is actively obstructing the recruitment of staff, including graduate nurses and midwives in UHG, Portiuncula and other hospitals across Ireland. At a time when our hospitals are operating under severe, unsustainable pressure, when many vacant posts remain unfilled, when there is excessive reliance on agency staffing, when emergency departments are overwhelmed, when patients are suffering long delays on trolleys and when staff are burned out to the point of exhaustion, how on earth can the Minister justify these recruitment restrictions? How can she justify the appalling treatment of graduate nurses and midwives, who worked so hard to qualify with the firm promise and commitment that once they graduated, there would be permanent positions waiting for them in the health service? What has happened to that commitment? These are talented professionals who have much to offer to our country and our healthcare system, yet they are being pushed away by their own Government. They have not received any updates or acknowledgment from the HSE in weeks, yet the Minister comes in here trying to throw around statistics, denying that there is any problem at all and trying to shift the blame onto others. She is the Minister for Health and the buck stops with her. She owes these young workers an explanation as to why her Department is actively trying to frustrate their recruitment prospects and leaving our health service in a state of constant chaos. Lift the recruitment restrictions, honour the permanent contract commitments that were given and make our hospitals safe for staff and patients."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"R\u00e9ada Cronin","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/R\u00e9ada-Cronin.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"R\u00e9ada-Cronin.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy R\u00e9ada Cronin Hospital care in Naas General Hospital is at breaking point. Kildare's population has recently exploded, yet the Department is not providing sufficient resources at Naas General Hospital. I have submitted countless parliamentary questions specifically on Kildare's population increase and the need for more resourcing at Naas, but the Government has been far too slow on this. Kildare also has one of the lowest rates of GPs per capita in the State, which is having a huge impact on accident and emergency departments in our hospitals. People who cannot see a GP, tend to go to an accident and emergency department. The average emergency department wait time at Naas is 11 hours. Half of all admitted patients wait for longer than the six-hour target. I spoke to a constituent who is a friend of mine whose father had been waiting for more than 24 hours in the accident and emergency department there last month. This October was the worst on record for hospital overcrowding in Naas. According to the INMO, Naas General Hospital is now short 80 nursing posts, yet we seem to expect the hospital to continue to deliver services with these staffing shortages. It is unsafe and completely unsustainable. Earlier this year, an agreement was reached between the HSE and nursing unions to address the staffing shortages. However, that agreement is being undermined by the recruitment freeze that remains in place across the health service. Faced with no meaningful progress, nursing staff have understandably decided to take industrial action at Naas since last week and there has been disruption to services. The Department of Health and the HSE must release these posts without delay so that full services can be restored. The nurses did not take this strike action lightly. Their actions reflect the seriousness of the situation. A constituent of mine who was an agency nurse worked for one day in Naas but is now working as a nurse in a GP's surgery. It should not be hit and miss. Some hospitals are great but Naas is just not-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Sorca Clarke) I must call Deputy Pa Daly."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Pa Daly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Pa-Daly.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Pa Daly I am not sure whether the Minister wants to call it a moratorium, a pause, a blanket recruitment freeze or whatever, but this motion, which I support, calls on the Government to remove the recruitment restrictions because if it does not do so, patients will die or else they will remain sicker for longer. I want to tell the Minister about the Castleisland-Farranfore community care area. It goes from Abbeyfeale down to outside Killarney, west as far as Firies and east as far as the Cork border. Traditionally, there were two senior physiotherapists in the area working for five days per week, but that has recently been reduced to one senior physiotherapist, who is expected to cover all outpatient department referrals, often 80 per month, the vast majority of which require numerous appointments. That physiotherapist is also covering a domiciliary post that has been vacant since 2023, so they are doing all of those home visits. That is not enhanced community care. It is not Sl\u00e1intecare where patients were supposed to be seen in the right place and at the right time. It is very regressive because the delay may increase falls and injuries and patients may present with more chronic issues. In University Hospital Kerry, staffing for acute services has been prioritised with the result that outpatient departments and elective procedure waiting lists have lengthened. One of the junior Ministers will be in Killarney to finally open - three years late - the community nursing unit. I am wondering what kind of reception he will get because while that is being waited for, there is no minor injuries unit in the whole of the county, there is no promised primary care centre and the whole system seems to be in a seachr\u00e1n."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Gould","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Thomas-Gould.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Gould The chief executive of CUH, Jennifer Kearney, bravely came out and highlighted the serious risks that the people of Cork and CUH are facing this winter. People are at risk and the Minister chose to come out and attack that lady, who is highlighting this and standing up for ordinary people because she is the chief executive and she knows that people are at risk in Cork. The Minister decided to attack her. I also want to extend my solidarity to all the staff in the CUH, the Mercy hospital, the south infirmary and all of the other facilities. I was treated in CUH for sepsis and nearly died. I know myself that the staff there are unbelievable, from housekeeping, administration, nurses to the surgeons and everyone in between. I stood proudly with them a couple of weeks ago outside the CUH. They are so angry with the Minister and the rest of this Government because of the way they are being treated. They know. We see the midwives being pulled from the brilliant domiciliary in and out, DOMINO, scheme to the Cork University Maternity Hospital, CUMH, because of the embargo. Not only that, but Heather House's new dementia unit is not open because we know the Government is blocking the recruitment there. St. Finbarr's new unit is not being opened. Both should have been opened by now but they are not, all because of a recruitment embargo by the Minister and her Government. Cork has no elective hospital. There are no out-of-hours services in Blackpool. Those were virtually closed down by this Government. The Government is closing the Sarsfield Court dementia unit at the moment. It is closing beds because it is not recruiting. I will ask the Minister one thing tonight. Will she give a guarantee that the people of Cork will not be at risk and will she put in place the money, staff and resources to protect those people who are at risk?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig Rice","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-Rice.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig Rice I thank Sinn F\u00e9in for tabling tonight's motion. Every day our hospitals are operating under constant pressure, with overcrowding and shortages of both beds and staff. This is made worse by the lack of alternatives in the community. Patient safety and outcomes are being compromised by this chronic overcrowding. The Minister must start listening to the first-hand experiences of front-line staff and management rather than reverting to the default, which is complete dismissal. Let us look at some of the facts. According to Eurostat, Ireland had around 290 beds per 100,000 people in 2024, the fifth lowest in Europe. The EU average is 507 beds per 100,000. We know that of the 297 beds delivered in 2025, only 196 were open and operational at the end of last year, leaving 100 promised beds unopened. This year's figure is even lower, with 177 beds promised. Where is the ambition from the Government to build up the capacity? The ESRI has told us we need 300 additional inpatient beds every year because of changing demographics, and this year we are going to fall far short of that. It is going to get worse and worse until we actually build up the bed capacity. Clearly, we do not have enough beds in the system. We have just had the most overcrowded September and October on record. In relation to staffing, it is clear that our health service is dealing with the impact of the post-crash period and a decade of austerity cuts. Now, despite the supposed commitment to Sl\u00e1intecare from Fine Gael, it has returned to type, imposing a de facto recruitment freeze and austerity-style cost-saving measures. It is incredibly short-sighted. Is the Minister content to return to a policy of training healthcare workers only for them to have to leave the country to get jobs elsewhere? Too many graduate nurses have been left in limbo, with job offers withdrawn or put on hold, leaving the HSE in breach of contract in some cases. Despite all the talk about record recruitment, the reality on the ground is that there are vacancies and unfilled posts right across the health service. In April of this year, 468 posts from the 2024 national service plan had still not been onboarded, while 1,636 posts from the 2025 plan were still not filled. Overall, 6,420 posts that could have been filled under the HSE budget were not. Of those, 1,020 were previously filled posts that are now vacant. At the same time, \u20ac522 million had been spent on agency staff up to the end of August, and we know that agency staff cost about 40% more than permanent staff. I spoke to a speech and language therapist in Cork who applied for a job in St. Finbarr's Hospital and came first on the panel but was told the job could not be progressed. Now there is somebody employed through an agency sitting in that post, costing us far more money. We should have filled the post, offered the person a permanent job and continued filling those posts. With respect to CUH, I would like to question the Minister's constant comparison to other hospitals because I believe it is disingenuous. Comparing CUH to Beaumont is like comparing apples and oranges. Beaumont is one of two model 4 hospitals in the HSE Dublin and North East region, and it is in a city with five other model 4 hospitals, while CUH is the only model 4 hospital in the entire south-west region. Furthermore, CUH is a super-regional service. It is critical for stroke, heart attacks, cancer, dialysis and neurological services. It is also co-located with maternity, paediatrics and mental health services. It is not just the south-west region that it is crucially important for. It is also important for all of Munster and parts of south Leinster. In the Department's own bed expansion plan, the largest deficit was identified at CUH, with 341 extra beds needed in that hospital by 2031. Only 18 were delivered last year, and now an additional 21 are stuck in limbo. It is not just the south west where there is a crisis. The mid-west is also raising alarms. UHL management has warned that demand for services is outstripping available resources, while the decision to implement major curbs on recruitment has compounded the situation. Will these concerns be dismissed out of hand too or will the Minister engage with the local management? Ultimately, we need to fully address overcrowding in our hospitals. We need to reorientate and expand capacity in the community."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Liam Quaide","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Liam-Quaide.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Liam Quaide I thank Sinn F\u00e9in for this motion and the opportunity to discuss the staffing crisis in our hospitals. In 2013, my brother and I accompanied our father through the emergency department at UHL two weeks before he died. It was the most harrowing experience of my life. My father endured a prolonged, nightmarish ordeal on a trolley, the lowest point of which was when we had to use his coat as a makeshift blanket. In May of last year, my elderly mother had a similar experience in the same hospital. Those experiences were 12 years apart, and Fine Gael has been in government throughout that time and longer. I commend HSE Mid West management for sounding the alarm two weeks ago to local Oireachtas Members about its staffing crisis. Political leadership requires humility as well as capability and decisiveness. It requires recognising the limits of one's knowledge and listening to people with decades of professional experience. Humility has been entirely lacking in the Minister's treatment of CUH. Setting hospitals and health regions against one another, using selective statistics to praise some while publicly castigating others, is a damaging and divisive way to assert authority and instil fear. We need real leadership in our health system, trust and an honest appraisal of all the factors influencing hospital performance. I imagine the Minister will be in Cork this weekend for her party's Ard-Fheis. If she has the courage of her convictions on CUH, why does she not take two hours out of that event to meet the nine clinical directors who wrote to the Taoiseach this week, together with their chief executive officer, and engage in good faith? Why does she not, on a separate occasion, meet the Irish Hospital Consultants Association? It represents approximately 5,000 consultants, yet has secured only one meeting with the Minister, in March 2025, despite repeated requests over 18 months. The Minister's simplistic critiques of CUH and defence of recruitment restrictions are delivered with overpowering rhetorical confidence in short set pieces here and on the airwaves. Those arguments would dissolve in a sustained dialogue with senior clinicians equipped to challenge them. I suspect that is why the Minister is avoiding that engagement. The Minister's treatment of CUH is damaging patient safety and staff morale. She is also damaging her own party in Cork. How many of the thousands of CUH staff and their families will vote for Fine Gael in 2029 if she continues depriving their hospital of staff and trashing it for supposed underperformance? Deputy Colm Burke has long championed neurological services. How does he explain 20 specialist neurorehabilitation beds lying idle in Blarney because the Minister has not funded the staff? How does one of her Ministers of State, Jerry Buttimer, explain to his constituents why a superb outpatient facility on the Curraheen Road remains unused because she will not fund the relocation of CUH's fracture clinic? Both of those services would substantially ease pressure on CUH. Are Deputies Burke, Buttimer, McCarthy and O'Shea, former Senator Lombard, and Senators Kelleher, Lynch and O'Donovan all signed up to the Minister's approach to CUH? The Minister seems more concerned with demonstrating who is boss than engaging respectfully with those confronting the challenges in our health service. If she aspires to lead Fine Gael, she needs to become as adept at building bridges as she has shown herself to be at burning them. The Minister's treatment of CUH is blatantly unfair. It is distasteful. We are not going to stand for it. The clinicians and managers at CUH are not the Minister's political enemies. Their collective experience, expertise and dedication to patient care should humble all of us who are privileged to engage with them. Why does the Minister not meet them, commission the independent staffing assessment they have requested and address the shortages that are causing such unnecessary suffering for patients?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Rory Hearne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Rory-Hearne.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Rory Hearne I thank Sinn F\u00e9in for tabling this motion. We do not have a properly funded, adequately resourced public health system in this country. Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael have failed to create it because they have never invested properly, never prioritised it properly and never truly believed in it. The result is that we see nursing graduates being exported from this country. We have 1,000 nursing vacancies across the two Dublin HSE regions. The scale of overcrowding is something that Fianna F\u00e1il and Fine Gael have promised year after year, decade after decade, to solve. We have the worst figures in terms of patients on trolleys since January 2023. Some 111,000 patients have been treated on trolleys in acute hospitals so far this year. Patients are unsafe. It is wrong that nursing staff and other healthcare staff have to try to operate under these conditions. We are failing, and the Government is failing, patients. The Government also has an effective recruitment embargo in place that is having massive impacts, and it should honestly accept that. Staffing decisions should not be driven by financial controls but by clinical need and patient safety. We are not seeing that. What we are seeing in hospitals, and what patients and staff are experiencing, is unsafe. Patient safety should be paramount. What we are seeing is something that is completely unacceptable and a failure to value our nursing staff. My mother was a nurse, and I know the reality of her trying to deliver care within a public health system in this country that has never truly been delivered as a public health system. The Social Democrats believe in Sl\u00e1intecare and in delivering a public health system, and we would put the investment behind that. We would respect the staff, respect the hospitals and allow them to deliver a system that would provide the patient care required. I have one more issue to raise. In Beaumont Hospital, in my constituency, there are people on trolleys right now. It is wrong, it is not acceptable, and we need a proper public health system."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jen Cummins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Jen-Cummins.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Jen Cummins I thank Sinn F\u00e9in for bringing forward this motion. I also thank my colleague Deputy Rice for all the work he does on the health committee and in trying to get information about the health service. I will start with the permanent contracts for graduate nurses and midwives. We are training highly skilled individuals who are leaving the country. The INMO reported in October that there were 80 nursing and midwifery vacancies in Cork University Maternity Hospital and 23 vacant midwifery posts in University Hospital Galway. However, posts were not offered to graduates. The INMO stated earlier today that 35 graduates of the Technological University of the Shannon, TUS, in Athlone have not had their contracts fulfilled. That is a disgrace. They will leave and our hospitals will continue to be overcrowded and understaffed. There are a number of hospitals in my constituency, including St. James's Hospital, the Coombe, Crumlin children's hospital and Cherry Orchard Hospital. My colleague Deputy Rice has discovered the incredible challenges relating to waiting times. In St. James's Hospital, for example, just over 39,000 patients attended the emergency department. Some 40.2% of those were seen within six hours. Some 17% did not wait over the 24 hours because they could not wait any longer. Some 4.5% were seen after waiting for more than 24 hours. The 1,764 people involved waited for more than 24 hours. I was recently contacted by a woman who went to the Coombe hospital. She was 36 weeks pregnant and needed an MRI. She, a pregnant woman, waited on a trolley for 40 hours. That is absolutely ridiculous. It should not be the situation. The final thing I would like to say is that the issues of overcrowding and understaffing in hospitals have nothing to do with the staff who are there. It is the responsibility of the Minister and the Government to ensure that these issues do not arise."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Marie Sherlock","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Marie Sherlock I thank Sinn F\u00e9in for bringing forward this important motion. I will start by paying tribute to the staff who are working across our health services. They go to work every day, many of them in difficult conditions. They are there for the best of reasons. I must say from talking to many of them that they are not feeling supported now. They see a situation where we have hospitals pitted against each other. Apples are often being compared with oranges. The general public are confused. They are told, on the one hand, that great progress is being made, as in the countermotion put forward this evening by the Government, and, on the other hand, their experience on the ground is very different. Some 90,000 people in this country are waiting for a physiotherapy appointment. The Mater is supplying a fantastic service, much better than most other hospitals, but I recently visited a woman who last week spent 36 hours in the accident and emergency department waiting for a bed. People have been waiting for hip replacements for six years. The stories go on. It is a pity that the Minister has walked out during my contribution. We constantly hear about Galway, Cork and St. Vincent's hospitals. The Minister should name what she believes is going on here. Is it incompetence or is it something else? Many of us believe that very serious resource issues account for the trolley numbers in those hospitals. The reality is that matters are getting worse, rather than better, in our health system. For the first time this year, the numbers on hospital waiting lists crossed the 1 million threshold. There were 538,000 on waiting lists this time ten years ago. Our population has not almost doubled in that time and yet we have seen an enormous increase in waiting lists. One in seven people is obliged to wait for more than a year. The waiting times that people are facing is the most damning indictment of all. That does not even cover the waiting lists in primary care. Over 250,000 people are waiting on primary care lists at this point. To listen to the Minister, we would think that recruitment is the main driver of the deficit, which will move beyond \u20ac1 billion by the end of this year. The reality, when we see the facts from the internal HSE documents that I have seen, is that non-pay is running at three times the pay deficit within the HSE. When we look into the non-pay issues, we see that the category of other, amounting to \u20ac170 million, is the main driver. Drugs only accounts for 15% of the non-pay deficit. There needs to be a serious and honest conversation about what is happening within our health service. The public message from the Government is that the south west has recruited outrageously and that this is driving the deficit. We see that the reality is very different. We see that direct pay is being suppressed and that the agency bill has rocketed when, in fact, it should have been going down. In the context of the financial control measure that was put in place in September with regard to the four regions, there are very serious questions about the legal basis for that measure. This is crossing a line. The 2004 Act set out the basis for the establishment of the HSE. The Department of Health is now getting involved in operational and day-to-day matters. That is wrong. There is no legal basis for that. I would like to hear from the Minister of State on this issue. The second key issue is that it is reckless and is going to endanger both patients and staff. So much has been asked about the south west. I want answers from the Minister of State as to what has happened with regard to recruitment. I am looking at a letter, dated 8 August, from the regional executive officer, REO, to the chief executive of the HSE. It talks about a requirement regarding 154.5 posts. It states that is the minimum amount required to deliver safe care. It states that without those posts, the system will not be able to function effectively. Those posts are considered essential in the context of maintaining safe, effective and sustainable services across the south-west region. Those 154.5 posts are for older persons, home care assistants and those who provide home support, interventional radiologists, paediatric neurologists and the regional medical workforce. Were those posts put in place? There is a clear message from the REO stating that safety would be compromised across the south west if there were a failure to put these posts in place. We need clear answers. The Minister talked about planning, but the reality is that there has been a complete failure to plan on the part of the Department. We heard from the Minister that the budget is set on the basis of a 2% demographic increase for this year and yet we know that emergency demand is up by 7%. In places such as Cork it is up by 12%. In the Mater, it is up by 6%. There is also the complexity of care. The reality is that the Department is failing to plan based on demand and is instead applying an arbitrary figure to the health service."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Sorca Clarke) Deputy-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Marie Sherlock","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Marie Sherlock Earlier this year, we heard about the disgraceful situation around the radiation therapy being provided in our hospitals in the context of the waiting lists and, in particular, the machinery. We know that some of that machinery is 18 years old."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Sorca Clarke) Thank you, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Marie Sherlock","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Marie Sherlock It is the oldest equipment in the country. I hear that progress is being made-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Sorca Clarke) Thank you, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Marie Sherlock","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","memberCode":"Marie-Sherlock.S.2020-03-30","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Marie Sherlock -----to put a steering group in place. Is the funding going to be put in place for the replacement of the LINAC machines across our radiation therapy services?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Kelly","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Alan-Kelly.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Alan Kelly It is a pity that the senior Minister left because she needs to hear what people are saying. She liked the idea of having a freshness to her style of management, and indeed there probably was a freshness and directness. I appreciated, in particular, the way in which she was dealing with constituents. However, the honeymoon is certainly over and we are heading into a serious winter of discontent. I have a serious concern about what has happened with regard to CUH in the past few weeks. The CEO down there is refreshing. She is very good. She has been outspoken. I am seriously alarmed by some of the sinister developments in response to her having the courage to speak out in the manner she did. There was a suggestion that there were somehow going to be consequences and some assessment of her management performance. We do not want to live in a country where somebody who speaks out is treated like that. I would like to hear more from her in that regard. Approximately a week and a half ago, I met representatives of the HSE in Limerick to discuss the mid-west. There is no topic I have spoken on more. I got into politics because of the state of the health service in the mid-west. It was a cry for help. The senior management team were getting their retaliation in first. They said there would be clinical and governance issues because they simply cannot sustain what is going on. The mid-west has been discriminated against for more than 20 years. We have one model 4 hospital. The south east has four model 3 or model 4 hospitals. It does not have the same issues on the same scale. We are looking at 400 emergency department attendances. Beaumont, at most, will be looking at 260. It is not on the same scale. We are facing into absolute hell. I once stood up here and explained how my father would not go into that hospital. He said he would never come out. Do you know what? He never did. He came out to die. There are many people in the mid-west who are faced with the same issue. What we are heading for in the coming winter is worse than what I spoke about here two years ago. That is how bad things can be."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Eoghan Kenny","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Eoghan-Kenny.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Eoghan Kenny I also want to express my frustration at the senior Minister not being here to hear everyone's contribution to this debate. I want to focus my contribution on what is happening at Cork University Hospital, CUH, because it demonstrates the reality of the crisis facing our health service, especially as we enter winter. The INMO confirmed that October was the worst October on record for hospital overcrowding. At CUH alone, 1,215 patients were recorded on trolleys during October. I also want to highlight something that goes to the heart of this crisis. Last month, through a parliamentary question, I revealed that CUH had lost 50% of its CT scanning capacity in 2026 because of staffing shortages. At the time, 701 patients were awaiting scans, including 292 urgent cases. Patients are waiting for potentially life-changing diagnoses while essential scanning equipment cannot operate at full capacity because the staff simply are not there. The consequences go much further than diagnostic waiting lists. These delays affect patient flow, prolong hospital stays and contribute to overcrowding. We have patients waiting on trolleys because beds are unavailable, while others remain in hospital longer because essential diagnostic procedures are delayed. That is the vicious cycle we are witnessing in our health service. Rather than a clear plan to address these staffing shortages, we have witnessed a public dispute between CUH and the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill. Yesterday, my colleague, Senator Laura Harmon, raised serious concerns following a report that CUH's chief executive, Jennifer Kearney, was warned of possible performance management action after raising concerns about staffing and patient safety. Those reports require a full and transparent explanation. I do not believe the Minister for Health can provide that. I believe it has to be independent because hospital managers, doctors and nurses must be able to raise legitimate patient safety concerns without fear of repercussions. Has this State learned anything? Tomorrow we will have a debate in this House on whistleblowers. When we speak about people working in our health service raising legitimate concerns and then the possibility of facing repercussions, what is that telling the staff in our health service? My colleague, Deputy Sherlock, also referenced the legal basis of the Minister's new recruitment sanction controls. This exposes the fundamental contradiction in the Government's approach. The Minister cannot demand that hospitals improve patient flow while restricting recruitment. There are serious issues in our health service, but I emphasise one matter: do not undermine hospital chief executives and clinicians. They deserve to have their voices heard because they are also the voices of our patients. They should not be undermined."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Brian Stanley","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Brian-Stanley.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Brian Stanley The recent figures for the number of people on trolleys are shocking. The figures from the last week of October have broken all records and have been rising sharply to dangerous levels. There were 824 on one day last week, a new record. There is overcrowding in 28 hospitals, with patients on trolleys and chairs. In Portlaoise, while the figure was quite low at eight patients on trolleys, that is eight too many. Those are the facts. The figures in Portlaoise are only kept low by the exceptional efforts of staff working flat out and under huge pressure, including pressure to discharge patients as soon as possible. At one end of the hospital, patients have to be discharged, which everybody understands. At the other end, patients are waiting to come in and there are no beds for them. The pressure this puts on staff is leading to burnout. It can also lead to negative patient outcomes. Portlaoise's emergency department is now dealing with more than 40,000 people per annum. Bearing in mind the daily numbers of 100-plus on trolleys in October, what will it be like in January, in the middle of the flu season? The reality is that our hospitals do not have the capacity. That is acknowledged in the Government's bed capacity action plan. It is widely accepted that having people endure long waits to be seen at emergency departments or on trolleys, and a lack of capacity in hospitals, is bad for patient outcomes. This issue has been building up for decades. There are no shortcuts. The solutions are clear. The promised 3,000 additional critical care beds have to be delivered. We have been hearing about them, but we do not see the delivery. Earlier this year, the Minister for Health promised a new 48-bed wing in Portlaoise. That is the promise, but it needs to be funded and constructed to deal with the population increase in the county, which is putting huge pressure on the hospital and the excellent staff in Portlaoise. The number of front-line staff needs to be increased and the Government needs to remove the recruitment block, particularly for nurses and midwives. Hundreds of nurses and midwives, some of whom have been interviewed and placed on panels, have been told by the HSE that they have no job. I have another letter here today from one of them. Bed blocking is an awful term used for delayed discharge. The Minister of State and I know why that is happening. It is due to the lack of transitional care. In Abbeyleix, we have an excellent step-down facility, but its bed capacity needs to be increased. To get people home and out of hospital, we need to beef up the home help system. Public health nurses, in particular, need to be out in the community, rather than in offices filling out paperwork. They need to visit clients, see the conditions in which they are living, monitor their ability to look after themselves and ensure that critical warning signs are flagged and are seen or acted on. We need bed capacity in hospitals and the staff. We need home care and transitional step-down care, all beefed up, if we are to avert a crisis this Christmas and into the new year."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Charles Ward","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Charles-Ward.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Charles Ward I thank Deputy Cullinane for this motion. I fully support it. I could not agree more that overcrowding robs patients of their dignity, endangers lives and exhausts staff. I am becoming increasingly concerned about the situation in Letterkenny University Hospital. It is simply diabolical. There were 701 patients on trolleys in Letterkenny last month, while the figure for Sligo University Hospital was 951, giving the north west a total of 1,652. We know from the INMO that this was the worst October on record for overcrowding. The crisis is consistently worse than in previous years. In 2026, 111,000 patients have been treated on trolleys, yet the Government still fails to deliver a fair pay agreement. Hospital staff across this country are on their knees. There is a cost-of-living crisis and they are in trouble. They go into work every day and perform miracles, yet can hardly put food on the table. That is the state this country is in. A strike in hospitals next week would be a disaster, particularly in Letterkenny, where overcrowding has reached a dangerous, critical point. We must do everything, and the Minister of State must do everything within her power, to make sure this does not happen. I hear devastating stories every day from constituents waiting in emergency departments, being sent home and then having to be readmitted the next day because of capacity issues. Week after week, overcrowding in Letterkenny only seems to get worse. Last week, one elderly gentleman sat in the same chair for 28 hours in that hospital. Councillor Tom\u00e1s Se\u00e1n Devine of the 100% Redress Party visited him and came back 24 hours later. Four hours after that, 28 in total, the man was given a bed. This is not the fault of the staff. It is the ongoing situation in Letterkenny and it is becoming dangerous and, indeed, critical. Another woman was admitted twice to the emergency department. She was discharged the first night and her doctor sent her straight back the next morning. There are no care packages available for people, with some, unfortunately, being unable to leave hospital because there is no provision to look after them. This is a consistent problem and it negatively affects patient care. The staff are under immense pressure, with which they should not have to deal. This issue is particularly concerning in the north west, where limited hospital capacity and staff shortages are now coming to the forefront. We are facing potentially dangerous situations going into the winter. It is only a matter of time before there is a death. We cannot allow this to continue. Patients must be provided with fast and effective treatment as soon as they arrive at a hospital. We cannot have people waiting for 28 hours. Patients deserve dignity and proper treatment. There is an urgent need for increased hospital capacity, improved staffing levels and better access to community-based healthcare, particularly in the north west. I ask the Minister of State to do her best to address these issues. If they are not addressed, we will be facing a catastrophic situation, not just in Donegal but all over Ireland. We have a responsibility in this matter. We know what is coming down the line. The public sector pay dispute, with strike action planned for next week, must be resolved. What kind of message are we sending to the people in this country who provide front-line care services when we cannot even pay them their wages in a cost-of-living crisis?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Seamus Healy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","memberCode":"Seamus-Healy.D.2000-06-22","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Seamus Healy I welcome and support the motion brought forward by Deputy Cullinane. There are record levels of emergency department attendances and admissions in hospitals throughout the country. For the month of September, the number of patients without a bed was 12,274. Just last week, on 28 October, 824 admitted patients were on trolleys, 100 of whom were in University Hospital Limerick. Obviously, this is a very dangerous situation. There have been numerous difficulties, not just at University Hospital Limerick but in major hospitals throughout the country. In 2006, former Minister Mary Harney declared an emergency when there were 495 patients on trolleys. A number of factors have given rise to this situation, one of which is the effective embargo on staff recruitment, with most posts now required to be approved by the Department of Health. I wonder how legal or legitimate is that requirement. There is such a paperwork trail now ending up with the Department that there is, in effect, an embargo on the filling of posts. Student nurses are being left without jobs. Many of the 2026 graduates have not been offered employment. There are vacancies at midwifery level in University Hospital Galway. There are 80 nursing and midwifery posts vacant at Cork University Hospital. It is the same right across the country. This is in breach of employment commitments set out in HSE circulars and in 2026 graduate employment memorandums. While I welcome the increased graduate intakes in recent years, we are now in a situation where those graduates are not being offered jobs. Highly sought after graduates are being actively recruited to Australia, the UK and Canada. That situation cannot continue. Centralisation has been an absolute disaster, particularly in the mid-west. The closure of the emergency departments at Ennis and Nenagh general hospitals, against the wishes of the vast majority of the population and almost all the public representatives, local and national, in the area, has turned out to be a complete disaster. Hardly a day goes by without something like 100 patients being on trolleys at those hospitals. There have been various reports and proposals to address the situation but the only proposal that really will address it is to reassign Ennis and Nenagh general hospitals as fully fledged model 3 hospitals with emergency departments. There are significant bed capacity deficits throughout the country. As has been noted, the Government's own bed capacity plan states the need for an additional 3,000 beds. We also need fully funded hospital-based winter plans. The lack of provision of what used to be called home help assistants and are now called home care assistants is a huge problem. Not a day goes by without someone contacting me who has been approved for home care assistant hours but is not receiving them because the HSE cannot provide the staff. That is happening on an ongoing basis and it is seriously undermining the work of hospital services. I commend all the staff of Tipperary University Hospital. As a team, they are working above and beyond on behalf of patients and the people of south Tipperary. They are doing so against all the odds. We are looking for additional staff, additional funding and an extension to the emergency department."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Richard O'Donoghue","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Richard-O'Donoghue.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Richard O'Donoghue It is a pity the Minister is not here for this debate. She is at the Mansion House celebrating the 30th anniversary of the operation in Ireland of the pharmacy chain, Boots. I wish the company, which has an outlet in every county in Ireland, well. However, what we need in Limerick are boots on the ground. Together with colleagues, I was at a meeting last week with HSE Mid West, where we heard that 180 people offered positions in UHL are waiting for sign-off on those posts. Those health professionals can help people in our hospital in Limerick. UHL is a lot different from other hospitals because it not only serves people in Limerick city and county but also the people in counties Clare, Tipperary and north Kerry who come there for care. What we do not have are adequate staff and facilities to care for those people. That is what is wrong. People are always talking about the overcrowding at UHL. That overcrowding is caused by a lack of staff and facilities. That has been spelled out as clear as day. We were offered an 80-bed unit for people in long-term care in order to free up beds at UHL. However, according to the budget, the funds are not there to do that. Yet, it is being done in Waterford, with a step-down facility available there for long-term care. Will the Minister of State confirm that? We are not being allowed to do that in Limerick for the people who need the same care as those in Waterford. It comes down to budgets. No price can be put on a person's health. In 2009, when UHL was designated as a centre of excellence, the HSE forgot to allow for the population to rise. For God's sake, will the Minister sign off on the appointment of the 180 staff who are needed now at UHL and ensure the rest of the staff who are needed are also appointed? Agency staff are great but they come in for one day here and there and then they are gone. There is no follow-up and no accountability in that regard. We need long-term appointments of health professions to ensure we can look after people in Limerick."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Collins","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Michael-Collins.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Collins The situation in our hospitals is getting worse, not better. Overcrowding at CUH remains a daily reality, with patients waiting on trolleys, waiting lists continuing to grow and staff being asked to do more with fewer resources. I received an email today from a woman who was due to undergo a mastectomy in CUH last week. She arrived for her operation, having prepared herself physically and mentally - anyone who has gone through that knows it is torture - only to be turned away on the day and sent home. That is the reality facing patients. Procedures are being cancelled and people are left waiting and wondering when they will finally get the treatment they need. The pressure is also being felt across west Cork. Bantry General Hospital provides a vital service for rural communities, yet it, too, is operating under significant strain. Strengthening services in Bantry would help reduce pressure on CUH, but progress remains far too slow. I thank the management team, doctors, nurses and all the staff who do such an excellent job in Bantry under pressure. I also want to raise the withdrawal of the Domino and midwifery service in Cork. This service provided continuity of care through a dedicated team of midwives during pregnancy, labour births and the early days at home. More than 400 mothers used the service last year. The service is now being withdrawn because of staffing shortages. There are over 18 vacant midwifery posts in the maternity hospital at CUH and the staff providing the Domino service have been redeployed to other wards. As a result, many women have been left uncertain about their upcoming maternity care. I have also raised before the disgraceful situation facing cancer patients across Cork and Munster who are still being forced to travel to Dublin and Galway for stem cell transplants and CAR T-cell therapies because CUH does not have the facilities it needs. We are constantly told that Cork is Ireland\u2019s second city, yet patients battling blood cancers are travelling the length and breadth of the country to access life-saving treatment. Families are taking time off work, travelling hundreds of kilometres and facing additional stress and expense while dealing with serious illnesses."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn Since 2011, four Fine Gael Ministers have run the Department of Health, namely Dr. James Reilly, Leo Varadkar, Simon Harris, during whose tenure we watched the cost explode on the children\u2019s hospital, and the current Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, who leaves her own special legacy of 1 million people on hospital waiting lists for the first time ever in this country. The children\u2019s hospital was due to open in 2022, but its opening date has moved countless times. We are now expecting it to open, possibly, in 2028. Looking at Cork, on 28 September, the Minister for Health came to CUH hand in glove with the Taoiseach to open the \u20ac90 million surgical hub, two years later than planned. On the same day, she told us that Cork was safe all year. Almost straight away, that hub was shut down for a fortnight having failed air quality testing. Since its reopening, reports have come to us that only ten patients have walked through those doors. That seems like an expense photocall. A total of \u20ac90 million was spent. I find it bizarre that the Minister attended because it was in her diary knowing it would have to be shut down within hours. It tells us one thing about her, namely that she is more interested in headlines rather than hospitals. I will provide her with another headline. This has been the worst October ever, with a total of 12,672 people on trolleys, 1,215 of whom are in CUH. Last Thursday, 90 people waited over 24 hours on trolleys in the hospital for a bed, the worst in the country. The answer from the Minister is to blame the hospitals. She has previously told this House that the hospitals that consistently do not improve are, bizarrely, in Cork. There is nothing bizarre about it. In the summer, consultants cried out for help from this senior Minister about staff needs. Instead, the HSE has turned down financial and restricted medical posts across the CUH and other hospitals."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Sorca Clarke) I thank the Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn Meanwhile, the Minister is playing in her own soap opera about who rang who. She has been talked about-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Sorca Clarke) The Deputy is way over time."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Ken O'Flynn","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Ken-O'Flynn.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Ken O'Flynn -----as the next Fine Gael leader but, obviously, she is more interested in the next job than doing her current job."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Sorca Clarke) Before Deputy Lawless proceeds with his contribution, is he moving Aont\u00fa\u2019s amendment to the Government\u2019s amendment?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Paul-Lawless.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Lawless I move amendment No. 1 to amendment No. 1: To insert the following after \"better address unscheduled care needs\": \"; and calls on the Department of Health to approve all contracts which have already been signed by the HSE, and the prospective employee's which are currently awaiting approval by the Department of Health under the newly introduced recruitment pay-bill requirements, and to immediately offer clarity regarding the start dates of each individual who has signed a contract or offered a job by the HSE.\". I want to talk about the absolute shambles of recruitment in the HSE at the moment. What we are witnessing is, effectively, a recruitment freeze in all but name. It appears the HSE has overrun the budget for the west and north west and, as a result, the Department has introduced a recruitment freeze. While this is happening, there are 85 vacancies in Mayo University Hospital, 50 of which are nursing and midwifery positions. Just down the road in Galway, 88 graduate nurses from Galway University Hospital were offered contracts and positions. They were offered specific jobs on specific wards. Days before induction was due to begin, however, those contracts were, effectively, shelved. When I raised this issue with the Minister in the D\u00e1il, she blamed the HSE. What she failed to mention, however, was that her Department was reneging on these contracts and slowing the entire process. This situation is not refined to graduate nurses alone. Over the past couple of weeks, my office has been inundated with healthcare professionals, physios and occupational therapists. They were offered jobs and positions, with start dates and contracts signed, but those contracts have been shelved. The Department has given no indication as to when those contracts will come into place. I spoke to one lady this week who was offered a contract, which she signed. It was suggested to her by the line manager in the HSE to hand in her notice, and she did so, given she had a contract and start date. That individual is now without a job because her current employer has already recruited and put in place a new hire, and she is still waiting for the HSE to implement her position that was due to commence. Let us imagine a young mother with young children approaching Christmas, who signed a contract with the HSE, handed in her notice based on the good faith of that contract and is now without a job and faced into jobseekers\u2019 benefit. It is the same for many of the nurses who graduated from Galway University Hospital. They undertook four years of an undergraduate programme as well as a nine-month internship programme. For the nine months of that internship, they were being told that there are jobs there for them but, instead, they have had to sign up for social welfare. It is totally unacceptable. I am asking the Minister to intervene before many of our young people go off to Australia and Canada."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Nicholas Gogarty","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Paul-Nicholas-Gogarty.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Nicholas Gogarty It is another winter of discontent amid failing healthcare by this coalition. T\u00e1 na scannail dhorcha a bh\u00ed ag caitheamh os cionn \u00e1r dT\u00ed i l\u00e1thair ar\u00eds tar \u00e9is an bhuis\u00e9id dheireanaigh. Our brows are furrowed with rising patient numbers, while the bruised and battered are left hanging in accident and emergency departments. T\u00e1 cruinnithe de chuid an lucht oibre, a bhfuil m\u00edsh\u00e1stacht ioml\u00e1n orthu, ag m\u00e1irse\u00e1il agus ag dul ar stailc. Grim are the public health workers who were promised jobs in graduation. T\u00e1 siad ag imeacht go Dubai agus go dt\u00ed an Astr\u00e1il. Caillfear an chuid is m\u00f3 d\u00edobh orainn, agus is m\u00f3r an trua \u00e9 sin. They have been cheated of a working life here because of incompetence and pound-foolishness that send our best off and import at higher costs. T\u00e1 12,000 duine ar liosta\u00ed feithimh agus easpa leapacha ospid\u00e9il ar fud na t\u00edre. In this time of growing crisis, why does the Cabinet pass away the hours ag seinm an fhidil agus an Roinn Sl\u00e1inte tr\u00ed thine? T\u00e1 s\u00e9 ag cruth\u00fa ollph\u00e9iste d\u00edfhoirmithe i nd\u00e1ir\u00edre. We need to honour contract commitments and remove needless recruitment restrictions. N\u00ed m\u00f3r feabhas a chur ar acmhainn agus sh\u00e1bh\u00e1ilteacht na n-ospid\u00e9al. We must fund a winter plan that will work year on year; grow capacity that will save money in the long run; agus a chinnti\u00fa go bhfuil maoini\u00fa cu\u00ed ag an tseirbh\u00eds otharchairr. Let us make more glorious each summer with the right policies. Let us value our workers and protect our patients. Iarraim ar an Aire spl\u00e9achadh solais a thabhairt d\u00fainn. D\u00e9an an rud ceart."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Michael-Healy-Rae.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Healy-Rae First, I thank the Minister of State, Deputy Butler, for the kind way she personally dealt with the serious issue of CAMHS in south and north Kerry. It was an awful situation, but I thank her for it. We have an awful situation in Kerry at the moment with regard to accident and emergency services. The people working so diligently in our university hospital in Tralee are under so much pressure and strain all the time. The answer to that problem is to try to divert people away from accident and emergency departments so that only those who need to be there are there. When people have to attend, however, they do not want to go because they know they are going to be waiting such a long time. We need to enhance our hospitals, such as those in Kenmare, Cahersiveen, Listowel and all of our other hospitals, including in Dingle and Killarney. I am glad of them. We are having an official opening on Friday of our new hospital, and I welcome that. We need to enhance our services in the community to try to take the pressure away from the university hospital. This is so important for our young nurses. I heard a quote today from nurses whose take-home pay equates to 63 cent an hour. That does not make sense. How are we going to keep young nurses in Ireland if they are going to be treated that way, with the worry and torture they went through in recent months with regard to contracts? In other words, there are young nurses who wanted to stay at home in Ireland but, unfortunately, they are being offered no full-time employment. That is very wrong. If we want to get young nurses to stay in Ireland, we have to treat them and pay for them properly. To highlight accident and emergency again, I know of an incident in Kerry today where a person was injured at work - a young girl. She did not want to go in any circumstances. She was a case to go to accident and emergency but did she want to go? She knew that because that incident happened today at around 10 o'clock or 11 o'clock, she would be there until tomorrow morning. That is no fault of the people working in accident and emergency but it is our fault."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Carol Nolan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Carol-Nolan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Carol Nolan I will be supporting this motion because many of the concerns it raises reflect the issues I have been raising in this House directly with the HSE and the Minister for Health over recent months. However, I believe this debate should not be confined to trolley numbers alone. The overcrowding crisis we see every winter is a visible manifestation of capacity deficits that exist right across the health service. Earlier this year, the HSE confirmed to me that Ireland is operating significantly below recommended levels of specialist neurorehabilitation capacity with a deficit of more than 300 beds compared with internationally recognised standards. That is of serious concern, particularly with the prevalence of Parkinson's disease and people who need these services. I have called for a dedicated neurology team in the midlands and to make sure there is a neurology unit at Tullamore hospital. Such a unit has to be put there because the demand is increasing. I also raised concerns regarding neurological services provided through Beaumont Hospital and the bad experiences people had. In response, the HSE confirmed that there were more than 14,000 complaints on Beaumont waiting lists, that is, 14,000 complaints from patients waiting on neurology services while dozens of patients from Offaly alone are dependent on that particular service. Likewise, after raising concerns regarding dermatology services, I was informed that additional clinics and staffing measures were being introduced in an effort to reduce waiting lists, which in some cases were approaching two years. More recently, I sought clarification regarding stroke rehabilitation services in the midlands. The response made it clear that further expansion of early support discharge services remains dependent on future staffing and resource reviews. That is a common thread running through all of these cases and it is just not good enough."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mattie McGrath","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Mattie-McGrath.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Mattie McGrath I, too, support this motion. Ar an gc\u00e9ad dul s\u00edos, gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis na banaltra\u00ed, na docht\u00fair\u00ed and the professors in the Dunmanway unit in Cork University Hospital. My wife has been going there for treatment as a public patient for the past number of months and she is getting exceptional treatment there. I have been in St. Vincent's University Hospital myself a couple of times over the years and got exceptional treatment, and in Tipperary University Hospital in Clonmel as well, where there have been huge issues recently with trolleys waiting. We never hear the good stories but we hear of that. I salute the front-line staff, doctors, nurses and cleaners but the mismanagement in the HSE executive is just intolerable. From the children's hospital to the latest fiasco with the \u20ac90 million regional unit, nothing is delivered on time and everything is over budget. We do not have an optometry service at all in Tipperary. Dr. Hillery, an excellent woman, gave a year's notice that she was retiring. They did not both to reply until she left. We have had three rounds of advertisements and nobody is there. Young children are suffering and will suffer into the future from being neglected like that. This is up and down. I am not taking from the motion but there are issues of sincerely reckless and disastrous management and nobody is held accountable. The waste of money with Covid was just inexplicable and there are many other issues as well around the incompetence there at senior management level and maybe lower management as well. It is just impossible and the HSE is cannibalising itself with management. We have no bother recruiting management. There is a definite recruitment issue with nurses and everybody else but not management. It is, \"Fill all the positions you like\". Managers are going around with files and this, that and the other but what are they doing? They are just bringing trauma on people and the staff they should be looking after."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae I am glad to get the opportunity and I will be supporting this motion because it is very apt as regards what we want to represent. A lot of what has been said here is happening in Kerry as well, day after day. For many elderly people, it is a daunting thing to leave a warm bed and have to go back to accident and emergency and wait there for maybe a day or two in a trolley, a chair or somewhere but not in a bed. They left a warm bed to start out with and this is where they finish up for a long number of hours. I have said this here several times before. That is the worst scenario happening in our health system. Enough money is being given to the HSE but it is not being accounted for and the people who are spending it are not held responsible or accountable. It is very wrong because the Department of Health and the Minister should be spearheading this and nailing the HSE down in regard to how it is spending its money. Almighty God, the Minister of State can go into any hospital and see the number of beds that are empty because they do not have a workforce to man them. It is no different with the new hospital that is to be opened in Killarney. A great number of beds have been left unopened. That is not right. It is not on. We have a population that is sick and they cannot get a GP at home so the next thing that has to happen is they are taken to accident and emergency in an ambulance. I commend the ambulance workers and the staff who go out. They do great work and sometimes they do things for people so they actually can be left at home. In any case, they do great work. They finish up with these people-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Sorca Clarke) Thank you, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Danny Healy-Rae","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Danny-Healy-Rae.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Danny Healy-Rae -----in admissions and waiting to be left in. It is very wrong and until we have it sorted out we do not have a proper health service."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Cahill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Michael-Cahill.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Michael Cahill At the outset, I wish to mention that we have a very busy accident and emergency unit in University Hospital Kerry. More often than not, it is crowded. Where I have a particular issue is elderly people in their 80s and 90s being left waiting 24 hours and longer. That is simply not good enough. There are plans for a 96-bed block in University Hospital Kerry. That will, when developed, help ease the pressure. I ask the Minister of State to do everything possible to have that project expedited. It is very much in the pipeline. We have a trolley crisis. The Minister for Health saw it with the staff first-hand when she visited Kerry recently. We were delighted to have the Minister in our county hospital. Staffing is a huge issue in all our hospitals. In response to a parliamentary question earlier this year, I was told that there were 163 vacant positions in University Hospital Kerry. That is obviously putting huge pressures on all the other staff and services as well. The same can be said right across all our community hospitals, including the community hospitals in Dingle, Cahersiveen and Kenmare and, indeed, the new community nursing unit in Killarney. It is a shame that beds are closed there. There are beds that have never been opened in the other three community hospitals I mentioned. I ask that everything possible be done to address that."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Heneghan I thank Sinn F\u00e9in for bringing forward this motion. The Minister of State knows I am going to mention Beaumont Hospital, and I thank her for the work she did with the solace caf\u00e9s in north Dublin. With regard to Beaumont Hospital and its emergency department, it is one of my main priorities after being elected and after the mandate I was given from north Dublin. I welcomed the announcement last year from the HSE capital plan but what I am hearing from constituents in my clinics and across all my emails and phone calls is simply not acceptable. Elderly patients are spending hours or sometimes days on trolleys waiting for care. I know there is work in the HSE with virtual wards but we need to expand it and have a Covid-level response to this. Constituents have got on to me about the accident and emergency unit. Sadly, because of their experience in accident and emergency, they were discouraged from going there and they lost their lives. A wife rang me whose husband would not attend accident and emergency because of the previous experience they had. I raised it with the Department at the time. That man got ill. Sadly, because he wanted to fight his illness instead of going to the hospital again, by the time the ambulance arrived he had passed away. That is from me speaking directly with patients. Another family described how their father spent 27 hours on a trolley. These are people. I know the Minister of State will work with me, and I want this to be urgent. They deserve to be treated with dignity, particularly when they are elderly and at their most vulnerable. I acknowledge the extraordinary doctors, nurses, healthcare workers and cleaning staff at Beaumont who continue to provide under enormous pressure. They deserve facilities that will allow them to do their jobs properly. The new emergency department and the 95-bed block are essential. We know the redevelopment was approved and progressed through the detailed design phase in 2025 and 2026. We urgently need clarity on what happens next."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sorca Clarke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Sorca-Clarke.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Sorca Clarke) Thank you, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Barry Heneghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Barry-Heneghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Barry Heneghan Beaumont does not just serve north Dublin. As other Deputies have mentioned, it serves a wide area of Ireland and this needs to be done urgently."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Mary Butler) Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach. She is an able Cathaoirleach, I must say. I welcome the opportunity to conclude this debate on behalf of the Government. At the outset I acknowledge the real concerns that patients and families experience when they face long waits for care. Overcrowding can never be acceptable. As we know, it places pressure on the patients, on their families and on our health and social care workers alike. None of us, especially in the Government, are in any way complacent about these challenges. As the Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, outlined, our health service is dealing with unprecedented levels of demand with almost 100,000 more patient attendances so far this year compared with the same period in 2025. There are 18,000 more attendances by people aged 75 and over, many with more complex health and social care needs and requiring additional care. It is unacceptable to me that older people are left for long times on trolleys. Nobody wants to see that. This House cannot ignore the fact that despite this growing demand, our health and social care workers continue to provide high-quality care every single day, often in challenging circumstances. I place on the record my appreciation and that of the Government for the extraordinary work of nurses, doctors, allied health professionals, support staff and managers throughout our health service. My colleague opposite can put down a motion with rhetoric about a lack of investment in staffing and capacity across the health service, but the facts tell a different story. There are 4,000 more staff in our health service today than at the start of the year. That is a fact. There are 6,000 more staff today than 12 months ago. That is also a fact. There are 30,000 more staff now than at the start of 2020. That is another fact. Within our acute hospitals staffing has increased by one third. Since 2019 health spending has increased by more than two thirds, or \u20ac10.6 billion. The motion from the party opposite ignores these facts because they cannot accept the Government is making sustained and substantial investment in our health services, in staffing and in patient care. They cannot accept that major investment is also under way through the largest healthcare capital programme in the history of the State. Surgical hubs are being rolled out across the country to separate elective and emergency care. Four hubs are already operational and further hubs, including the new surgical hub in Waterford, are due to open in the coming months. These facilities will help to reduce waiting times and ensure that planned procedures are less vulnerable to disruptions arising from pressures in emergency departments. I want to correct an earlier comment that there had been eight people through the surgical hub in Cork. As of yesterday, 2 November, 87 patients had attended the hub. This Government has also continued to develop and grow alternatives to hospital care through the enhanced community care programme, the chronic disease management programmes, more services in our community pharmacies and virtual wards providing care in the home. Home support is an important part of our response to pressures on hospitals, including over the winter period. The triangle of supports of home care, day care and meals on wheels has grown exponentially over the past six years, supporting many people to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. It helps people to remain in their homes and enables those who no longer require acute hospital care to return home with appropriate supports. Priority is given to people in the community with acute needs and to those assessed and waiting in acute hospitals who can return home with supports. As a TD for Waterford and as a Minister of State in the Department of Health I also want to acknowledge, as was mentioned tonight, the outstanding work taking place at University Hospital Waterford. It has maintained a green status throughout the first ten months of 2026. This is effectively a zero trolley status that it has held for years, despite having the same increasing demand for services that is being witnessed nationally. University Hospital Waterford is demonstrating what can be achieved through strong leadership, effective patient flow and a whole of health services approach. It is important to state again today that just five out of the 29 emergency department sites account for 50% of the national trolley congestion total. We have 29 hospitals with emergency departments. Our persistent problem is in eight or nine of them. Waterford demonstrates that good patient flow is about knowing who is in the hospital and having a plan for every patient. It is about having strong operational oversight, having a senior manager focused on bed capacity every day, being proactive in the management of diagnostics and infection prevention and control, and facilitating timely discharges. It is about maximising the use of all available capacity, including community supports such as community intervention teams and home first services. The entire health service needs to recognise and learn from University Hospital Waterford's successes in dealing with trolleys. In my role as Minister for State with responsibility for mental health, I am particularly conscious that emergency departments are not always the most appropriate setting for people experiencing a mental health crisis. In recent years we have made significant progress developing community-based mental health supports. We are continuing to invest in crisis resolution teams, crisis caf\u00e9s, enhanced out-of-hour responses and stronger community mental health teams so that people can receive support closer to home and at an earlier stage. We now have seven crisis resolution teams in place. There are two in Cork, one each in Waterford, Galway, Sligo, Limerick and Dublin, and five more funded for Donegal, Kerry, the midlands, north Tipperary and Wexford. We have six Solace Caf\u00e9s open with nine more funded to open in the coming 12 months. Where we have Solace Caf\u00e9s in place, which are crisis caf\u00e9s for people with enduring mental health conditions, we have seen a reduction of between 14% and 18% in presentations to emergency departments. We are also investing in our suicide crisis assessment nurses, SCANs. These experienced nurses work to support people who present to GPs in distress, often providing support in GP surgeries and even in people's homes. In budget 2027 I funded a further 24 of these nurses to expand this programme so it has a presence in every county, bringing the total number to 69. Our objective is clear. Where appropriate, people experiencing mental health difficulties should be able to access timely support in their communities without having to attend already under pressure emergency departments. By creating additional pathways to care, we can improve outcomes for individuals while also helping to reduce pressure on acute hospital services. As we continue this major expansion of community-based supports, we know some people in distress may need to present to a hospital where they have both a physical and mental health need. That is why we are also investing in building the capacity of our emergency departments to better respond through the development of new specialist crisis nursing teams. These teams are made up of experienced clinical nurse specialists and advanced nurse practitioners working out of hours at night and over the weekend to support the non-consultant hospital doctor, NCHD, on duty. I funded teams for all model 4 hospitals and the Mercy in Cork in this year's budget and new teams for six of our model 3 hospitals for next year's budget. As we enter the winter period, the public can be assured that extensive work is under way across the health regions. Region- and hospital-specific plans are being implemented. Additional patient flow measures are being put in place. Vaccination programmes for influenza, Covid-19 and RSV are already under way and will play a critical role in protecting vulnerable people and reducing avoidable hospital admissions. The Government does not underestimate the challenges ahead. Our responsibility is to focus relentlessly on what works for patients. These are safety, safely staffed capacity, reducing delayed discharges, seven-day services - which are important - strong patient flow, alternative care pathways, innovation and accountability. That is the approach set out in the Government's countermotion. It acknowledges the challenges. It recognises the outstanding contribution of healthcare staff. It provides a practical path to improvement through investment and reform. We want patients to be seen quickly, treated safely, and cared for in dignity. We want families to have confidence that the health service will be there when they need it. We want our healthcare workers to have the facilities, staffing, and support they need to do their jobs. The Government\u2019s focus will continue to be on delivering the mission of universal healthcare. We did not hear much about that tonight. We will continue to build capacity, strengthen our community services and improve patient outcomes. We will continue to invest in and support the dedicated health and social care workforce who treat patients every day. This winter, every single available resource must be focused on the patient, every part of our health and social care service must work together, and every opportunity to provide safe care in the right setting must be taken. I commend the Government\u2019s amendment to the House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"M\u00e1ire Devine","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/M\u00e1ire-Devine.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"M\u00e1ire-Devine.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy M\u00e1ire Devine I spoke to the nursing team at Usher\u2019s Island in Dublin 8 and I send my best wishes to Dr. Kevin Kilbride, who built a fit-for-purpose homeless mental health service from scratch over decades. He is the epitome of public service and I am sure this House sends its best wishes for his speedy recovery following the serious injuries he sustained from an horrific knife attack last week as he carried out his duty. The health of our service depends on people and investing in people to carry out care with compassion in treatment and therapy. This is compromised when staffing vacancies are left unfilled and while a recruitment freeze damages the capacity to deliver a duty of care. Health and safety are weakened and patients made more vulnerable. I spoke to the Psychiatric Nurses Association. It is alarmed at the vacancies in mental health across all sections. Services are now at a critical juncture where the next step is the serious consideration of closure of some services. Despite what the HSE has stated, recruitment restrictions are in place. We can take the tier 4 controls as an example. They have resulted in an embargo on recruitment, especially in mental health, which historically has had poor resources. Mental health services are the forlorn Cinderella of the health service. There are between 650 and 700 vacancies in mental health nursing alone, and services are heavily reliant on agency staff and overtime hours at a cost of almost \u20ac1 billion across all sectors. Our 2026 graduate nurses experiencing the snail\u2019s pace of contract signing are heading to the private sector or packing their bags and moving abroad. This blatant crawl to recruitment is destroying the health system."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Crowe","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Crowe.D.2002-06-06","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Crowe Many other Deputies have alluded to the population growth. The population of Tallaght and surrounding areas has exploded in the last 20 years. We have not seen anything like the increase in funding for Tallaght University Hospital needed for the growing population. This puts significant pressure on the emergency department, inpatient beds and staffing levels. A new 72-bed unit was approved for funding in 2023. We were told that these additional beds would solve the problem in accident and emergency services in particular, but they have remained in limbo ever since because of the bureaucratic nightmare that is the HSE capital project system. I do not know and hospital staff do not know where we are in relation to that. I do not understand a system \u2013 I have only two minutes \u2013 where a hospital delivers additional services for patients and reduces waiting lists but is then expected to operate with the same resources. It does not make sense, but that is the system we are operating. There is a lot wrong with our system and one of the issues is clearly that we are not planning for the future and for population growth. It is patients and people living in areas where there is population growth who are suffering. It makes sense that if there is population growth in an area, staff working in the local hospital cannot get accommodation and have to live farther out. We have a broken system and it does not seem to be getting fixed any time soon."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Johnny Mythen","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Johnny-Mythen.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Johnny-Mythen.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Johnny Mythen The definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Every winter, we have the same major problems. Hospital figures go sky high, patients wind up on gurneys in corridors, and others end up languishing for hours on chairs. Staff capacity is at a dangerously critical level, with severe emergency department delays. In my own area, Wexford General Hospital has highlighted that approximately one in three patients spends more than six hours waiting for admission - that is roughly 11,800 people - with more than 6,000 waiting more than nine hours. The INMO has stated that withholding permanent contracts from 2026 graduates due to employment control fails to address the real and tangible problem of permanent staff and bed capacity. The Government has failed to honour these commitments. It must implement and publish regional winter plans, incorporating staffing and capacity targets, along with a safe staffing framework protected by law. Lifting recruiting restrictions on priority vacant posts is essential for patient safety and the delivery of world-class health services. I have spoken to staff in Wexford General Hospital. From the canteen employees to the cleaners, to the nurses and midwives, they are saying the same thing: they are doing their best but there is no planning laid out for hospitals during the winter months. An increase in sickness levels through flus and viruses and a new strain of Covid is overwhelming. It is time to listen to our doctors, nurses and midwives who have no choice but to face each winter with a deep sense of frustration, anxiety and exhaustion that puts both themselves and their patients at high risk. It is time that the Minister's actions reflect the reality of what is happening on the ground. She must publish a winter working plan that lifts embargoes, promotes staff levels and, most of all, delivers a safe environment for all who will be hospitalised this winter."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"David Cullinane","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","memberCode":"David-Cullinane.S.2011-05-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy David Cullinane If Fianna F\u00e1il is wondering why it has collapsed in opinion polls, its TDs should listen back to the speech that the Minister of State gave a few moments ago. It was utterly delusional. She spent most of her time talking about what she said was my and Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s failure to accept what she saw as reality. Most of it was untrue. What I do not accept and the Minister of State needs to understand is that we have a real crisis in our healthcare system. One would not think that at all from her response. The reality as we go into the winter season is that people are waiting longer to see a GP and many cannot even register with a GP. Some people who cannot get an appointment with a GP end up going into a hospital\u2019s out-of-hours service, emergency department or minor injury clinic because they are waiting too long. There was no mention of it in the Minister of State\u2019s speech, but for the first time in the history of the State, we have 1 million people on acute hospital waiting lists. We also have, again for the first time, over 260,000 people on community waiting lists. There was no mention of that in the Minister of State\u2019s speech. That is not to mention waiting lists for mental health, CAMHS, disability and other services. We have a national children's hospital that is still not built and people waiting far too long for treatment and in emergency departments. The Minister of State is right to point to examples where things have improved, including in some emergency departments. She cited University Hospital Waterford. I have acknowledged a number of times the fact that we do not have patients on trolleys. However, she should not get overly excited about that. If she visited the emergency department on a busy night, she would see people sitting on chairs. If she were to leave and come back hours later, she would see the same patients sitting on those same chairs. One person said to me recently when I was in the emergency department that a hospital trolley was actually a luxury. She was with her older parent who was on the same chair for ten hours without being seen. When I went off and came back later - I was there with a relative myself - the same elderly person was in the same chair. Simply saying that a patient is not on a trolley does not paint the full picture. That is the problem with overcrowding, which is why the INMO counts not only the number of people on trolleys, but also those who are not in beds and who just have been moved. We have to look at how long people are waiting in emergency departments and at the many more people who have left. In the Minister said that we did not have a recruitment embargo, but recruitment controls. People will see that as essentially gaslighting patients, staff and management of hospitals because what is the purpose of controls but to prevent recruitment for essential posts? That is what is happening. No amount of spin from this Government is going to avoid that reality. We have priority posts, urgent posts and necessary posts that cannot be filled because the Government has decided it is not going to fill them. That is the reality of it. The Government is playing fast and loose with people's lives because the reality in emergency departments and in hospitals more widely is that there is a patient safety crisis. The Minister of State does not have to take my word for it. Hospital managers, patients, advocate groups, campaign groups and healthcare trade unions are saying it. There is no acceptance or reality of that at all from the Minister of State sat opposite or, indeed, from the Minister for Health. They say that we have never spent more money in healthcare and tell us to look at all of the staff that they have recruited. Well, riddle me this. If that is the case, then why in God's name have we 1 million people on acute hospital waiting lists? Why are people waiting so long? It is also a case of mismanagement, inefficiencies, \u20ac1 billion spent on agency and hundreds of millions of euro on overtime, and all the while we cannot recruit the staff that we need. The Government is the one that needs a reality check and needs to start accepting a bit of reality as regards what is happening in healthcare as we go into a very difficult winter for patients and staff."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"M\u00e1ire Devine","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/M\u00e1ire-Devine.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"M\u00e1ire-Devine.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy M\u00e1ire Devine Hear, hear."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) We must move on to the decision on the amendment to the amendment."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment to amendment put and declared lost."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Amendment put."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) That division is postponed until the weekly division time tomorrow evening."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Overcrowding: Motion [Private Members]"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_23","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_23","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_24","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Defence Forces","counts":{"speechCount":24,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_23","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_23","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_24","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_24.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire Is l\u00e9ir leis an bpl\u00e9 at\u00e1 ar si\u00fal i measc an phobail go bhfuil fonn ar dhaoine a gcuid a r\u00e1 faoin gceist seo. Among the Irish people, in my engagement with them, there is a huge appetite for a referendum on this question. People want their say on this. They had it in the past and they want it again. Regarding the Minister's proposals to get rid of the triple lock, and it is to get rid of it, it is my view that the Government should put it to the people."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Defence (Deputy Helen McEntee) I thank the Deputy for the question. We have had an opportunity to set out in detail over the last number of weeks in the D\u00e1il and, indeed, the Seanad the purpose of the Defence (Amendment) Bill. This is to broaden the range of international missions to which Ireland may contribute, where appropriate, in support of international peace and security. Importantly, it is to make sure that we, as a country and as a Government, have the right to make those decisions ourselves. The Government's proposals do not seek to end Ireland's participation in UN-mandated missions, which is something that has been conflated with this matter, nor will they prevent Ireland from continuing to deploy personnel to missions authorised by the United Nations. In fact, they broaden the basis on which to deploy our peacekeepers to UN and other missions. I want to clarify to the Deputy that the legislation specifically proposes to amend the current reference in legislation from an \"International United Nations Force\" to the broader term \"international force\". This reflects the reality that peacekeeping and crisis management operations are conducted in a variety of international frameworks. This includes the United Nations, the European Union and other international organisations. In fact, some of the missions are led by NATO but are still UN-mandated missions. It is, therefore, not accurate to characterise, as many have, these proposals solely as ending a UN-mandate requirement. The objective is to provide Ireland with the flexibility and sole responsibility in making decisions to participate in a wider range of international missions, which importantly will continue to include the UN, where there is a clear legal basis and where such participation is consistent with Ireland's foreign and security policies and in line with our values and international obligations. We have heard for decades, time and time again, in particular from those who are opposed to the EU, that we are going to EU defence armies, that we are going to send our men and our boys to war, and that we are going to become warmongers. None of this has come true. In fact, we have been always clear. We have participated in UN-mandated missions and we have removed ourselves from UN-mandated missions where they have not aligned with our views, values and propositions, but we want to make sure that that decision is ours and ours alone. In terms of the overall suggestion around a referendum, that is something I want to come back to because there is something in our Constitution that the Opposition continues to overlook."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire There is absolutely nothing whatsoever preventing the Government from putting this to the people. I was out in Cork over the course of the weekend talking to people. People have lots of different views on this. The vast majority want to protect our neutrality and keep the triple lock but the thing that unites almost everyone is that people want to have their say. That is based on the fact that commitments were given to them in past referendums. Even the Taoiseach, in discussing the Lisbon treaty and how it was that they managed to persuade people the second time around, put it down to concessions that people got in relation to confirmation of neutrality. The triple lock was a central part of those debates. People want to have their say. It should be put to the people. The Minister says that it is wrong to state that this is getting rid of the requirement for a UN mandate. It plainly is getting rid of the requirement for a UN mandate. That is literally what the legislation does. That is the bit that the Government is taking out of the Defence Acts. I again emphasise that these are Defence Acts and are decided here. If the Minister were so concerned about sovereignty, it is-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Go raibh maith agat, a Theachta. You will have a further opportunity."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee What I said clearly was that this did not prevent us from participating in UN-mandated missions-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire No one said it would."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee -----which is what the suggestion is."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire Not a one said-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) There is one speaker, namely, the Minister."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee Article 29.4.9, introduced in 2002, sets out that the \"State shall not adopt a decision taken by the European Council to establish a common defence pursuant to Article 42 of the Treaty on European Union where that common defence would include the State\u201d, that being, Ireland. That was put into our Constitution in 2002 following the Nice treaty and was upheld again in the Lisbon treaty. What would we be putting into the Constitution? What is it that the Deputy wants to put to people? We have legislation that was enacted after we were very clear that we were a neutral country. Our neutrality is based on our non-military alliance. We have set out already in our Constitution, under Article 29.4.9, that we will not adopt any decision taken by the EU where it aligns with a common defence that would include our State. How can we be any clearer in that regard? What we are proposing here is that we would put forward a mechanism that would allow us to make our own decisions. Nobody would make any decision as to where we sent our troops and, also importantly, where we kept our troops. It is important to point out that since we had our debate two weeks ago, another UN-mandated mission has lost its mandate. There are now ten, not 11. That is three in the last couple of months."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Go raibh maith agat, a Aire. You will have another opportunity. A Theachta."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire There are many more situations that could potentially compromise our neutrality than simply that common defence point. In fact, I would say that our neutrality is frequently compromised by our failure to check warplanes that fly through Shannon and over Irish airspace. That is certainly something that the Government should return to. Certainly, it is something that we will return to. This is another paper tiger. There are so many of these arguments that the Minister throws out that nobody is actually making. I have not heard a single person, left, right, middle, media or Deputy, suggest that we would have to pull out of UN missions because of this. I do not know where that came from. Add that on top of the fact that there is this constant implication that we are prevented from doing things that we are not, such as the rescue of Irish citizens, humanitarian evacuations and investing in our Defence Forces should we deem fit. We should take our security seriously. That is appropriate but that is not prevented by the triple lock. The Government should put it to the people."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee The Deputy has not answered, in any response, what I have just set out in Article 29.4.9,-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire The Minister has not-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee -----which clearly sets out that we will not join any defence alignments. If we were to do that, we would have to have a referendum. Unless the Deputy wants to change that himself and actually take that out, that is what he is talking about."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire That is not the only-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Minister has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee The Deputy is saying that I am running away and we are not engaging with the people. I put it to the Deputy that his own colleagues are running away. For two weeks, Fianna F\u00e1il, Fine Gael and Government colleagues have engaged with Deputy Conway-Walsh, who is the Chair of the defence committee, on tabling Committee Stage of the Defence (Amendment) Bill but she has ignored us and has not responded. Potentially we will have a meeting on Thursday of next week to talk about when we might take Committee Stage. There are many ways in which it can be brought through the House."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire What deadline are is the Minister working to?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) There is one speaker and the Minister has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire What is the rush?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee If the Deputy's party is intent on frustrating this, it is not for a committee Chair to decide what they want to bring forward or not bring forward. There is an agenda and it is up to the committee Chair to respond to committee members. Sinn F\u00e9in is clearly trying to frustrate and delay the Bill so that when we try to bring it through the Houses, it will accuse us of rushing."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire By discussing it at the next scheduled meeting agreed at the previous meeting."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee It is a political tactic. That is all Sinn F\u00e9in is trying to do."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Defence Forces"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_25","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Legislative Measures","counts":{"speechCount":37,"speakerCount":5},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_23","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_23","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_25","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_25.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney I am sure the Minister's email inbox, like mine, is full and chock-a-block with people asking her to urgently reconsider the plans to abolish the triple lock. They point out, as I and many others have, the generosity of the wording of the Act of 2006 and the solemn guarantees of the Nice and Lisbon treaties. The will of the people is clear. Will the Minister listen and keep the triple lock?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Deputy Thomas Byrne) As Deputies are aware, the Defence (Amendment) Bill is progressing through the Houses of the Oireachtas. The Bill will be proceeding to Committee Stage. We are awaiting a date for Committee Stage, as the Minister said. It is important to address some of the claims that have been made about this. Much of the criticism advanced on Second Stage was based on a mischaracterisation of the legislation and an inaccurate portrayal of its consequences. The Bill does not impact on Ireland's neutrality. It does not provide for unrestricted overseas deployment of Defence Forces personnel. Nothing in the Bill does this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire It does allow for this."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne The central reform contained in the Bill is set out in section 4, which replaces the existing concept of an international United Nations force with the term \"relevant international force\", which is then defined in the legislation. In practical terms, the law that we want to pass sets out clearly that Ireland can continue to participate in peacekeeping, peace enforcement and conflict prevention on overseas missions which, crucially, operate in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the UN and international law, whether specifically authorised by the Security Council or subject to a UN General Assembly resolution or, in addition, by organisations such as the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe or other regional arrangements. The reform will ensure that Ireland is not prevented from contributing to legitimate international peace support operations solely because agreement cannot be reached at UN level. The legislation will, of course, continue to permit participation in UN and UN-mandated operations. Should the Security Council authorise, or the General Assembly recommend, future peacekeeping missions, Ireland will be fully able to contribute to them but we will have greater flexibility to participate in peace missions organised or led by bodies such as the European Union, as we had in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the OSCE or other regional arrangements where such participation is considered appropriate by the Government and approved in accordance with the principles of the Charter of the UN."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney The principles of the Charter of the UN were tested in 2003 when the US and the UK chose to go to war with Iraq. These exact principles were invoked when they went to war. The Minister's colleague in the Department of Defence said at a committee meeting in response to Deputy Murphy that had this legislation been in place in 2003, neither Article 29 or anything else would have prevented Ireland from sending troops to Iraq and engaging in what was described at the time as action in line with the principles of the UN Charter. This is exactly what was said at the time. It is the Government that is being inaccurate and disingenuous. It is putting forward this tired rhetoric about sovereignty and taking back control. Solemn guarantees were given in the Nice and Lisbon treaties. It is clear that the public view is pro-triple lock and it is clear that the current trajectory is exactly what people were afraid of when they voted in the Nice and Lisbon referendums. If the Government is confident about this legitimacy it should put it to the people."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne It is time to call out the scaremongering and misinformation about reform of the triple lock. The Iraq war was not in conformity with the principles of the United Nations Charter."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy They said it was."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney They said it was."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, said at the time that it was not in conformity with the charter. Therefore, this claim is false. The Opposition tells us we will end up fighting in foreign wars. This is false. It tells us that Ireland will end up in NATO. This is false. It talks about the end of Irish military neutrality. Again, this is false. Nothing in the Bill affects our neutrality. Decisions on military alliances and on the Defence Forces of this State are for the D\u00e1il and the D\u00e1il alone. This is what the Bill is about; it is about decisions. Either we do nothing, which is what the Opposition wants, and peacekeeping from an Irish point of view ends, or we act to reform the triple lock-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy You are not reforming it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne -----and provide ourselves here in D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann with the power to make decisions-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Pull the other one."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne -----on Irish peace work abroad, here in the D\u00e1il and not elsewhere."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney The example of the UN Charter being invoked in 2003 is exactly what I said; it was used by the US and the UK to justify that war. It was clear that the UN did not agree and this is the whole point. The UN is the only game in town when it comes to multilateralism. It is the only body that can offer a mandate to serve under the blue helmet or blue beret. It is the only body that can guarantee that the work of the Defence Forces is peacekeeping. The Government is taking this away. It is as though the Government does not understand what a guardrail is. Of course, the Opposition is not saying this will immediately send us to war but the point is that the guardrail is in place so that we do not go to war and we stay in line with our values of neutrality, diplomacy and peace, and achieving peace through peaceful means, which the Government seems to have forgotten completely. Once again, the Government cannot continue to maintain that removal of the triple lock, which is what the Bill proposes, in any way allows us to remain a neutral state. It is farcical."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne The Deputy has said repeatedly that the Iraq war was in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney No, that is not what I said. The US and the UK said it was."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) One speaker and the Minister of State has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne The Secretary-General of the United Nations at the time said specifically that it was not. This legislation requires us to act in accordance with international law-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy And who determines that?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Minister of State has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne -----with the Charter of the United Nations-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy It does not."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Minister of State has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne -----and with our Constitution."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy What about the principles? That is the whole point. The Minister of State will vote down amendments."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Deputy Murphy, the Minister of State has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy The Minister of State will vote down amendments to say it should be in line with the UN Charter. Mark my words."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Deputy Murphy, there is only one speaker."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Tell us now that he will not vote down amendments that propose it will be in line with the UN Charter."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Deputy Murphy-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Tell us he will not vote down amendments to say it should be in line with the UN Charter. Tell us how he will vote on those amendments."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Deputy Murphy, there is only one speaker."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy I am looking forward to the answer."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Right now the only speaker is myself as Cathaoirleach and Deputy Murphy has no right to speak. The Minister of State has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne The Deputies opposite completely ignore the Irish Constitution. As the Minister said, the Constitution prevents us from becoming part of a European Union common defence. The Leader of the Opposition talks about Ursula von der Leyen's wars but if the European Union were ever to do this, and it has never done this because it is a peace project, Ireland would not be permitted to participate under the Constitution."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) We will move on."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne Our Constitution requires us to conduct our international relations in accordance with moral principles with the objective of friendly relations among the states of the world. The argument the Deputies are putting forward is that somehow we will all go to war. What war are we talking about? It is completely ignorant of what is in our Constitution and what legally prevents us from doing that."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Legislative Measures"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_26","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Defence Forces","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":2},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_23","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_23","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_26","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_26.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire The First Line Reserve is a very important element of the Defence Forces, particularly for former Defence Force members. It ensures the Defence Forces continue to get the benefit of their skills. The issue I am raising relates to NCOs who have left the Defence Forces and potentially want to re-enter. At present they can only remain attached to the Defence Forces at the rank they held on leaving."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. When we speak about modernising our Defence Forces, it is essential that we look at the revitalisation of the Reserve Defence Force. This includes the First Line Reserve, which is a vital part of the overall transformation process. As Deputy \u00d3 Laoghaire is aware, the First Line Reserve comprises exclusively former members of the Permanent Defence Force. It provides a pool of trained former personnel and specialists who are available to supplement the Permanent Defence Force in times of emergency. The regeneration plan for the Reserve includes a commitment to streamline induction and assignment of the First Line Reserve. The regulatory mechanism to induct former Permanent Defence Force officers to the First Line Reserve is provided for and is already being utilised. The military authorities have advised that 20 officers joined between 2020 and 2024 and a further five joined in 2025. There are also enlisted members of the First Line Reserve who serve out the balance of their term of enlistment. Legal advice was sought on the matter of former enlisted members voluntarily joining the first-line Reserve outside of their term of enlistment, which is what the Deputy referred to, in line with the goals of the regeneration plan. Unfortunately, there is currently no regulatory or legislative pathway for former enlisted Permanent Defence Force, PDF, personnel to join the first-line Reserve at their former rank, so they come in at the rank of private. An amendment to primary legislation is required to facilitate such enlistment. Work is under way in my Department to develop proposals. I am keen to bring forward legislation that would allow former enlisted personnel to rejoin at the rank they held when they left. We are talking about very experienced personnel who can contribute, and have contributed, a huge amount to our Defence Forces. I want us to be in a position where they can do so but where they are coming back at the rank they had when they left. I am eager that this legislation be brought forward without delay so that the skills and expertise of former enlisted personnel can be fully utilised. Former enlisted members may join the second-line Reserve. Pending the introduction of primary legislation, it is hoped they will be able to join the first-line Reserve."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire The Minister understands the issue. Could we get more clarity on the timeline for the legislation and what type of legislation it might be? Could it, potentially, be tied in with the proposed legislation relating to command and control? I have another question on that, but it might not be reached. This issue that we are trying to resolve here arises frequently. There are people who served for a number of years and who served out their time with the Defence Forces. They have particular skills. They could be marine engineers or engineers of other kinds, or they could have skills in aircraft maintenance and other areas. They leave the Defence Forces, go off and are then only permitted to re-enter. At the moment, they can enter the first-line Reserve when they exit, but they cannot currently re-enter it later. Being able to do so could have huge potential benefits, particularly for the Naval Service, where many former members have gone into life sciences and pharmaceuticals. We want to get the benefit of their skills. When does the Minister expect legislation on this issue to be introduced?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I cannot provide a specific timeline, but I can say that these amendments are being worked on by my Department. The most efficient approach is often to bring forward a miscellaneous provisions Bill or to add it to another Bill. I would be keen to do that. The Defence (Amendment) Bill 2026 is going through now but will not include these provisions. I will seek to bring forward the necessary legislation as quickly as possible. Like the Deputy, I think this is important, particularly when we look at the overall objectives of the plan to revitalise the Reserve Defence Force. It is about making sure that we supplement the Permanent Defence Force where there are gaps and provide opportunities for those who have left but who want to continue to contribute. We also need to incentivise them. I do not know why personnel above a certain rank were not included in this initially or why they are unable to join the first-line Reserve, but I am very keen to amend the situation. These are the types of changes that encourage and support us in respect of overall recruitment and retention in the Reserve Defence Force. We are going well in that regard, and I can touch on that aspect in my final response. It is changes like this that will encourage more people to come forward and ensure we are not losing important skills."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire As I said, there is a whole category of people available. Parts of the Defence Forces are very reliant on contracted services. We should be trying to eliminate that reliance if people with the necessary skills are available, particularly in situations where surge capacity is required. There is a benefit in ensuring that people who have gone on to do something else with their lives but who still want to contribute can do so. Finally, if a miscellaneous provisions Bill is to be introduced, I ask that Army chaplains finally receive the recognition they deserve and the appropriate rank they ought to hold."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee On that final point, I am committed to bringing legislation forward. It has transpired that it is a much bigger piece of work than may initially have been thought. I conveyed that at the recent RACO conference and to our colleagues in PDFORRA. In terms of legislation more generally, all Ministers like to bring forward a steady stream of Bills. I hope to move again in this regard once the current legislation is enacted. Turning more generally to the Reserve Defence Force regeneration plan, this was published in July 2024. It co-ordinates 27 actions across four objectives: recruitment and retention; resourcing; training and education; and integration and deployment. Twenty-six of the 27 actions are deliverable by the Office of Reserve Affairs, ORA. Importantly, 13 actions have been completed and significant progress is being made on all the remaining actions. There has been very good progress. I have had very good engagement with the Reserve Defence Force Representative Association, RDFRA, and it is my intention, as I think it is the Deputy's, to continue working with the association to make as much progress as possible for our Reserve Defence Force."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Defence Forces"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_27","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Defence Forces","counts":{"speechCount":6,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_23","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_23","showAs":"Ceisteanna ar Sonra\u00edodh Uain D\u00f3ibh - Priority Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_27","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_27.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire I do not have much more to add on this topic, but I intend to keep raising it. It does not make sense to me. I just cannot get my head around it. The Minister keeps saying that she is precluded from acting as a result of litigation. I am not asking about litigation. I am asking the Minister to provide a health assessment for an entire category of people. They were exposed to dangerous chemicals. That is hardly disputed. What might be disputed is the extent of the health implications for them, so let us assess that. I do not think there is anything at all in that which would cut across litigation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. We have spoken about it many times. The Deputy said that he does not believe his proposal affects anything separate that is happening. However, it is important to state that multiple legal cases are before the courts. These are all based on claims of alleged exposure of people in the Air Corps to hazardous chemicals. I have sought advice on and discussed this matter many times. I am limited in what I can say publicly without potentially prejudicing the litigation that is ongoing. That applies to anybody the Deputy is suggesting may be in similar circumstances or impacted in the same way. I appreciate that the Deputy contends that it is possible to discuss this issue generally without straying into individual legal claims. I am advised, however, that any view I express outside the process could cut across the State\u2019s position in the overall proceedings. The State Claims Agency is independently managing these claims on my behalf, as Minister, under a statutory delegation. It has engaged formally with a number of plaintiffs to see if a mutually agreeable set of terms could be reached to bring their cases to a conclusion. Unfortunately, that process has not yet yielded an agreement. I encourage all sides to engage positively. As I informed the Deputy in a previous update, a number of these claims have been taken under active case management by the courts. This means that a judge can actively compel engagement by the parties, seek papers and testimony, and set binding deadlines, all of which is likely to see the cases progress through the courts more quickly. By way of a further update, I can share a development with the Deputy since this matter was last raised with me in the House. In the event that an agreement cannot be reached between the parties, some of these cases may be listed for hearing in the near future. This is all the more reason I need to be careful in engaging in any public forum about any issues that could cut across or otherwise influence or interfere with the independent role of the courts. Consideration of these matters by the courts through civil proceedings will allow the necessary case-specific analysis of the allegations to be conducted, with the benefit of legal representation for the plaintiffs."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire I know that this has been discussed by the Minister and her officials. It is obviously the Department's stance as opposed to the Minister's. A departmental decision has been made to be obtuse about this matter. If I steered any further clear of the litigation, I would be in the Shannon. I have not touched it or gone anywhere near it. There is an entire category of people whose health needs to be assessed, and the appropriate decisions taken on foot of that. It was done in Australia and the Netherlands. The Minister will say that the situation in Australia involved different types of airplanes and chemicals. There was still chemical exposure among aircraft maintenance personnel. I am not saying the exact circumstances were the same. I am saying it is an appropriate process. The State has dealt with whole categories of people in the past. The Magdalen laundries issue is an excellent example. Litigation continued through the courts while these Houses decided to put a package in place. Perfect or imperfect, a package was put in place that was totally separate from and independent of the litigation. There is no reason the Minister could not do that. She should do it because it is the right thing to do. I have not been too confrontational in the past few seconds, but, ultimately, some of these people have very serious health problems."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Deputy will have another opportunity."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee This is not an attempt to be obtuse. The situation has not changed. That is why what I am saying is not changing. I do not like coming into the House and not being able to discuss things at length. It is very clear, however, that what the Deputy is referring to, while not specific to those current legal cases, relates and is specific to other potential cases he is talking about. Again, the intention is not to evade questions. I am here answering questions, but a process is under way. In the context of that process, I have to be clear and sure. The advice I have is that anything I stray into or discuss could have an impact. An analysis was done by my officials with additional information and consideration from the State Claims Agency. It was provided to me specifically in light of the ongoing legal cases. It was never intended for publication and was not drafted with that in mind. The information contained in it is confidential and legally privileged but on foot of that, as I said to the Deputy and as he just said, I convened a meeting with the Attorney General, senior officials from the State Claims Agency and officials from my Department. We had discussions on this and, again, the advice is that as these cases are ongoing, we have to go through this particular process as it currently stands."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Donnchadh-\u00d3-Laoghaire.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Donnchadh \u00d3 Laoghaire I will leave it at that."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Defence Forces"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_28","debateType":"questions","bill":null,"showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_28","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_29","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Defence Forces","counts":{"speechCount":43,"speakerCount":4},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_28","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_28","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_29","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_29.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy At the heart of the recent propaganda effort by the Government to try to convince people that we need to scrap the triple lock while pretending it has nothing to do with neutrality has been the attempt to portray the EU support mission in Lebanon as being some sort of continuation of UNIFIL of which, obviously, Irish people are supportive. UNIFIL has positive support for the idea of our peacekeepers playing a real peacekeeping role there. The question is to explore the differences between these two things. Indeed, when she was in Ireland, Kaja Kallas said the EU is not seeking to replace UNIFIL. It is a very different beast that is being proposed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I propose to take Questions Nos. 98, 105 and 175 together. I want outline very clearly that although both UNIFIL and the recently established European Union Support Mission in Lebanon, EUSM Lebanon, are intended to contribute to stability and security in Lebanon, they differ significantly in their mandate, legal basis and operational tasks. Nobody is suggesting otherwise. They are different and I am saying that very clearly. UNIFIL operates under the authority of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006) and subsequent mandate renewals. Its primary tasks include monitoring the cessation of hostilities, supporting the deployment of the Lebanese Armed Forces in southern Lebanon, accompanying and supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces as they deploy throughout the south, assisting in ensuring humanitarian access to civilian populations and contributing to the creation of conditions conducive to a permanent ceasefire and a long-term solution. We know that the situation has changed, so we know that many of those duties are not possible at the moment because of the changed environment, in particular in southern Lebanon. UNIFIL conducts patrols, operates observation posts, liaises between the parties, monitors developments along the blue line - now, we have a yellow line, which is essentially an occupation in the south - and supports de-escalation efforts in a challenging security environment. I want to acknowledge that. I travelled to Lebanon and south Lebanon last week and witnessed the environment in which they are operating. I commend all of our personnel, not just those who are there now but those who have served in Lebanon for many decades. While UNIFIL is fundamentally a peacekeeping mission, it is important to recognise as well that the mission is also authorised to take necessary action within its capabilities and area of operations to protect United Nations personnel and civilians under imminent threat and to ensure its area of operations is not used for hostile activities. By contrast, the EUSM is a non-executive training mission. It has been established as an EU Common Security and Defence Policy mission focused primarily on capacity building, training, mentoring and strategic advice. The mission is intended to support Lebanese state institutions, particularly the Lebanese Armed Forces and, again, having engaged directly with our political colleagues in Beirut only in recent weeks, it is very clear that a lot of support is needed. Many who are working in the Lebanese Armed Forces are working on a part-time basis. This mission is, therefore, intended to support them and enhance their capabilities, and other Lebanese security bodies, in strengthening their ability to exercise effective control over Lebanese territory, improve border security, enhance maritime security, counter illicit trafficking and smuggling and improve command, planning and operational capabilities. This is what we are setting out at the outset. The tasks envisaged for EUSM Lebanon include the provision of training, mentoring and advisory support; assistance in areas such as intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; support for border management and security sector reform; enhancement of logistics and command structures; and co-ordination between Lebanese security institutions. It will be a much smaller mission. It will be focused primarily north of the Litani river. There is no suggestion that we are going to be sending troops to the south or, in particular, the occupied part of the south. Therefore, a separate UNIFIL area of operations will exist yet will nonetheless operate as an important indicator of EU and international support for Lebanon following the end of the UNIFIL mandate. If there are any future elements to that, in particular around fourth protection, which is another element that is being discussed but has not been agreed, we would, of course, have to look at that and take it on its own in the round. There was no suggestion that we are going to propose anything other than a mission that would align with our values, with the UN Charter and with international law, making sure we are focused on peace and security. Both missions reflect the international community's commitment to supporting a secure, stable and sovereign Lebanon, albeit through different mechanisms and mandates. In addition, other potential missions in support of Lebanon are being planned and they may provide opportunities for Irish peacekeepers should the triple lock requirement be removed and, again, should they align with our national policies and legislation. However, any decision taken in that regard would have to be a decision taken by Government and would likely have to be a decision taken by the D\u00e1il as well. In terms of the UNIFIL mission, which will conclude at the end of this year, the 69th infantry group is currently completing its final preparations for deployment to Lebanon, with approximately 294 personnel due to depart later this month as part of what is expected to be Ireland's final infantry battalion rotation to the mission following the end of the mandate at the end of this year. They will not be carrying out the same level of actions that the previous and current missions have taken. This deployment will be mainly focused on the withdrawal arrangements for the Irish-Polish battalion. I look forward to attending the ministerial review in Aiken Barracks this Thursday and meeting the personnel, in particular, and thanking them for their contribution but also recognising their families. We know that when troops travel abroad, whether it is to Lebanon or anywhere else, their family members are behind them, they support them and, of course, they are a crucial part of that overall commitment to our State. Furthermore, I reassure this House and the general public that the upcoming end to our participation in UNIFIL does not mark the end of overseas service opportunities. One of the things the troops asked me repeatedly when I met with them two weeks ago was that we would continue to provide them with opportunities to serve overseas. Many of these people joined the Defence Forces so that they can contribute to international missions overseas. They are trained and have the required expertise in this field. It is so important that we work to provide them not just with opportunities but that our long-standing history and proud tradition of peacekeeping and supporting vulnerable communities, not just in Lebanon but in other parts of the world, can be continued. That is a commitment I made to them."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy I thank the Minister. I welcome the clarity, in fairness, that this is something very different than UNIFIL. It is not a continuation of UNIFIL in any way. It is not a peacekeeping mission. I will just dig into it a little bit in terms of what the Minister's position is. If this is a trade mission, and I agree that is what the EU mandate is, is it her position that she could not send Irish troops to participate in this training mission without her proposal in getting rid of the triple lock or does it require the triple lock at all? As I understand from media interviews, her position is that it does not actually or would not require the triple lock effectively and we could send troops there. If that is the case, then why has she said things like our ability to take part in missions in, for example, Lebanon, is now being diminished? Can she explain why she told the media that a future Lebanon operation could be undertaken on both a peacekeeping and peace enforcement footing when, in fact, what she is talking about here is neither but is a training mission?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee Is this not a shared question?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) It is grouped-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy The other Members are not here."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) -----but the Deputies are not here."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maeve O'Connell I am here"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee They are here."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maeve O'Connell I am taking Deputy Currie's. She did contact the Ceann Comhairle's office."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Deputy may go ahead."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maeve O'Connell I thank the Cathaoirleach. I thank the Minister for updating us on the position. I certainly regret that after 50 years, Irish involvement in Lebanon is potentially going to come to an end. Many men and women, including our Fine Gael colleague, Deputy Callaghan, have served proudly in Lebanon, providing an essential security presence to protect a hard-won and very delicate peace, as we can certainly see today. It is a humanitarian mission, which Irish personnel have provided with pride. As the Minister outlined, while the EU countries may maintain a presence, without a UN mandate, the Irish have no option but to withdraw. Is there any other country currently participating in the Lebanon mission that, due to the withdrawal of the UN mandate, is intending to withdraw its involvement in Lebanon?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I thank both Deputies. There are two elements to what we are proposing. The EU has been clear and I have been clear on this. There is a civilian side to it and a training element. I have outlined all of the different areas of that. It is still a relatively small number when we compare the 360-plus we have plus all of the other missions. We serve with Polish and Hungarian colleagues in our area alone. Indonesia, Italy, Spain and every other country are contributing. It is a relatively small element. There is a second proposal, which will likely be around force protection. To restate, we are already contributing to force protection elements within the current mission. On peace enforcement, I have said clearly - perhaps it has become muddled up with everything because a lot of that is happening - that we have taken part in peace enforcement missions across the UN for many years. There are 11 missions at the moment, one of which ended on Friday. Five of them are peace enforcement missions. They are all UN-mandated missions. As a country, we have engaged in peace enforcement. However, that is not what we are talking about. Anything we would agree to or even consider would have to be in line with the UN Charter and its principles and with international law. It would have to go through a process similar to what we have now but without the requirement for the UN mandate. We are clear. I must push back on a narrative that is being pushed. Time and again, I have heard the Deputy, other Deputies, Senators and people on other platforms suggest that when we remove the triple lock, we are going to be sending our troops to fight with the IDF against Hezbollah. That is an absolutely ridiculous narrative. I received a report from the senior management of the Defence Forces, which has received reports from senior personnel on the ground in Lebanon. Defence Forces troops are concerned that the kind of narrative the Deputy is pushing, which is completely false and inaccurate, to the effect that we are going to send our troops to fight with the IDF against Hezbollah, which is what the Deputy is saying-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy No, it is not."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee That is exactly what the Deputy has said. He said, \"If they get away with [it] ... sending soldiers to Lebanon on the same side as Israel against Hezbollah will just be the start.\" That is exactly what the Deputy is saying. I am saying to him that our troops are saying that is putting them at risk. I have just come from the region. They are surrounded by troops from Hezbollah and the IDF who are in conflict with each other. The Deputy is actively saying that we are going to be sending our troops to fight with Israel against Hezbollah. It is completely false and inaccurate. If he had any respect for our troops, he would not be making up that kind of nonsense."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Will the Minister answer the question about the triple lock?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee Deputy O'Connell also asked a question. I apologise, but what was it?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maeve O'Connell Has any other country withdrawn?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee A number of countries that have people there are re-emphasising their desire to be a part of civilian training and are considering what other type of element of force protection might be a part of any future mission. A number of countries, including Ireland, have already put up our hands for the civilian side. That is not a matter that requires the triple lock. Any future mission would require highlighting a desire to be a part of that mission. We are not yet at that stage. However, I have no doubt but that the vast majority of those on the ground will continue to want to be on the ground."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy We did not get clarity there. What is the Minister's position? Do we need to get rid of the triple lock in order to send troops to participate in the EU support mission? Do we or do we not? It is a simple question and people deserve an answer. The Minister is saying that we cannot go to this mission because of the triple lock when I think her position is that we can and it does not require the triple lock because it is a training mission. There is deliberate confusion coming from the Government. There is going to be mission creep here. It is about getting the training mission agreed, which may not require the triple lock. We are then going to get into peace enforcement. Listen to what Kaja Kallas said when she was talking about the EU mission: Our objective is to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces and the ability of the Lebanese state to provide security across its territory ... That also means moving towards disarmament of Hezbollah. I do not want our troops involved in the armed disarmament of Hezbollah. I do not think our troops should be involved in that. I do not want to put our troops at risk of that. I do not know if the Minister wants to do so. She might clarify."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maeve O'Connell I thank the Minister for clarifying the position. The closure of Camp Shamrock is an absolute failure of our serving personnel. We have a duty to them to ensure that this does not happen. However, we also have a duty, and the Minister is trying to fulfil it, to ensure the public understands that without political action, legislative change and amending the triple lock, this is exactly what will happen. We hope there will be a training mission, but there will be other types of missions, too. This is a delicate piece in Lebanon and it will require more than just training missions. Why would we abandon people when they need us most? It is their most difficult time of need. How will we explain to future generations that we left Lebanon because we allowed foreign powers to decide whether we could go there and we, as a sovereign state, could not choose where to support those who need our protection? The Opposition says that this Government does not do enough for the people who are suffering in Gaza, even though we have done more than any other EU country. How does the Opposition then argue to retain the very measure that is forcing the withdrawal of Irish protection from the people of Lebanon?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Are we going to send troops to fight Israel? Is that the proposal? I would be surprised."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee On Deputy O'Connell's last point, it is absolutely devastating to see what has happened in south Lebanon and, in particular, in what is referred to as the \"buffer zone\". It is an occupation. The IDF has come in and occupied a significant part of southern Lebanon, south of the Litani River. It has demolished entire villages. Some 99% of certain villages is gone and has been demolished. There are small minorities of Christian communities. There are orphanages. Very vulnerable people are now left in the south. What will happen when we pull out is that there will be nobody to monitor what is happening. None of us wants to be in that position. I am not suggesting that we are now going to be a part of any mission that is south of that border. That is not what we are suggesting. I am suggesting that we are a country which has spent decades contributing to peace and stability in Lebanon. The result is that every person in Lebanon knows where Ireland is, knows our troops and knows the contribution they have made over the decades. The idea that we would not go to every means possible to participate in security and peace in that country is beyond me and beyond what is being suggested. I am clear. There are two strands to what is being proposed. There is a civilian strand, which does not require the triple lock, and a military strand, which does."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Military training does require it, from the Minister's perspective, but it did not in Ukraine."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Please, the Minister has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee No, not military training; a military strand. I have said that force protection could be a part of that. This is what our troops are trained for. This is what they take part in. There should be no suggestion that this is something different or a departure. As part of their current mission, there is an element of force protection. That would require the triple lock to be removed or a UN mandate. To those who say we are not trying, I say that there will be discussions at the UN in the next week or two. Countries are specifically advocating to try to put in place-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Does participation in the EU support mission require the triple lock or not?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Deputy, please."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy The Minister is saying \"No\"."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Minister has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I have answered that question twice. I am not sure if the Deputy is listening."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Is the Minister saying that the military element-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Deputy Murphy-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy -----is a part of the EUSM or not?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) -----you had an opportunity-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Is it something separate?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) -----to ask the question."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy This would be actually useful."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Deputy Murphy, the Minister has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I have answered very clearly. The EU mission has two strands. There are two strands to one mission."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Okay, the Minister is saying-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Deputy Murphy, please. I ask the Minister to continue."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee The attempt that is being made by Opposition parties which oppose this consistently is to fire accusations, shout and suggest we are going to be dragging everybody onto this slide and into this mission creep. We have been hearing that for decades. We have been hearing that we are going to join an EU army but it has not happened. We have been hearing that we are going to be sending our men and sons off to war. It is not happening. We have been hearing that we are going to be forced into all of this. It is not happening. I am saying that there are two strands to the one mission. We are choosing to be a part of the civilian side. I hope everybody agrees with that. It is training. Much of it is office work. It is about supporting through surveillance, cybersecurity and all of these other elements through which we want to support the LAF. If we wanted to take part in the other element - the military element, which could include force protection - we would not make a decision until we saw what it involved, what its boundaries were and whether it aligned with our values, international law and the UN Charter. We would not make that decision unless we were satisfied, but we cannot decide if the triple lock is in place."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Defence Forces"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_30","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Defence Forces","counts":{"speechCount":7,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_28","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_28","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_30","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_30.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maeve O'Connell Have the members of the Reserve Defence Forces received an allowance for the additional duties they are undertaking during Ireland's term as EU President?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Deputies whose questions are being taken with Deputy O'Connell's are not here."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I propose to take Questions Nos. 99, 136 and 137 together. I thank the Deputy for raising the question. There is no specific allowance that is being provided or that we are proposing to provide for duties undertaken during Ireland's term as EU President. However, a number of different strands have been worked on this year. There are other strands that I hope to progress in the months ahead. As I mentioned in response to a previous question, a key priority for the Defence Forces' revitalisation and modernisation programme is that we support our Reserve Defence Forces in that transformation process. This summer, I was pleased to introduce supplementary military service, SMS, for the Reserve Defence Forces. The launch of the SMS on 1 June provides for support military service, within or outside the State, and is remunerated. Members of the RDF deployed on supplementary military service are entitled to the benefits of the working time directive, where appropriate, as well as allowances and subsistence. There has been strong engagement from RDF members since its launch on 1 June, with 494 requests to volunteer to undertake SMS, all of which I have accepted. Members of the RDF can volunteer for SMS, both at home and overseas, where there is a particular deficiency in skills or expertise in the Permanent Defence Force that can be addressed by the deployment of a member of the Reserve or where it is otherwise in the best interests of the PDF to do so. In terms of activities specifically linked to our EU Presidency, they are limited to maritime defence and security operations conducted by the Naval Service reserve in support of the Naval Service and, in certain instances, ceremonial activities such as motorcycle ceremonial escorts. Where possible, Reserve members will step into general positions of Permanent Defence Force members to free them up to take part in Presidency duties or activities. There is no specific allowance for this duty but, as I said, we have introduced a new allowance that had been sought by the Reserve Defence Force. The allowance has been backdated and we are already seeing quite a significant number of members applying for it."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maeve O'Connell I am delighted to hear about the many measures the Minister has introduced to support the Reserve Defence Force, including the supplemental military service allowance. It is great that the numbers applying for it are increasing. I have a question about the security duty allowance, which would enable payment when reservists support An Garda S\u00edoch\u00e1na. I do not know whether any such duty is being undertaken as part of the EU Presidency. It might not have arisen thus far but it certainly is something the reservists have been seeking. I take this opportunity to raise another issue of concern to members of the Reserve. I refer to the risk they take, not as part of their duties but in respect of their day jobs. As we know, reservists are part-time volunteers, which means they also have careers and day jobs. However, they are not protected by the Unfair Dismissals Acts or equivalent legislation. Some reservists are lucky to work for an employer who is happy to release them for duty but many are concerned that they may be putting their day job at risk. We could lose some of these wonderful men and women on that basis."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee It is important to stress a point on which we all would agree, namely, that we must move to implement the actions set out in the regeneration plan and ensure we continue to engage and work with the union and with Reserve members to try to make improvements, where possible, in order to recruit more members and retain current members. The security duty allowance to Defence Force Reserve personnel for regimental duties was agreed in principle by my Department and by the office of Reserve affairs, ORA, which is continuing its work to implement the allowance. The Defence Forces have advised that the mechanism to codify the conduct of security duty by members of the RDF has been developed and implemented in the personnel management system, PMS. The ORA is currently drafting a concise guidance document for the security duty allowance, which will be aligned to the current practice and procedures in place for the Permanent Defence Force. It is anticipated that this document will be completed in the near future. I am very keen to see it progress and be applied as quickly as possible."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Maeve O'Connell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Maeve-O'Connell.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Maeve O'Connell That is very good to hear. As the Minister may be aware, I am a former reservist, having joined during the first recruitment of women to the FCA, as the Reserve was then known. That is why I am so delighted with the many measures she has introduced, including the work that is ongoing on the security duty allowance. I would also like to see work done on the employment protection aspect. The Minister mentioned earlier that she intends to bring forward a defence (miscellaneous provisions) Bill some time next year. I hope to see some of those measures brought through in that legislation. I would also like to hear about other measures the Department is working on to encourage recruitment and retention in the Reserve Defence Force, particularly to attract more women and a greater diversity of skills."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee On the current status of recruitment efforts, between 2020 and 2024, we received 20 first-line Reserve applications for commissioning as officers, all of which were approved. In 2025, five first-line applications for commissioning as officers were received. More broadly, from 2020 to 2024, overall inductions each year were 69, 41, increasing to 90 in 2023 and 65 in 2024 to give a total of 268, with an additional 135 in 2025. Those numbers continue to go in the right direction this year as well. The various measures that have been taken include trying to attract female members to the Reserve Defence Force. While that number probably still is not where we want it to be, similar to the overall recruitment campaigns for the Permanent Defence Force, there are particular measures within the four strategic objectives of the regeneration plan that specifically target and highlight the opportunity for women. I acknowledge the Deputy's role in that regard."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Defence Forces"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_31","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Legislative Process","counts":{"speechCount":27,"speakerCount":8},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_28","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_28","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_31","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Clendennen","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_31.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan Will the Minister provide a timeline for the progression of the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2026, given it was published in late June 2026 and is due to come before the D\u00e1il early in this Oireachtas session? Does it remain on track for enactment by the end of the year?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne I propose to take Questions Nos. 100, 111 and 113 together. As the Deputy stated, the Defence (Amendment) Bill 2026 was published in June of this year. It is a priority for the Government and we are committed to progressing it through the remaining Stages in both Houses as early as possible. While the precise scheduling of legislation is ultimately a matter for the Oireachtas, the Bill is on track and it is our objective that it be enacted by the end of the year. The reforms contained in the Bill do not alter Ireland's policy of military neutrality. They do not impact it in any way. They do not change, weaken or qualify in any way what is set out in the Constitution regarding Ireland's participation in any potential European common defence mechanism, which does not currently exist. Ireland's policy of military neutrality is characterised by our non-membership of military alliances. That position remains unchanged. The purpose of the legislation is simply to address a practical problem. Under the current system, larger overseas deployments require a mandate from the UN Security Council. In certain circumstances, that can prevent Ireland from participating in missions that are fully consistent with the principles of the UN Charter simply because a permanent member of the Security Council has exercised, or threatened to exercise, its veto. That happened again only last week in respect of a mission in which we are not involved. The Government's view is that we make the decisions on whether our personnel serve overseas in the interest of peace and that such decisions should not be blocked by external powers acting in pursuit of their own geopolitical interests. Unfortunately, such pursuit is happening at the Security Council. That is why the Bill proposes to replace the existing concept of an international United Nations force with the broader concept of a \"relevant international force\". This will allow Ireland to consider participation in missions conducted in accordance with international law and the principles of the UN Charter whether they are organised by the UN, the European Union, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, OSCE, or other international organisations. This is consistent with what is required in neutral countries such as Switzerland and Austria. It is important to note that the key safeguards remain. Government and D\u00e1il approval will continue to be required. Compliance with international law and the principles of the UN Charter remains central to the framework. The Bill broadens our options in pursuit of peace while preserving democratic oversight and accountability. The question of overseas deployments is completely unrelated to the issue of participation in a common EU defence. We inserted a provision in our Constitution following the Nice treaty referendum, which was reaffirmed by the Lisbon treaty referendum in 2009, stating that we cannot take a decision to join a common defence if the European Council were to make such a decision. We cannot do so without a referendum to seek the approval of the Irish people. Before even doing that, there would have to be a unanimous decision by every single EU member state to establish a common defence, of which there is very little prospect. The legally binding Lisbon treaty protocols remain in place, despite what some in the Opposition seemed to think in the debate two weeks ago. The same parties opposed the protocols at the time, although one of them claimed credit for them in that debate. Security and defence are matters for member states and we have full sovereignty and control over all such decisions. The Defence (Amendment) Bill expressly states that nothing in it shall be construed as authorising the State to become a member of an international organisation of which we are not already a member. To be clear for the benefit of the Deputies who asked these questions, the Bill is not about joining military alliances, it is not about joining a common European defence, which does not currently exist, and it is not about changing our military neutrality. The constitutional protections secured by the Irish people in the Nice and Lisbon treaty referendums remain intact. Nothing in the Bill changes that or can circumvent those provisions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan I thank the Minister. We have debated this issue extensively within our own party. I am sure similar conversations are being had right across the Government. The focus of my question is explicitly on the timing of the legislation. The Minister reiterated what was stated in the reply to a previous parliamentary question I submitted a number of weeks ago, namely, that the intention is still to enact the Bill by the end of the year. With that in mind, I have a couple of direct questions. I do not expect the Minister of State to be able to answer them all, but he might give his views. The first is on Committee Stage. How quickly is that likely to come about? Are we talking about two, three or four weeks' time? The second question is on Report and Final Stages and when he expects those to be taken in the House. Third, will the Seanad and the Senators who anticipate a debate on this be allocated appropriate time? Finally, on the powers in the Bill to make commencement orders, once the legislation is enacted, when does the Minister of State envisage signing those orders? I am asking these questions about timing because there is an awful lot to fit in before Christmas. My concern is that we will try to rush this through instead of allowing meaningful debate."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Callaghan Many people at home are worried that the assurances they voted on in the Nice and Lisbon referendums are somehow being eroded. Those assurances were about Ireland retaining control over its own defence policy and preserving our traditional policy of neutrality. The Seville Declarations provided further reassurance on those points. Will the Minister of State confirm clearly for the House that those assurances remain unchanged, that Ireland retains full control over its own defence policy and that the proposed reforms to the triple lock do not affect the constitutional protections relating to an EU common defence endorsed by the Irish people through the Nice and Lisbon treaties?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Clendennen","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Clendennen I start by acknowledging the RT\u00c9 production last night, \"Busted\", a three-part series on anti-drug operations. We see the best of our garda\u00ed, our Defence Forces and our customs officials, and the skills, expertise and sophistication with which they execute their job, while we have a debate here about keeping them at home and not allowing them to fulfil their true potential. It is astonishing to observe the charade of the Opposition in recent weeks on this. I will ask three questions. Is there any risk or any potential circumstance in which Ireland could abandon its neutrality as a result of this legislation? Is there any risk or any potential circumstance in which we would no longer recognise the United Nations? Is there any risk or any potential circumstance in which the Government could send troops anywhere overseas without the consent of this House?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne On the timing of the legislation, whenever we want to pass legislation or change a law, there should be a reason to do it. There should be a problem we want to solve. That is always what we are trying to do with legislation. The problem here, as the Minister has outlined clearly, is that the UN mandate for UNIFIL has ended. Our troops want to continue their service abroad if the Government decides it is appropriate. The Minister also said something important earlier about the safety of Irish soldiers in Lebanon in the context of this debate. I urge Deputies opposite, Senators participating in the debate and certain sections of the clickbait media to listen carefully to what the Minister said tonight about the safety of Irish troops abroad. It is important to keep our debates in the House to facts and to what is written in the legislation."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"(Interruptions)."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne It is our ambition to finish this legislation before Christmas. Time is a matter for the Houses, but there has been adequate time so far. Nobody was refused speaking time the last time. One thing is clear, and this is key to the misinformation: the constitutional-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy The Government has given three-minute slots. That is a joke. The Government tried to pretend it did not guillotine it because we were all forced into one slot. That is a joke. It guillotined it and tried to ram it through. It keeps trying to ram it through."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness We have all read \"Nineteen Eighty-Four\". We do not need to hear the Minister of State's doublespeak."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne The constitutional protections the Irish people voted for in the Nice treaty and Lisbon treaty referendums are fully intact. They are still there. Every time the European Union talks about anything to do with defence policy, because of the Lisbon protocol that is still in our Constitution and in the EU treaties, it says this is without prejudice to the defence policies of certain member states, in other words, Ireland and three other member states of the European Union. Every time an utterance or a publication is made, our officials make sure that is written in the document because we are a neutral country, and our officials and Ministers make sure that continues. The protections we voted for in Nice and Lisbon that are in our Constitution are still in our Constitution. Decisions on the dispatch of Irish troops abroad are a matter for the Government and the D\u00e1il. They can only be made in accordance with the Constitution and the law. The Constitution mandates that we work towards peace and friendly relations among the nations. That is what is required by our Constitution, the fundamental law of this land. It is written in Article 29. This legislation provides for peacekeeping, peace enforcement and conflict prevention. Peace enforcement, which is something our soldiers have always done in many missions-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy With the UN."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne -----was inserted into the legislation at the request of the defence committee, which is chaired by Sinn F\u00e9in."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","memberCode":"P\u00e1draig-O'Sullivan.D.2019-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy P\u00e1draig O'Sullivan I anticipate there will be hundreds of amendments when this progresses. To reiterate my question about timing, those amendments should be heard and given a platform. Second, the Minister of State is right that there is a lot of misinformation in this debate. We, as well as the Government, have to hold our hands up and say we can do a better job of explaining it to people. I suggest an information campaign explicitly going through the facts of what this legislation is likely to change would separate fact from fiction. That would be a worthwhile exercise for the Government to consider."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Callaghan I would like to speak again about the genuine concern among people at home listening to this that changes to the triple lock could somehow lead Ireland into becoming part of what many describe as the EU army. It is important that we address those concerns clearly in this House because people deserve to understand what this legislation does and, just as importantly, what it does not do. Whatever anyone's view of the triple lock, participation in an EU common defence remains a separate constitutional matter. Will the Minister of State confirm that the Irish people would have to approve a constitutional change before Ireland could participate in any EU common defence arrangement and that the proposed reforms to the triple lock do not in any way, shape or form alter that requirement? That reassurance would be particularly important to the Irish public at this moment in light of the misinformation constantly being spread by members of the Opposition."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"John Clendennen","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"John-Clendennen.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy John Clendennen I do not believe that any one of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council should effectively have the power to prevent Ireland from participating in overseas peacekeeping missions. I agree with the Minister of State on the clickbait media. Bad news travels around the world before good news gets out of bed. We have a problem here. Deputy O'Sullivan has touched on the misinformation. The Government will have to apply resources and run a campaign to address this and ensure the facts are filtering through because, at the moment, they are not. Deputy Callaghan spoke about an EU army, but there are also concerns that we will explore NATO as an option in the near future. Will the Minister of State give us categorical clarification that we will not explore either of those options at any time in the future?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Conor D. McGuinness","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Conor-D-McGuinness.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Conor D. McGuinness I believe there is \u20ac200 million floating around in the communications Department."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Minister of State has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne Deputy O'Sullivan is correct that there will be lots of amendments, but when we read the Bill and the parts of it that relate to this, it is short. It could not be simpler. It concerns peacekeeping, peace enforcement, conflict prevention, the types of organisations with which we can go on a mission and the other long list of items we need to provide for. Deputy Clendennen mentioned drugs. There is an organisation called MAOC (N), or Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre - Narcotics, of which we are a founding member, that intercepts drugs in the Atlantic. It is in Portugal. We have a garda there because we do not need a UN mandate to send garda\u00ed abroad. When we joined as a founding member, we told them we would give them a ship. We said we could help out, but we could not. We could not send a naval vessel into the Atlantic because of the triple lock, because it did not have a UN Security Council mandate. A separate provision in this legislation will allow that. It is these types of practical things with which we are mostly concerned. If there were ever to be a European army - it will never happen - or a common defence arrangement, in the first instance, every member state would have to agree to it. Second, any member state could veto such an arrangement. There is no prospect of it ever happening. If it did and if everyone said that it could go ahead, we would have to have a referendum on the matter. We could not join in the absence of a referendum of the people. That is in our Constitution."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy What about NATO?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne That is written in the sacred text."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee No one is talking about NATO."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne That is written in the sacred text of our basic law."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee We are not thinking of joining NATO."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) There is one speaker, namely the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy I am not saying it. Miche\u00e1l Martin said he would not need a referendum. I was just checking."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Minister of State has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne The reform of the triple lock does not in any way impact on that. To be clear, nobody on this or any side has suggested that we would join NATO. That is not happening. We could not join it anyway. It has a 5% of GDP spending commitment. We could not pay that. It is not going to happen. It would not let us in. That is the reality, because we could not meet that spending target. We want to increase defence spending and we are doing that but there is no way we would meet the conditions of membership of NATO. It is not going to happen. It is not on the horizon. What we are trying to do here is solve a practical problem whereby Russia, in the case of the west African mission that was stopped last week, China, in the case of North Macedonia 25 years ago, and the US, in the case of UNIFIL, have stopped peacekeeping missions and, effectively, made decisions for us. That is what the legislation is trying to achieve and what it will bring to an end."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Legislative Process"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_32","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Rights of Way","counts":{"speechCount":8,"speakerCount":3},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_28","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_28","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_32","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_32.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Kyne This question relates to access and connectivity through and around Renmore Barracks. The walkway along the railway line at the front of the barracks was closed. I understand why that happened. I have asked for the Minister's engagement in allowing access in the vicinity of the barracks to provide for greater connectivity for the community."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. I also thank him not just for his interest but also for his proactivity in raising it and in working with our colleagues on the council and in the D\u00e1il. It was good to meet with Deputy Kyne, Councillor Forde and the Minister, Deputy Naughton, in recent months in the interests of specifically seeing how we could move this forward and what progress could be made. In 2021, Galway City Council, GCC, shared proposals with the Defence Forces to clear away, resurface and carry out ancillary works to the existing road on GCC lands to the east of Renmore Barracks in order to make a new permeability route linking Ballyloughane-Renmore to the Lough Atalia-city area, which, as the Deputy set out, would have involved using Defence Forces lands. Since then, the Department has engaged quite a number of times with the council and its consultants on the proposals, with several site visits being held. Over the course of this engagement, the Defence Forces highlighted a number of concerns regarding the development's potential impact on security at the barracks and on road and pedestrian safety. They noted that the proposed route past the main gate would bring pedestrian and cyclist traffic into conflict with heavy vehicles leaving and entering the barracks. Additionally, security concerns were raised regarding the proposed route, particularly following a well-documented attack on Defence Forces personnel in August 2024. Following further engagement in April 2025, GCC, the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces held a very positive discussion regarding the development. A further meeting was held in March this year at Renmore Barracks to discuss the future interaction between Defence Forces lands and the development of the Renmore neighbourhood project. I am advised that the meeting was very positive. As part of proposals for the Renmore neighbourhood project, a new separate foot-cycle route which could address the Defence Forces concerns requirements, including in relation to security, was suggested. I am conscious that this matter has been ongoing for some time. I am also very conscious that there is still a lack of clarity as to what happens next. I have instructed one of my senior officials to meet with the city council-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee -----its chief executive and, I hope, members of the council and local representatives to determine definitively what role, if any, the Department has."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Kyne I thank the Minister for the response. We acknowledge that there are security issues, in particular following the attack on Fr. Paul Murphy. Thankfully, he has recovered. It is important to acknowledge that there were security issues. We respect the fact that a decision has been made to close access at the front of the barracks, but there needs to be an alternative in order that there is connectivity between the Ballyloughane-Renmore area and the Lough Atalia-city area. The city council has lands that were previously Department of Defence lands, and there are possibilities in terms of the acquisition or sale of those lands and the construction of an alternative link over the railway crossing into the D\u00fan na Mara area. However, there needs to be engagement and agreement between the Minister, her officials and the city council to try to get this sorted quickly."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee The Deputy referenced Fr. Murphy. I was honoured to present Fr. Murphy and those who came to his aid following the attack with medals. Deputy Kyne was present at the ceremony. Those medals were to recognise the contribution of those who came to the assistance of Fr. Murphy and the dangerous position in which they put themselves. We all understand the reason for the decision of the Defence Forces not to allow the initial route that was proposed to go ahead. I assure the Deputy and all of those who want to progress this project that the Defence Forces and my Department will be as constructive as possible. My understanding is that the next step is for the local authority to engage locally and to set out the proposed route it has discussed in order to see what funding and possible options are available to try to progress this project. I have asked my officials to meet with the chief executive in person in order to see if there is a role for the Department to play in trying to resolve this matter. I will revert to the Deputy separately when I have received my Department's report. We are really keen to make sure that this project progresses and to support the Deputy in his aim."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Se\u00e1n Kyne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","memberCode":"Se\u00e1n-Kyne.D.2011-03-09","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Se\u00e1n Kyne My colleague Councillor Shane Forde has taken the lead on this. He is from the area in question. He is very familiar with it and knows the impact that this closure has had on the community. Instead of being able to walk to the Liam Mellowes grounds and Ballyloughane, people now have to drive there. That is bad for the environment, causes traffic congestion and increases the carbon footprint. We want to encourage people to exercise, so the closure of this lane has had a huge impact locally. We need a solution. There needs to be proactive engagement by the Minister and her Department with Councillor Forde and the city officials in order to ensure that we get a such solution. If that is going to involve a new walkway over the railway track, the question arises as to who is going to pay for it. Is there a possibility of the Department of Defence engaging and acquiring some of the city council lands, which were previously its lands, for use for security purposes, accommodation or whatever else for the barracks at D\u00fan U\u00ed Mhaoil\u00edosa?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I again acknowledge the work Deputy Kyne has done on this project. I also acknowledge Councillor Forde and the ambition to move it forward. For so many different reasons, including ease of access and providing a walkway and cycleway to encourage people to get out, be more climate-efficient and climate-friendly and improve their health and well-being, it is really important that this route be reopened. It is also important that we move this project forward. There is a way forward and there is an option open to the local authority. What I want to ensure is that if there is a role for the Defence Forces in helping to move this forward, we will be front and centre in providing assistance and support. I hope the meeting that has been requested will be of assistance in moving the matter forward. It is really important that the Deputy and local representatives are part of the discussion and are able to move things forward after the meeting at a local level."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Rights of Way"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_33","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"Defence Forces","counts":{"speechCount":14,"speakerCount":4},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_28","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_28","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_33","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_33.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Callaghan Can the Minister please confirm if peace enforcement is a new departure for the Irish Defence Forces or if there are some historical examples of missions in which they have been involved that entailed peace enforcement or other robust mandates?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee I thank the Deputy for raising this matter. As the Minister of State, Deputy Thomas Byrne, and I have set out this evening, there is a lot of disinformation and attempts to suggest that what is being proposed in the Defence (Amendment) Bill is new and represents a departure from what we have already been involved in and for which our troops have been trained. That is quite simply not the case. There is a requirement to remove the UN mandate, but that is to ensure that we can continue to operate on these types of missions. I again thank the Deputy for raising this matter. As I said, since 1990, the majority of overseas deployments by members of the Defence Forces have been peacekeeping - that is, Chapter VI missions - including service with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force, UNDOF, in the Golan Heights and the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, UNTSO, in the Middle East. However, Irish personnel have also served on quite a number of UN missions operating under more robust authorisations for the use of force, under what is known as Chapter VII. Examples include the United Nations Mission in Liberia, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali, and East Timor. Irish personnel have also served in UN-authorised and underpinned missions such as KFOR in Kosovo, the International Security Assistance Force, ISAF, in Afghanistan and EUFOR Tchad\/RCA in Chad, all of which operated under robust international mandates. I will outline and explain the distinctions between peacekeeping and peace enforcement to the House. In simple terms, peacekeeping involves helping to maintain a peace that already exists. Peacekeepers monitor ceasefires, support political agreements, protect civilians and help create the conditions for long-term stability. Such operations are generally associated with the principles set out under Chapter VI of the United Nations Charter. Peace enforcement involves the use, or threatened use, of force to restore peace and security where violence is ongoing or where parties have not agreed to stop. I want to highlight that one of the significant developments in UN peace operations over the past two decades has been the increased use of more robust Chapter VII mandates. Of the 11 mandates - I mentioned this earlier - five of the UN mandates, which Deputies in this House are suggesting we should be looking towards-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee -----already have peace enforcement elements to them. It is part of what we do. It is not black and white; there are different elements to peace, security and support."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Callaghan Gabhaim bu\u00edochas leis an Aire. It is very clear that peace enforcement is not, therefore, a new departure for the Defence Forces. It is unfortunate that much of the Opposition's messaging around this debate has left some people genuinely believing that Irish soldiers are going to be sent abroad to fight another country's war. This is not what peace enforcement means and it is important that we have an honest debate about it here in this House. Our Defence Forces have served with distinction in some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones, where civilians are often caught in the crossfire. It is in those situations that the protection of civilians may sometimes require the use of force against armed aggressors. That does not mean force will automatically be used. It means our personnel have the authority to act when innocent lives are under threat. Would the Minister agree that there is a world of difference between using force in the service of peace to protect innocent civilians and taking sides in somebody else's war?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee They are very clearly two different things. We are setting out clearly, through the proposed changes to this legislation, that we are not suggesting - as some in this House are suggesting - that we are going to take sides in any conflict. I am going to read from an article written by Senator Tom Clonan, who seems to have a lot to say on all of this at the moment. He wrote this and many other articles back in 2003, when he referred specifically to peace enforcement by Irish troops. He said: Significantly, the Irish \u2013 despite being peacekeepers as opposed to peace enforcers \u2013 fought a conventional battle in the south Lebanese village of At Tiri in 1980, preventing its ethnic cleansing by an Israeli-backed Lebanese militia under the command of Major Saad Haddad. More recently, Irish men and women participated in robust peace enforcement operations in Somalia in the mid nineties, in East Timor in 1999 and currently in the Finnish-led Battle Group in Kosovo [which we are currently still a part of] and in the UN UNMIL peace enforcement mission in Liberia. It has been the case, as has been set out by the Senator who now seems to think the complete opposite of this, that we have been part of these types of enforcement to protect civilians and innocent people."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Catherine Callaghan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Catherine-Callaghan.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Catherine Callaghan I have no difficulty whatsoever with Members of the Opposition disagreeing with this legislation - that is democracy - but I do have a serious concern about the misinformation and unnecessary fear that has crept into this debate. Parents and grandparents are genuinely worried that their children and grandchildren could be sent to fight somebody else's war. People at home are worried about one simple thing: if the United Nations is not involved in approving a mission, does that mean that Ireland is stepping away from its traditional policy of being militarily neutral? Those concerns are real and people deserve straight answers based on facts, not fear. Can the Minister assure this House and the public that our soldiers will continue to serve under very clear and lawful mandates, regardless of which international organisation is leading any future mission? Could she please confirm to the House that Ireland's traditional policy of being militarily neutral will not change?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee To the Deputy's last question, I can confirm and will continue to reaffirm that our position of military neutrality, which is our non-alignment with a military alliance, will continue. I will repeat that Article 29.4.9\u00b0 sets out that: The State shall not adopt a decision taken by the European Council to establish a common defence pursuant to Article 42 of the Treaty on European Union where that common defence would include the State. That is in our Constitution. I am not sure what those who seek a referendum on this want to change because it is very clearly set out there."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy An ordinary referendum on the legislation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee If we were to join a military alliance, we would have to change this and we would need a referendum. Unless that is what the Deputies are suggesting, that is not where we are going."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy No. An ordinary referendum on the legislation."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Please, Deputy."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy The Minister is asking a question. I am telling her."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Helen McEntee","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","memberCode":"Helen-McEntee.D.2013-03-27","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Helen McEntee Second, I want to make this clear. Anybody who serves in our Defence Forces serves in a voluntary capacity in that they choose the path of the Defence Forces. They choose to serve our State and we are indebted to them for the security they provide at home but also the contribution they make overseas. Many of them choose to serve because they want to take part in peacekeeping missions. They want to support those who need our assistance. That is what we are trying to ensure by removing and changing that element of the triple lock, so we can continue to do that but on our own terms."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Defence Forces"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_34","debateType":"question","bill":null,"showAs":"United Nations","counts":{"speechCount":23,"speakerCount":5},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_28","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_28","showAs":"Ceisteanna Eile - Other Questions"},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_34","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null}},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/mul@\/dbsect_34.xml"},"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney As I have raised already and we have all discussed many times this evening, I am very concerned about the pivot away from peacekeeping by this Government. The Minister maintains that moves to abolish the triple lock are not about sidelining the UN or peacekeeping. What has the Minister's Department done to engage with the active missions around the world that she referenced multiple times tonight and which continue to enjoy that UN mandate - there are ten, I believe - so that Irish troops can participate in them?"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne I propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 148 together. As Deputies will be aware, overseas deployments by the Defence Forces can only considered on a case-by-case basis. Any proposal for participation in an international mission is assessed on the basis of military advice, the nature and requirements of the mission, capabilities that we have, international law, our policy of neutrality, the safety and welfare of personnel, and our wider foreign and security policy objectives. Any deployment abroad has to have recourse to Government to decide, on the advice of the Attorney General and with D\u00e1il approval, where that is applicable. These decisions are not taken without due consideration of the range of factors I have just set out. Some missions will be suitable for Ireland and others will not be suitable for members of the Defence Forces. That remains the case. The Department and the Defence Forces remain in regular engagement with the UN, the European Union and international partners regarding current peace support operations. When I attended various meetings - and I am sure the Minister has had some discussions as well - the options, for example, for increasing troop numbers in KFOR have been discussed by me. No request has been received, and no decision has been taken, in relation to participation in any specific additional UN or UN-mandated mission. We will always examine opportunities to contribute to international peace and security where appropriate and where we have the capability to make a meaningful contribution. The Minister for Defence and the Government need to be assured that the necessary safeguards and mitigations are in place when it comes to the safety of our personnel. Even though it is peacekeeping, peace enforcement and conflict prevention, it can be dangerous, as we know. Some have lost their lives and we need to continue to remember them. Defence Forces personnel continue to serve with pride with UNDOF in the Golan Heights, EUFOR ALTHEA in Bosnia and Herzegovina and KFOR in Kosovo. When I met the Prime Minister of Kosovo two weeks ago, the first thing he said to me was to thank the Irish soldiers and the thousands of soldiers who have contributed to peace in Kosovo over the years. I am happy to pass on those thanks from the Prime Minister of Kosovo. Ireland remains firmly committed to supporting international peace and security through multilateral engagement, including in UN-led and UN-mandated peacekeeping operations. All options can be explored by the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces. Ireland has engaged with planning for the EU support mission in Lebanon. While no decision has been taken regarding participation - that requires Government approval - the mission could offer opportunities for our Defence Forces to support stability in Lebanon through training, advisory support, border security assistance and capacity-building with the Lebanese armed forces. I again emphasise to the House that Ireland will always be able to participate in UN-led and UN-mandated operations where there are UN resolutions underpinning them. The reform we are doing provides what we believe to be necessary flexibility to participate where appropriate, and where those considerations are taken into account. This is not something the Government decides on a whim. These are carefully made decisions. We could take part in missions organised by other bodies such as the European Union, the OSCE or other international organisations as is the case for neutral Austria and Switzerland. The purpose of these reforms is not to weaken our commitment to UN peacekeeping or to the UN. We are one of the most committed to the UN, and that is recognised across the system. It is to ensure we have the flexibility to contribute to peace and security in a changing world. We are, and remain, neutral. We are, and remain, committed to the principles of the UN Charter and supportive of UN peacekeeping. Our Constitution provides that we are committed. We affirm our \"devotion to the ideal of peace and friendly co-operation amongst nations founded on international justice and morality\" and \"the principle of the pacific settlement of international disputes\". We \"accept the generally recognised principles of international law\". I have just read out of the Constitution, which is the law of the land. That is what governs all of these decisions."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney With respect, the Minister of State has spoken a lot about the Government not making these decisions on a whim. He has talked about the Attorney General, the analysis that goes into it and the guard-rails. That is all the triple lock is. It is another guard-rail that exists outside of the control of the Government. We talk about the other elements of the decision-making. There is the Government and the D\u00e1il, but of course the D\u00e1il is controlled by the Government when it has a majority, which it does. It is ridiculous to suggest, as the Minister of State does, that these guard-rails are just as effective or as strong. They are not. They simply are not. We asked for this mandate so we would have that guard-rail, and the Government is just chucking it away. While I hear the Minister of State's assurances about how much this Government respects and values peacekeeping, its actions tell a completely different story. The prioritisation of participation in EU battle groups, which do not have a peacekeeping function, meant that we had to pull out of the UN-backed peacekeeping force in the Golan Heights, a UN mission that continues to this day. The Government's proposed plans after abolishing the triple lock are devoid of any proposals for peacekeeping or for new and expanded involvement in UN missions. Instead of supporting the UN and championing multilateralism we are seemingly following in the footsteps of other EU countries that pursue regional and non-neutral interests first and foremost."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed The UN mandate is an article of faith in this House. It has been for a long time, and I have always supported that. However, it is no guarantee of success. I was in my first year of work when I watched Srebrenica unfold on television. Some 500 Dutch UN troops were totally overrun by Bosnian Serb forces and that was followed by the ethnic cleansing of 8,000 people. It was one of the worst atrocities of that entire conflict. They had a UN mandate. It did not protect them. It did not work. UNAMIR, which was a UN-mandated force, got to Rwanda in late 1993. It could not prevent the genocide that happened in 1994. By the time it got a revised mandate and the support and troops it needed it was too late. More than 400,000 Rwandans were dead."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Go raibh maith agat."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed My question is about UN reform and our commitment to following through and looking to use our soft power to get the UN to reform itself."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne What does reform of the triple lock do? It allows us to continue to do what we have always done, which is to service peace abroad. It allows us to undertake peacekeeping, peace enforcement and conflict prevention including in UN-led or UN-mandated operations. It allows us to participate in missions organised or led by the EU, the OSCE or other regional arrangements."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy Like NATO."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne It allows Ireland, and Ireland alone, to make decisions on where we deploy Irish personnel in the service of peace abroad. Any decisions on peace missions will have to be done in accordance with our Constitution, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Charter, and in accordance with international law. The guard-rails that Deputy Gibney has spoken about have been abused by the permanent members of the Security Council, most recently last week by Russia. They have been abused by China with regard to the North Macedonia peace mission. The US, working with Israel, has effectively ended UNIFIL. That is what this legislation is trying to achieve. The Deputy has complained about us leaving missions, which actually demonstrates the point. These are not easy decisions for the Government. On some occasions the Government has had to tell the UN or other people that something is not suitable for our soldiers. On some occasions they may be suitable. Bringing in the Iraq war to saying we definitely would have done that-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney That is not what I said. It was the opposite."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne -----and on the other hand asking why we are not doing other UN peacekeeping missions-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Paul Murphy","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","memberCode":"Paul-Murphy.D.2014-10-10","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Paul Murphy But you could have."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Minister of State has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne -----I think shows the absurdity this debate is reaching."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney I think it shows the Minister of State does not understand-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) The Minister of State has the floor, Deputy. You will have an opportunity in a moment."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne I am looking forward to Committee Stage of this legislation where we can go through it line by line and test the assertions of the Opposition, which I think are complete and utter bunkum."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney First, it is not reform. It is the abolition of the triple lock. It is not reform of the triple lock. The Minister of State talks about accordance with the Constitution and international law, etc. The Minister of State mentioned the proposed new mission in Lebanon, which he will consider, and which has no peacekeeping function. When he spoke to Deputy Murphy about that new EU training mission in Lebanon, he assured us that it is just training and that any claims otherwise are scaremongering and he referred to mission creep. I draw everyone's attention to a previous EU training mission in Mali introduced in 2013, which ended up supporting not one but two military coups by the Malian army. It was suspended in 2024. If that is the track record in EU training missions I think we need to question that. The other point is that we are not saying that we would not go to the Constitution with the EU defence army. However, the Minister of State has to acknowledge the \u20ac800 billion of EU ReArm funding and the ways in which Kubilius, the EU Commissioner speaks about-----"},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Thank you, Deputy. I call Deputy \u00d3 Muir\u00ed."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Sin\u00e9ad Gibney","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Sin\u00e9ad-Gibney.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Sin\u00e9ad Gibney -----European defence union. This is not scaremongering. That is the direction of travel of the European Union."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Aindrias Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Aindrias-Moynihan.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"An Cathaoirleach Gn\u00edomhach (Deputy Aindrias Moynihan) Teachta \u00d3 Muir\u00ed has the floor."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","memberCode":"Naoise-\u00d3-Muir\u00ed.D.2024-11-29","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Naoise \u00d3 Muir\u00ed I say again that I want to hear a strong commitment to the UN from Ireland, which I think does exist. I want to hear a strong commitment to multilateral co-operation and the development of multilateral relations, which as far as I recall we have always tried to do. We have always boxed above our weight, to use that awful clich\u00e9. We have done that. I want to hear that we accept the UN has to reform itself. It has a big job of work to do. It is hard to see how it can be delivered, but we are committed to it. Obviously, we have a commitment to the International Criminal Court, ICC. These are all important commitments from this House, the Government and the State. I want to hear that we are committed to multilateralism on all its fronts, working with international partners."},{"speaker":{"showAs":"Thomas Byrne","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Thomas-Byrne.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Deputy Thomas Byrne First, I pay tribute to four Italian military personnel who were killed last week in Bosnia taking part in Operation Althea. It is important to remember them. That is an EU mission keeping the peace in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Irish people have died over the years too. Ireland has one of the strongest commitments to the United Nations. That is why we have consistently been elected to the UN Security Council. We have pushed for reform of the United Nations. We are well known as advocates for reform. We work on issues of international justice all around the world. We are well known for it and we are highly respected for it. We are highly respected because we are seen as a neutral country. There is nobody outside this country saying our neutrality is going to change in any way because of this legislation. None of the member states of the United Nations that sometimes depend on us to be advocates for them have ever said that, and they are not saying that. They do not agree with what the Opposition is saying. Ireland has the strongest commitment to the UN. We have an incredibly strong commitment to multilateralism. We have strong teams of diplomats in the UN, the OSCE and all of the multilateral organisations. We have just joined the United Nations Human Rights Council. We are such an important player because we put the effort in. I pay tribute to all of our civil servants who work really hard in the multilateral bodies to which they are assigned, with the support of the Minister, the Minister of State, Deputy Richmond, myself, the Taoiseach and the entire Government. They do incredible work. One is so proud when one goes to these multilateral organisations and sees our officials or diplomats with \"Ireland\" in front of them, or on occasion when \"Ireland\" has been in front of me. It is an incredibly proud moment. We are all conscious of the history we have and we will continue to work within the system that is there - the international multilateral system - but we are very much convinced of the need to reform the UN. However, in the meantime, while that veto remains, we have to be able to make our own decisions and not allow them to be made by Russian, China, the US, the UK or France."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Is f\u00e9idir teacht ar Cheisteanna Scr\u00edofa ar www.oireachtas.ie."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Written Answers are published on the Oireachtas website."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Cuireadh an D\u00e1il ar athl\u00f3 ar 10.31 p.m. go dt\u00ed 9 a.m., D\u00e9 C\u00e9adaoin, an 4 Samhain 2026."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"The D\u00e1il adjourned at 10.31 p.m. until 9 a.m. on Wednesday, 4 November 2026."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"United Nations"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"\n          ","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":""}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_363","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Contracts","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_363","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment My Department does not operate a purchase order system. Expenditure is processed and recorded through the Department\u2019s financial management system, which captures transactions against suppliers using unique supplier identifiers. The Department maintains an internal contract register containing key details of procurement contracts. The specific datasets recorded on the Register include contract reference numbers, contract award date and end date, supplier ID number, address and categorisation, contract scope and duration and contract value and expenditure. Expenditure is recorded through my Departments Oracle Financial Management system, where each supplier is assigned a unique supplier number to support the recording and monitoring of spend. As my Department operates a devolved procurement model at Business Unit level responsibility for monitoring expenditure against approved contract values rests with the relevant business areas of the Department. This includes the day-to-day administration of contracts, including monitoring performance and expenditure, expenditure against approved budgets and ensures funds are available before contractual commitments are made. These arrangements enable the Department to track expenditure with suppliers and monitor spend against approved contract values, supporting compliance with contractual and procurement requirements ."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Contracts"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_364","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Pension Provisions","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_364","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Retired workers have the ability to enforce their pension rights through various legal avenues, including the Pensions Act, the Pensions Authority, the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO), and the courts. Where a pension scheme has an internal dispute resolution (IDR) procedure, this provides for a formal structure through which beneficiaries or potential beneficiaries can raise complaints or disputes and engage directly with the pension provider concerned. If an individual is dissatisfied with the outcome of an IDR process, they may advance a complaint to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman, who is an independent and impartial statutory officer responsible for investigating and ruling on complaints from active members, deferred members and beneficiaries of occupational pension schemes. In addition, Section 45 of the Industrial Relations (Amendment) Act 2015 inserted section 26A into the Industrial Relations Act 1990. It allows for a retired person access to the IR bodies in a period of 6 month post-retirement for matters arising pre-retirement. This 6 months is either from the date of retirement or the date from when it became known or should have been known, the time frame in which to make a complaint for matters arising post-retirement. That period may be extended by up to a further six months where reasonable cause for the delay is shown. The legislation also provides that the Commission or the Court may not investigate a dispute that is subject to investigation by the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman. Measures were also introduced in 2015 to facilitate engagement between the trustees of a pension scheme and groups representing the interests of pensioner and deferred scheme members. Changes to guidance issued by the Pensions Authority require the trustees of a pension scheme to notify groups representing the interest of scheme members of proposals to issue a direction under section 50 of the Pensions Act to restructure scheme benefits. This affords the representative group an opportunity to make a submission to the trustees of a pension scheme in relation to proposals to restructure scheme benefits. In addition, groups representing the interests of pensioners and deferred scheme members also have a right to appeal a section 50 direction by the Pensions Authority to the High Court on a point of law. Finally, no data is currently collected in relation to whether a complainant\/worker is retired at the time that they refer a complaint or dispute to the WRC. This is a matter for either party to a dispute to bring to the attention of the assigned adjudication officer or industrial relations officer and is not recorded for a dataset."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Pension Provisions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_365","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Pension Provisions","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_365","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment The purpose of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021 would be to amend and extend certain rights and protections to retired persons and representative associations in the context of industrial relations and trade disputes. Specifically, it proposes amendments to the Trade Union Acts 1871 to 1990, the Industrial Relations Acts 1946 to 2019, and the Pensions Act 1990. The Bill seeks to enhance the representation of retired workers in the administration of certain pension schemes and to address related matters. A public consultation was held by my Department on the Bill between March and April 2022. The consultation sought views on the proposed inclusion of retired persons in collective trade disputes and how to balance the proposed new rights for retired persons with the current rights and interests of workers and employers who engage in the bargaining process. The Department also sought views on any new or enhanced methods of consultation or alternative systems\/networks\/fora to assist retired workers in engaging on pension related issues. Submissions were received from organisations representing retired workers, trade unions, employers and other interested parties and have been published: https:\/\/enterprise.gov.ie\/en\/consultations\/public-consultation-retired-workers-access-to-industrial-relations-mechanisms-for-pension-related-issues.html. In assessing the Bill, the then Joint Committee on Enterprise, Trade and Employment undertook pre-Committee Stage detailed scrutiny, including a public session, and noted that the Department conducted extensive public consultations on the proposals arising from this Bill. My Department's position was clearly articulated in a comprehensive briefing submitted to the Committee following its public scrutiny session held on 25 January 2023. In that regard, Government does not support the Private Members\u2019 Bill in its current form. While the policy concerns raised by retired workers are acknowledged and understood, a detailed assessment has indicated that the Bill would give rise to significant legal, structural, operational and financial implications which Government cannot support. In particular, the proposals would have far?reaching consequences for the core architecture of the State\u2019s industrial relations framework. In addition, the current legal structure provides adequate protection for retired workers, particularly concerning the potential reduction of benefits within funded defined benefit schemes. The measures outlined in the Bill could, moreover, severely undermine the existing dispute resolution bodies which are provided to retired workers to vindicate their rights including the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman. Government has agreed that a money message not be issued in respect of the Industrial Relations (Provisions in Respect of Pension Entitlements of Retired Workers) Bill 2021 and that Government oppose the Private Members\u2019 Bill by way of a \"reasoned response\". This reasoned response has since been shared by my Department with the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and to the sponsors of the Bill. As of now, no decision has been taken to introduce separate Government legislation and any further proposals would require agreement across the relevant Departments and careful consultation with workers\u2019 and employers\u2019 representatives, pension-sector stakeholders and the industrial relations bodies."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Pension Provisions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_366","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Public Procurement Contracts","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_366","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment My Department\u2019s internal contract register is not currently configured to systematically record or report e-Tenders contract award notices, URLs or specific e-Tenders reference numbers as a standard data field for all contracts. However, my Department manually records all awarded contracts, including those awarded through the e-Tenders system with their Tender number for reference, in the contract register. While relevant information may be available within procurement documentation and contract records, there is no automated linkage between the contract register and e-Tenders due to the Registers current format. It is also important to note that contract records may originate from a variety of procurement routes, not all of which result in a standalone contract award notice on e-Tenders. The Department keeps its contract management and record-keeping arrangements under review to ensure they continue to meet governance, transparency and operational requirements. In this regard, my Department is currently exploring the feasibility of updating the contract register to provide integrated solutions to improve data accuracy, reporting capabilities, operational efficiency and automatic prompts for expiring contracts. Linkages with contract award notices published on e-Tenders, e-Tenders notice references to include URLs or other such identifiers will be considered as part of this process."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Public Procurement Contracts"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_367","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Work Permits","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_367","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Ireland operates a managed employment permits system, which seeks to maximise the benefits of economic migration while minimising disruption to Ireland\u2019s labour market. The system is designed to facilitate the entry of appropriately skilled non-EEA nationals to fill skills and labour shortages required to develop and support enterprise for the benefit of our economy The General Employment Permit application referenced by the Deputy is currently under review. The Employment Permits Section has requested additional information from the applicant, which is required to progress consideration of the application. A decision will issue as soon as the requested information has been received and assessed. Current employment permit processing dates are published and updated regularly on my Department\u2019s website - enterprise.gov.ie\/en\/what-we-do\/workplace-and-skills\/employment-permits\/current-application-processing-dates\/ . To further support applicants and reduce the need for individual status queries, my Department has introduced a Self?Service Portal, which allows both employers and applicants to check the real time status of their applications. In addition, a dedicated mailbox is available to Oireachtas members for employment permit related queries at tdepqueries@enterprise.gov.ie."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Work Permits"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_368","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Tourist Accommodation","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_368","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment As set out in the Government's new Policy Statement A New Era for Irish Tourism, published by the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment in December, the introduction of regulatory controls for the STL Sector is to ensure that the tourism sector develops in a way that recognises and is complementary to the wider needs of local communities, both economically and socially. In April of last year, I obtained Government approval for the general scheme of the Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill. Upon enactment, the Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill will provide, for the first time, a comprehensive statutory framework governing the short-term letting sector in Ireland, including the establishment of a national register. On 6 October the Government approved the publication of the Short-Term Letting and Tourism Bill 2026 (STLT). The Bill is now published and available to view at www.oireachtas.ie\/en\/bills\/bill\/2026\/101\/. This represents a significant step towards a more transparent and effectively regulated sector. The Bill will proceed to Second Stage in D\u00e1il \u00c9ireann shortly. This register, which has been broadly welcomed by the tourism sector, will be implemented and managed by F\u00e1ilte Ireland. The register will launch on 1 December 2026, with a legal obligation on all operators to register by 31 December 2026. A nominal registration fee of \u20ac25 will apply, which will be prescribed by F\u00e1ilte Ireland through regulations. The register will operate in compliance with the EU Short-Term Rental Regulation (EU) 2024\/1028, which came into effect on 20 May 2026. The planning policy framework for short-term letting activity, and all matters relating to planning and local authority resources, fall within the remit of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Section 246 of the Planning and Development Act 2000, as amended, provides that the Minister may make regulations to provide for planning fees. Such fees are prescribed in the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (S.I. No. 600 of 2001), Schedule 9, as amended. Schedule 9 sets out both the standard planning application fees and the retention application fees. The assessment of the fee payable in any individual case is a matter for the relevant planning authority, having regard to the nature and scale of the development concerned. The Draft National Planning Statement (NPS) for Short-Term Letting was approved by Government on 17 June 2026, following its submission to Cabinet by the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage as proposed national planning policy. The Government decision enabled the draft NPS to progress to the next stage of the statutory process, which requires a Strategic Environmental Assessment and the EU Services Directive notification process. Subject to the completion of this process, a finalised version of the NPS will be returned to Government for approval. As per section 25 of the Planning and Development Act 2024, the NPS will be subject to both Ministerial and Government approval before final adoption and publication. The planning policy for short-term letting activity, as set out in the NPS, restricts the approval of new planning permissions for short-term lets in cities and larger towns with a population of over 20,000 at the last census, based on the census town boundaries (defined by the CSO). There will be a presumption in favour of granting planning permission for short-term letting where a dwelling has been used continuously for this purpose for at least seven years, and no enforcement action was taken. This applies where the proposal would not create serious traffic, flooding, or pollution risks, or breach occupancy-related planning conditions. The Planning and Development (Short Term Letting - Planning and Development Act 2000) (Change of Use) Regulations 2026, SI 500\/2026, came into operation on 29 September 2026. This regulation enables a simplified administrative version of the usual application process for retention, specifically for STLs, by way of amendment to planning regulations. Under the new arrangements: \u2022 applicants are not required to submit detailed plans and maps as part of their retention application \u2022 a new application form has been introduced specifically for these applications This provides for a streamlined, less expensive and fully administrative process for long-term STL operators. The arrangements are available to STL operators, regardless of where the property is located or how long the STL activity has been in operation, to regularise their planning status. Short-term letting accommodation providers based in towns with a population of 20,000 or less at the last census, have two years to meet national planning compliance requirements. The letting of a room or rooms in a person\u2019s principal private residence is permissible on an unrestricted basis and is exempt from planning requirements. It should be noted that homesharers are currently allowed to sub-let their entire principal private residence (house or apartment) on a short-term basis for a cumulative period of 90 days where they are temporarily absent from their home. Where the 90-day threshold is exceeded, planning permission for change of use is required. The introduction of the register will provide the first comprehensive and authoritative picture of the short-term letting (STL) sector and will serve as the primary source of STL data. This will provide a robust evidence base to inform future policy and enable Government to monitor the impacts of regulation and market developments over time."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Tourist Accommodation"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_369","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Grant Payments","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_369","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) located within the 31 Local Authorities, provide their services direct to all small businesses and promote entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the country. LEOs provide a wide range of high-quality business and management development programmes and productivity supports in the areas of Green, Digital and Lean. These supports are intended to help small businesses improve productivity, adopt new technologies, enhance sustainability and remain competitive, and are therefore available to small businesses across a broad range of sectors. The LEOs also offer direct grant assistance (Measure 1) to small businesses. However, it should be noted that grants that are specifically designed for growth or exporting are aimed at those in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors. These grants include Feasibility, Priming, and the Business Expansions grants. These grants are designed to assist small businesses as they progress through their growth. The LEOs do not report on metrics by local area, and so can only provide data from LEO Kildare. - LEO Kildare 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Feasibility: No of projects approved 14 8 4 4 6 Value of projects approved \u20ac87,257 \u20ac52,527 \u20ac50,230 \u20ac39,598 \u20ac76,886 Priming: No of projects approved 13 11 11 3 9 Value of projects approved \u20ac231,413 \u20ac245,591 \u20ac320,977 \u20ac57,235 \u20ac261,185 Business Expansion: No of projects approved 28 27 9 14 13 Value of projects approved \u20ac698,370 \u20ac675,806 \u20ac244,785 \u20ac419,538 \u20ac363,189 TAME: No of projects approved 17 10 18 19 1 Value of projects approved \u20ac25,951 \u20ac21,617 \u20ac29,426 \u20ac38,183 \u20ac525 Agile \/ R & D No of projects approved 3 3 1 1 0 Value of projects approved \u20ac214,725 \u20ac125,193 \u20ac41,235 \u20ac139,972 \u20ac0 Grad Start No of projects approved 0 4 2 2 1 Value of projects approved \u20ac0 \u20ac112,000 \u20ac60,000 \u20ac60,000 \u20ac30,000 IP Start No of projects approved - - 4 5 11 Value of projects approved - - \u20ac8,640 \u20ac10,800 \u20ac23,047 IP Plus No of projects approved - - 2 0 0 Value of projects approved - - \u20ac35,100 0 0 Trading on-Line Vouchers: No of projects approved 126 87 71 104 1 Value of projects approved \u20ac220,598 \u20ac183,469 \u20ac160,901 \u20ac222,306 \u20ac2,500 Grow Digital No of projects approved - - - 0 21 Value of projects approved - - - \u20ac0 \u20ac57,653 Energy Efficiency Grant No of projects approved - - 0 20 22 Value of projects approved - - \u20ac0.00 \u20ac130,822 \u20ac185,428 Enterprise Ireland supports companies to strengthen their competitiveness, productivity and innovation through the adoption of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. Its supports assist businesses at different stages of their digitalisation journey, from identifying opportunities and developing a digital roadmap to implementing new technologies and processes. Enterprise Ireland does not report on the number of grants awarded by county each year and can only provide the value of grant payments made. In the past five years, SMEs in County Kildare received Enterprise Ireland grant payments totalling approximately \u20ac32.7 million. Annual payments were: \u2022 2025: \u20ac3.37 million \u2022 2024: \u20ac3.81 million \u2022 2023: \u20ac10.74 million \u2022 2022: \u20ac3.29 million \u2022 2021: \u20ac11.44 million While Enterprise Ireland does not provide figures specifically for Kildare North, county-wide data shows significant support for SMEs across Kildare over the period. Enterprise Ireland's Strategy 2025-2029 aims to strengthen indigenous businesses through increased innovation, productivity, sustainability, exports, and scaling opportunities. The agency continues to support regional enterprise development in Kildare through initiatives such as: \u2022 Participation in the Mid-East Regional Enterprise Plan. \u2022 Support for high-potential start-ups through the New Frontiers Programme in partnership with Maynooth University and TUS Athlone. \u2022 Investment in regional innovation infrastructure, including the MERITS innovation hub in Naas and the Lyons Farm\/NovaUCD AgTech Connector Hub. \u2022 Support for major investments in the county, including Kerry Group's Digital Centre of Excellence in Naas and Diageo's \u20ac200 million carbon-neutral brewery in Newbridge."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Grant Payments"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_370","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Artificial Intelligence","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_370","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment The Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) located within the 31 Local Authorities, provide their services direct to all small businesses and promote entrepreneurship within towns and communities across the country. LEOs provide a wide range of high-quality business and management development programmes and productivity supports, including Digital supports. These supports are intended to help small businesses improve productivity, adopt new technologies, enhance sustainability and remain competitive, and are therefore available to small businesses across a broad range of sectors including retail. One of the key strategic priorities for my Department, is to accelerate the adoption of digital and AI technologies across enterprises, particularly SMEs, to improve productivity, competitiveness and resilience. In light of this, the digital supports offered by the LEOs were recently reviewed by Enterprise Ireland and Department officials. As a result, significant changes have been introduced to LEO Digital supports to ensure a stronger AI focus for small businesses across the country. The Digital for Business and Grow Digital Voucher have been renamed to the Digital and AI for Business and the Grow Digital and AI Voucher, respectively. Over the past three years, LEO Kildare had provided digital supports to 97 clients across the Digital for Business scheme and the Grow Digital Voucher. LEO Kildare 2023 2024 2025 Digital for Business No of Clients approved 7 20 70 Grow Digital No of Clients approved - 0 20 Prior to the launch of the Grow Digital voucher, the LEOs provided the Trading Online Voucher, which closed for new applications in December 2024. This scheme was only available to businesses with up to 10 employees, with some sectors not eligible for the scheme. LEO Kildare 2023 2024 2025 Trading Online Voucher No of Clients approved 69 99 1 Enterprise Ireland supports companies to strengthen their competitiveness, productivity and innovation through the adoption of artificial intelligence and digital technologies. Its supports assist businesses at different stages of their digitalisation journey, from identifying opportunities and developing a digital roadmap to implementing new technologies and processes. Over the past three years, Enterprise Ireland supported 43 digital projects with Kildare-based companies."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Artificial Intelligence"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_371","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Artificial Intelligence","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_371","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Niamh Smyth","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Niamh Smyth","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment My Department actively monitors AI adoption across the enterprise base. Ireland\u2019s performance on enterprise digitalisation remains strong. The European Commission\u2019s Digital Decade Country Report 2026 shows that Ireland ranks ninth in the EU for SME adoption of AI, cloud computing and data analytics, with 70.95% of SMEs using these technologies compared with an EU average of 62.32%. SME AI adoption stands at 18.34%, broadly in line with the EU average of 18.9%. Despite growing adoption, SMEs continue to face barriers to implementing and scaling AI. Research undertaken through a joint programme between my Department and the ESRI found that knowledge-related barriers are a key factor affecting AI uptake, while access to finance, security concerns and skills shortages also influence investment decisions. Recognising that adoption pathways differ across sectors, my Department is developing a sector-specific strategy on AI in enterprise, initially focused on manufacturing, ICT services, tourism and construction, which together represent a significant share of Ireland\u2019s businesses and employment. To inform the development of the strategy, my Department commissioned a study to examine AI opportunities, adoption pathways, barriers and requirements across these sectors. The study found that enterprises face common challenges relating to awareness and readiness, skills and organisational capacity, data and digital foundations, and trust, governance and security. Addressing these barriers is a key objective of the Government\u2019s National Digital and AI Strategy, Digital Ireland \u2013 Connecting Our People, Securing Our Future. The study mentioned above will inform the development of a sector-specific AI adoption strategy. Additional measures include the AI \u2013 Good for Business initiative which provides practical guidance, case studies and awareness supports and the appointment of AI Sector Champions to highlight opportunities in various sectors. Enterprise Ireland have developed AI adoption roadmaps for client companies and a series of national AI and digital awareness roadshows, delivered with the Local Enterprise Offices, is also helping SMEs identify AI opportunities and access supports. A central pillar of the Digital Ireland Strategy is to provide access to agile upskilling and reskillling initiatives to build a future focused workforce. Budget 2027 announced a \u20ac150 million AI Future Skills initiative to support workforce development and lifelong learning. Through Digital Ireland, initiatives such as AIReady.ie, a Roadmap for Technology Skills of the Future are helping address skills needs. Recognising that cost can be a significant barrier, particularly for smaller firms, the Government provides a range of targeted supports, which have recently been reviewed and updated. These include the Grow Digital & AI Voucher, offering up to \u20ac5,000 to eligible small businesses adopting digital and AI technologies, and the Digital & AI for Business, a consultancy scheme which connects firms with expert advisors to assess needs and develop tailored plans. Ireland\u2019s four European Digital Innovation Hubs, are enabling SMEs to test AI solutions before making major investments. The Oifig IS na h\u00c9ireann (the AI Office of Ireland), officially launched on 30 July, will play a pivotal role in supporting the implementation of the EU AI Act in Ireland, coordinating national competent authorities, and helping organisations understand their responsibilities while fostering innovation and the responsible use of AI. The office is currently developing an AI Regulatory Sandbox and a new National AI Literacy Taskforce. Together, these measures will improve awareness, build skills, increase access to expertise and support the safe and effective adoption of AI, helping SMEs realise the productivity, innovation and competitiveness benefits of the technology."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Artificial Intelligence"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_372","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Job Creation","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_372","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment Balanced regional development and supporting investment and job creation in all regions is central to the work of my Department and our enterprise development agencies. This is underpinned by ensuring we remain competitive in attracting foreign direct investment and supporting Irish-owned businesses to start, compete, grow and succeed internationally to drive balanced, resilient economic growth and job creation across the country. Investments by IDA Ireland client companies consistently generating highly skilled jobs nationwide, and employment in IDA clients remains at record levels. IDA client employment increased by 1.5% in 2025 bringing direct employment to 312,468 people, around 11% of total national employment for the fourth year in a row. 54% of total IDA client employment is in regional locations, 169,967 jobs. Additionally, my Department estimates that for every ten jobs generated by FDI directly, another eight are created in the wider economy. Kildare is part of the Mid-East region, alongside counties Louth, Meath and Wicklow. There are 126 IDA client companies in the Mid-East, employing 20,284 people. 50 of these companies are based in Kildare, employing 10,258 people employed directly and 8,206 indirectly. In 2025, Enterprise Ireland supported over 4,300 Irish companies employing more than 232,000 people, 9,434 of whom are employed in Kildare. These companies create jobs directly and indirectly, develop innovative solutions to global challenges, strengthen communities and regions, and improve quality of life nationwide. More than 65% of Enterprise Ireland client company employment is outside Dublin. In response to the Deputy\u2019s request, the number of IDA and Enterprise Ireland supported jobs in County Kildare, in each of the last 5 years, from 2021 to 2025 is set out in the Table below. The net employment growth over from 2021 to 2025 is 1.5%. Employment County Kildare 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 IDA Client Companies 10,120 12,208 12,004 11,009 10,258 EI Client Companies 9,273 9,439 9,151 9,552 9,434 Net IDA and EI Client employment 19,393 21,647 21,155 20,561 19,692 I can assure you that IDA Ireland and Enterprise Ireland continue to collaborate and work with national and local stakeholders to foster the conditions necessary for enterprise, innovation, and job creation in the Mid-East region and that I am committed to driving a competitive, resilient and sustainable economy that supports enterprise, tourism and employment across all of Ireland\u2019s regions."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Job Creation"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_373","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Legislative Measures","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_373","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment The recent judgment of the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) in the Smartflats case (Case C-813\/24), delivered on 22 October 2026, provides important clarity regarding the regulation of short-term tourist accommodation within the European Union. The Court confirmed that Member States may impose authorisation and planning requirements on short-term letting activity where such measures pursue legitimate public policy objectives, including the protection of housing supply, the preservation of the urban environment, and consumer protection. Significantly, the Court rejected any suggestion that planning controls on tourist accommodation are inherently incompatible with EU law. Instead, it recognised that national, regional and local authorities retain the ability to regulate the sector where justified by objectives of public interest. At the same time, the Court emphasised that any authorisation or planning regime must comply with the requirements of the EU Services Directive. In particular, restrictions must be necessary, proportionate and evidence-based. The Court also highlighted the importance of transparent procedures, objective criteria, clear decision-making processes, and appropriate rights of appeal for affected operators. The judgment is noteworthy in the context of ongoing efforts across Europe to address the impact of short-term letting on housing markets and local communities. It confirms that governments may introduce planning and registration frameworks to manage short-term letting activity, provided that such measures are carefully designed and properly justified. Ireland's approach is consistent with this framework. Ireland has notified the European Commission under the EU Services Directive in respect of the planning measures applicable to short-term letting activity and has set out the policy rationale underpinning those measures. The notification outlines the legitimate public interest objectives being pursued, including addressing housing supply pressures and supporting sustainable community development, and explains why the planning requirements are considered necessary and proportionate to achieving those objectives. The Irish framework reflects a balanced approach, seeking to support a vibrant tourism sector while ensuring that the availability of housing for local residents is protected."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Legislative Measures"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_374","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Energy Policy","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_374","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Peter Burke","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Peter-Burke.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment The Large Energy User Action Plan (LEAP) approved by Government in January 2026 was established as a joint, collaborative initiative by my own Department and the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE). Unsurprisingly, this required significant and regular inter-departmental engagement over an approximate 18-month period, as well as with other Government Departments and agencies. Continued collaboration will remain critical to the subsequent implementation of LEAP over the coming years. The operation of Government, and the development and implementation of Government policy, requires significant and regular inter-departmental engagement, including in person meetings and other forms of engagement. It is a deliberative and iterative process. This coherent whole of Government approach to policy development and implementation necessarily includes significant interaction between my officials and those within the DCEE. It would not be accurately characterised as a formal set of meetings. This level of collaboration is a prerequisite for alignment of Government\u2019s industrial, energy and decarbonisation policies. In addition to departmental engagement, during its development the LEAP was a discussed at various meetings of Senior Official Groups (SOG) and associated Cabinet Committees. Likewise, it has been discussed within various intra-Government fora, such as the Offshore Wind Delivery Taskforce and the Energy Security Taskforce. The extent and variety of these engagements reflects the critical objective of LEAP to unlock next generation investment in those energy intensive industries and sectors associated with the greatest future strategic economic opportunities. As I have previously noted, regular engagements between my Department and DCEE have included discussion on the Grid Code Modification on Fault Ride Through, Rate of Change of Frequency and Post Fault Active Power Recovery for Demand Facilities approved by the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) last month. Additionally, I understand that official from my Department and DCEE have attended public webinars hosted by Ireland\u2019s electricity transmission system operator, EirGrid, regarding its development of the above grid code modification, prior to its subsequent approval by the CRU."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 655 answered with Question No. 627."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 656 answered with Question No. 627."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Energy Policy"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_375","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Legislative Programme","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_375","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Niamh Smyth","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Niamh Smyth","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Niamh-Smyth.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment The Co-operative Societies Bill provides for the most far-reaching reform of the legislation governing co-operatives in the history of the State. The Bill will introduce a modern legal framework which will place the co-operative model on a more favourable and clearer legal basis. It will create a level playing field with the situation applying to companies and encourage the consideration of the co-operative model as an attractive formation option for entrepreneurs and also for social and community activities. This is a large and complex Bill running to over 490 sections. Work is ongoing within my Department and in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to complete a quality assurance exercise on the drafted Bill and with a view to producing a stamped copy in the coming weeks. The Bill will then be brought to Government seeking permission to publish and I look forward to progressing the Bill through the Oireachtas as soon as possible thereafter. Matters relating to the Irish Collective Asset-management Vehicles Act 2015 come within the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Finance. I understand that the Department of Finance's Ireland for Finance: Vision 2030 \u2013 Renewed and Refocussed for a Digital Age identifies a review of the Irish Collective Asset-management Vehicles Act 2015 as a key policy action."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Legislative Programme"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_376","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Work Permits","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_376","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment The employment permits system is designed to address clearly evidenced labour and skills shortages that cannot be met from within the domestic or wider EEA labour market. It aims to ensure that employment opportunities arising in Ireland are, in the first instance, made available to suitably qualified Irish and other EEA nationals. Ireland\u2019s economic migration regime focuses on key sectors and skills shortages, particularly in economically strategic enterprises with the potential for employment growth, and facilitates the recruitment of non-EEA nationals to address identified skills and labour shortages in the short to medium term. In developing policy in this area, consideration is also given to a range of wider measures available to address skills shortages across the economy. The employment permits system is not intended to replace the critical work of developing and upskilling the domestic workforce to meet future labour market needs. One of the key objectives underpinning the framework is to ensure that it does not provide a mechanism which encourages the importation of low-cost labour. A key mechanism supporting these objectives is the Labour Market Needs Test (LMNT), which requires employers seeking to recruit a non-EEA national under certain permit types to demonstrate that genuine efforts have been made to recruit from within Ireland and the wider EEA before an employment permit application can be considered. In addition to an online recruitment platform of the employer's choice, the vacancy must be advertised on the Department of Social Protection Employment Services JobsIreland network providing nationwide coverage, and the EURES network which ensures vacancies are advertised across the European Union, thereby providing Irish and EEA jobseekers with an opportunity to apply before a non-EEA national can be recruited. The requirement for the LMNT supports the Government\u2019s broader employment creation strategy and remains a fundamental safeguard within the employment permits framework. These measures help ensure that access to non-EEA labour is targeted at genuine skills and labour shortages where suitable candidates cannot be sourced from within the domestic or EEA labour market."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Work Permits"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_377","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Work Permits","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_377","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment The employment permits system is designed to address clearly evidenced labour and skills shortages that cannot be met from within the domestic or wider EEA labour market. The Critical Skills Occupations List and the Ineligible Occupations List are reviewed periodically to ensure that the employment permits system remains aligned with current labour market intelligence. This review involves public and stakeholder consultation providing an opportunity to present sector-specific evidence of skills and labour shortages or surpluses. In times of economic expansion, eligible occupation categories may be broadened to address labour and skills shortages. During periods of economic contraction, eligible occupation categories may be narrowed and other restrictions applied. The review process is informed by analysis from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs and the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit of SOLAS and is overseen by the Economic Migration Policy Inter-Departmental Group (IDG). The review determines where adjustments are appropriate based on the available evidence and the observations of relevant Government Departments and the IDG. While certain sectors have experienced a slowdown in recruitment activity, the available data do not point to a broad-based deterioration in labour market outcomes for young people. More broadly, labour market conditions have moderated over the past year, with employment growth and hiring activity easing from the exceptionally strong rates recorded in recent years. This moderation was anticipated given prevailing international economic conditions. Notwithstanding this slowdown, employment remains at historically high levels, with more than 2.8 million people in work. In relation to graduate and entry-level employment, the Department continues to monitor developments closely and will continue to monitor employment opportunities and outcomes for young people and graduates in Ireland. Any future changes must be informed by evidence of labour market needs, skills availability and the broader objective of supporting sustainable economic growth while maximising employment opportunities for workers in the State."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 660 answered with Question No. 627."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Work Permits"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_378","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Grant Payments","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_378","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Alan Dillon","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Alan-Dillon.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment One of the key strategic priorities for my Department, is to accelerate the adoption of digital and AI technologies across enterprises, particularly SMEs, to improve productivity, competitiveness and resilience. In light of this, the digital supports offered by the Local Enterprise Offices (LEOs) were recently reviewed by Enterprise Ireland and my Department officials. As a result, significant changes have been introduced to LEO Digital supports to ensure a stronger AI focus for small businesses across the country. The Digital for Business and Grow Digital Voucher have been renamed to the Digital and AI for Business and the Grow Digital and AI Voucher, respectively. Digital & AI for Business and Grow Digital & AI have been specifically redesigned to accelerate SME adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence. Both supports remain open to small businesses across all sectors with up to 50 employees. The enhancement to these digital supports recognises that the principal challenge facing many small businesses is not the availability of AI tools, but rather understanding where these tools can create value, assess readiness, identify practical use cases, and successfully implement solutions. Under the revised model, Digital & AI for Business will provide an expert-led assessment of a business's digital maturity, AI readiness, data capability, automation opportunities and operational processes. Participating businesses will receive a structured Digital & AI Action Plan and implementation roadmap identifying the most appropriate digital and AI investments for their circumstances. This support remains free of charge to the business. This assessment support is complemented by the Grow Digital & AI voucher, which provides grant assistance towards the implementation of digital and AI solutions arising from that assessment process. The funding model will remain unchanged, providing grant assistance of 50% of eligible expenditure, subject to a minimum grant of \u20ac500 and a maximum grant of \u20ac5,000. The revised scheme extends beyond the purchase of entirely new software and now supports AI-enabled solutions, AI functionality within existing software platforms, software enhancements, system integrations, implementation services, workforce training and adoption supports where these introduce a material new capability or operational benefit."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Grant Payments"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_379","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"School Transport","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_362","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_362","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_379","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth I propose to take Questions Nos. 662 to 670, inclusive, together. The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus \u00c9ireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Youth. Under the current terms of the mainstream scheme, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school\/education centre as determined by the department\/Bus \u00c9ireann, having regard to ethos and language. The scheme is a demand led scheme based on the number of eligible children who apply. Officials from the School Transport Section of my Department have sought the information being requested by the Deputy from Bus \u00c9ireann. Bus \u00c9ireann are continuing to compile the information requested by the Deputy and have advised that they will reply directly to the Deputy as soon as all the information has been collated."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"School Transport"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"\n          ","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 663 answered with Question No. 662."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 664 answered with Question No. 662."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 665 answered with Question No. 662."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 666 answered with Question No. 662."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 667 answered with Question No. 662."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 668 answered with Question No. 662."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 669 answered with Question No. 662."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 670 answered with Question No. 662."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":""}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_381","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"School Staff","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_381","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally. The staffing arrangements include a provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts, using projected enrolment. The school referred to by the Deputy was allocated a post on this basis, having advised of an expected enrolment of 207 pupils. The school was advised that to retain the post, an enrolment of 199 was required on 30 September. As the school's enrolment was 191 on 30 September, the post will not be retained for the remainder of the year. Class sizes in schools are affected by a variety of factors including enrolment fluctuations and available accommodation. Schools are best placed to determine the appropriate numbers in any class and so the configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. The Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"School Staff"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_382","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Schools Building Projects","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_382","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth The new build for Gaelscoil Chol\u00e1iste Mhuire is a large scale capital project for the construction of a sixteen classroom primary school in Dublin 1. The building project to complete the new build for Gaelscoil Col\u00e1iste Mhuire, Dominick Street is at Stage 3 of the Architectural Planning Process \u2013 Tender Action and Award. The Department can confirm that following a confidential conciliation process concerning all matters in dispute between the Department and the original contractor, the conciliator issued a formal recommendation for the resolution of those disputes, and that recommendation was accepted by both parties. Following conclusion of the conciliation process, the Department instructed the Design Team to ready a tender for the completion contract on the school in Dominic Street. This tender period closed in early September and a review of tenders is ongoing. The tender report was submitted on the 21st of October and Department officials are currently undertaking a detailed review of the report. This process is expected to take a number of weeks to ensure due diligence, with a view to having a contractor on site in Q4 2026 subject to no issues arising during the review of tenders. It remains the Department\u2019s priority to deliver a new school building for Gaelscoil Chol\u00e1iste Mhuire as quickly as possible. Department officials met recently with the School Authority and will continue to work closely with them and keep them updated."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Schools Building Projects"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_383","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Schools Building Projects","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_383","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application to the department seeking capital funding for modular accommodation to facilitate the provision of two additional ASD classes. To date, no additional special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE for the school in question. This school has a very favourable range of accommodation available including an extensive special education needs base which compares very favourably to the size of accommodation provided for special classes more generally. The department has commenced advance planning with the NCSE on the requirements for specialist placements for the 2027\/2028 school year with a particular focus on medium to large-primary schools. Where there is a requirement for special class accommodation, the department\u2019s approach is to firstly maximise opportunities to repurpose existing classroom accommodation for the establishment of new special classes in schools which have spare capacity. Inclusive classes, which were introduced in 2026, provide an opportunity to make optimal use of special class accommodation while providing the appropriate teacher and SNA resources. This supports existing good practices in integration across special class and mainstream provision and can be especially relevant where children eligible for special class places are already supported in a mainstream class in a school. If the NCSE deems the establishment of an additional special class necessary in the school referred to by the Deputy, then the appropriate solution to facilitate additional provision will be considered and any associated requirement for capital funding will be considered in the context of (a) the modern facilities in the school building and the capacity of same and (b) the department's overall NDP priorities. The constraints of individual school sites in terms of modular provision is also a very relevant factor in city and urban areas. My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to achieve their full potential."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Schools Building Projects"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_384","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"School Admissions","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_384","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth I wish to advise the Deputy that legal correspondence has been received on behalf of the person (details supplied) and has been responded to directly. However, I wish to reassure the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) continue to support, and assist, the family in question, regarding the matters raised in your PQ. My Department and the NCSE remain committed to supporting and assisting this family in ensuring that a positive outcome is reached for the student, in accessing an appropriate educational placement and this engagement is ongoing."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"School Admissions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_385","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Teaching Qualifications","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_385","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth My Department has adapted to the dynamic landscape of student enrolment and has prioritised enhancing English as an Additional Language (EAL) support, recognising the critical role of language. All schools are advised in the first instance to review whether the needs of newly enrolled pupils can be met from within existing allocations. Language supports are also included through the Special Education Teaching (SET) which encompasses an element of language support allocation. Under this SET model, schools are frontloaded with resources to provide support immediately to those pupils who need it without delay. My Department's policies enable flexible resource allocation to ensure that the resources follow pupils in the event of them changing schools. These supports to schools, based on an application process, are provided for new-entrant pupils (i.e., pupils arrived in the country in the last 2 years with an EAL requirement). Similar to previous years, supports may also be provided for schools with a high concentration of pupils that are not classified as new-entrant pupils, but who have an EAL need i.e., those pupils with less than 3 years EAL support and register less than B1 in an English proficiency test. In May, Scoil Ursula submitted an EAL application which granted them an allocation of 1 fixed term post and 20 part-time language support hours for the 2026\/27 school year. These allocations were provisional pending confirmation of enrolment. At confirmation of enrolment which took place on the 30 September, this school submitted a revised application in which they had reduced the number of pupils requiring EAL support. This reduced their allocation to 20 part-time language support hours. Scoil Ursula have recently adjusted their EAL application and applied for additional EAL pupils enrolled in the school. A revised EAL allocation has been approved to the school based on the new application."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Teaching Qualifications"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_386","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Education Schemes","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_386","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth Addressing educational disadvantage and ensuring that every child and young person can reach their full potential is a key priority for me as Minister for Education and Youth and for the Government. The DEIS Plus scheme, launched as part of the DEIS Strategy to 2035, represents the most significant expansion of targeted supports since the establishment of DEIS. DEIS Plus is designed to provide enhanced, evidence-based supports to a cohort of schools with the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage, identified through a refined data-based model drawing on a range of indicators associated with persistent and intergenerational disadvantage. Schools were identified for inclusion in the DEIS Plus scheme using the DEIS Plus identification model, an objective and data-based approach that applies nationally available indicators consistently across all schools. The identification model is underpinned by a range of administrative data on every child and young person enrolled in primary and post-primary schools. This data includes: \u2022 The Pobal HP Deprivation Index for the small area in which the child or young person lives, based on address data provided by schools through the Primary Online Database (POD) and the Post-Primary Online Database (PPOD). \u2022 The child\u2019s or young person\u2019s ethnicity, where provided by schools on POD or PPOD. \u2022 Whether the child\u2019s or young person\u2019s address matches an address of State-funded homeless accommodation. \u2022 Whether the child\u2019s or young person\u2019s address matches an address of an International Protection Accommodation Centre (IPAS) or Emergency Reception and Orientation Centre (EROC). The DEIS Plus identification model includes a DEIS Plus Index developed by my department\u2019s Statistics Unit. This index uses the same factors as the Pobal HP Deprivation Index but places greater weight on lone parenthood and unemployment, which have been widely identified as key factors in persistent and intergenerational disadvantage. Children and young people from very disadvantaged or extremely disadvantaged areas, those residing in State-funded emergency accommodation, those residing in IPAS or EROC accommodation, and those identifying as Traveller or Roma are designated priority cohorts within the model. Further information on the identification process is available on gov.ie\/deis. Following assessment of the previous three years' enrolment data, only those schools identified as having the highest concentrations of children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage were included in the DEIS Plus scheme. If a school was not identified for inclusion, this does not imply that there is no disadvantage within its school community. While many schools experience significant levels of need, not all meet the statistical threshold for inclusion. Such schools continue to benefit from the range of supports and resources available through the DEIS programme. The department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they are identified for inclusion in the DEIS Plus scheme. In recognition of this, schools that were dissatisfied with the outcome of the identification process had an opportunity to seek a review through a formal appeals process. Schools were able to request a review of the application of the model to their existing data and, where necessary, update enrolment information for the 2023\/24, 2024\/25 and 2025\/26 school years on POD and PPOD to ensure that the data accurately reflected their school populations. Schools were notified of the outcome of the DEIS Plus identification process at the end of July 2026, and the subsequent appeals process has now concluded. The department recognises that some schools operate in the context of complex local pressures within their wider communities. While these challenges may be well understood locally, they are not always captured within datasets that can be fairly and consistently applied across the school system. A rules-based national model must assess all schools on the same basis and cannot substitute locally held knowledge for data that are not available or comparable nationwide. The department will continue to engage with school communities and education stakeholders regarding the implementation of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and the range of supports available to schools serving communities experiencing educational disadvantage. Any future expansion of DEIS Plus or allocation of additional resources to schools will be considered over the lifetime of the DEIS Strategy to 2035 and in the context of available resources."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Education Schemes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_387","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Teaching Qualifications","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_387","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth I propose to take Questions Nos. 677, 679, 800, 801, 809, 810 and 811 together. As there are common themes across all of these questions, and given the shared interest in this matter, these PQs are being taken together for response. At the outset, it is important to note that the Teaching Council of Ireland is the independent regulator of the Teaching Profession established in legislation. The role of my department primarily is to enable the Council to discharge its functions through consenting to the making of regulations for the various functions, as well as approving staffing and providing governance support. In discharging its functions, the Council will have due regard for department policy and priorities, however my department has no role in relation to individual applicants, and specific operational matters. The Institute referred to in these PQs is a private education provider, and the programme in question is not an initial teacher education programme. No funding is provided to the institute by my department, nor is funding provided to students of the institute. Department officials have discussed the matter with The Teaching Council of Ireland, and the Council has provided information on the issue. In the context of its role as the independent statutory regulator, the Council became aware of the Portobello Institute programme when graduates holding the qualification applied for registration of P.E. under Route 2 post-primary. When it emerged that the qualification did not meet the curricular subject requirements for P.E., the Teaching Council and Portobello Institute commenced engagement on the matter. Notwithstanding that this is not a Teaching Council accredited programme of initial teacher education, the Council has endeavoured to support Portobello Institute to develop additional modules so that graduates can achieve the requirements for registration. The Council has also provided information to Portobello Institute regarding its communications and programme details for candidates. It should be noted that the programme in question, awarded by Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU), is no longer open to new applicants, and is being taught out for the current cohort. The Teaching Council is currently engaging with Portobello Institute and University of Essex as the new awarding body of the additional modules being offered to meet the curricular subject requirements for registration. The Council will provide support as appropriate to any students of this programme. It deals with applicants on an individual basis, as there may be qualifications held in addition to the Portobello Institute qualification, which can be included as part of the assessment of qualifications process. This may result in applicants having different requirements to be addressed in order to achieve registration. The Teaching Council carries out its statutory functions in line with its legislation, and relevant EU regulation. Specific data on the number of graduates of this programme that may be affected is not held by the Teaching Council at this time, as the matter remains ongoing. The Teaching Council has engaged with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), an aegis body of the Department of Further & Higher Education, Innovation and Skills, to make them aware of concerns arising. QQI has a statutory oversight role in the further and higher education sector."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Teaching Qualifications"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_388","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"School Staff","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_388","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth I propose to take Questions Nos. 678, 684 and 685 together. The Department of Education and Youth is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day-to-day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance and general up-keep, and the ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities, except for the employment of relevant secretaries as per Circular 0036\/2022. School secretaries and caretakers are at the heart of the school and are the key interface between students, parents, school leaders, and other staff. Without them, our schools would be unsustainable. In supporting these vital school staff members, we also support the school community as a whole. Following intensive and constructive engagement between the Department of Education and Youth and F\u00f3rsa trade union at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) on the 1st of September 2026, a set of proposals aimed at resolving three elements of the dispute was issued by the WRC. Both parties recommended the WRC\u2019s proposal for acceptance. The WRC recommended proposal includes enhanced terms and conditions for secretaries and caretakers including a pay framework for caretakers, bereavement leave and sick leave\/acute illness leave for both secretaries and caretakers. The department notes the positive outcome of the secretaries\u2019 and caretakers\u2019 vote on the WRC proposal and is committed to working constructively with F\u00f3rsa trade union to implement the agreed proposals on a phased basis, as set out in the WRC proposal. The department does not maintain data on caretaker employment levels in schools. Caretakers are employed by the board of management of the school in which they work."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 679 answered with Question No. 677."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"School Staff"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_389","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Schools Building Projects","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_389","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth The school referred to was approved to enter the Department\u2019s pipeline of school buildings under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme for a project providing one music room, one construction room and prep area, and one home economics room. This is devolved to the school authority for delivery. A Stage 2b (Detailed Design) report was submitted to the Department in Q3 2025. In June 2026, my Department sought further information and clarification from the school authority in relation to the submission. This information has not yet been received. Until received, the Department cannot complete its review of the Stage 2b report. All school building projects, as they progress through the pipeline, must undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the Infrastructure Guidelines and Capital Works Management Framework. The timing of a project moving from one stage to the next requires careful planning and takes account of factors such as compliance with all scope, design and cost requirements; timing of affordability; and the prioritisation necessary for the school building programme to remain within agreed annual funding allocations It is expected that the next tranche of projects to proceed to tender will be published in 2027. Prioritisation will continue over the coming months to identify this next tranche of projects. This will be informed by latest available demographic and capacity data, the department\u2019s energy and condition inventory (the validation of which is due to be completed by late 2026\/early 2027), opportunities for phased development to prioritise the most urgent accommodation needs and consultation with patrons and management bodies."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Schools Building Projects"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_390","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"School Uniforms","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_390","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Hildegarde Naughton","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","memberCode":"Hildegarde-Naughton.S.2013-07-19","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Education and Youth My department\u2019s Circular 0032\/2017 sets out the principles of cost-effective practice to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of returning to school Under these measures, schools should select school uniform items which are generic and can be purchased from a range of retailers. Only \"iron on\" or \"sew on\" crests should be used. Schools should provide parents with a list of all required items and indicate the likely costs of these required items at best value stores. Where an exclusive supply arrangement applies, it should be tendered for regularly. Schools should also consult with parents as to their views on how to reduce costs. Circular 0032\/2017 is currently being reviewed. In addition to a focus on reducing costs for parents, the review is looking at the comfort and sustainability of school uniforms. Officials are engaging with the education partners and other stakeholders as we progress this work. The Education (Charter and Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2019, which has passed the Seanad and recently passed Committee Stage in the D\u00e1il, includes provisions to enhance financial transparency within school communities and support greater awareness of school-related costs. The Bill provides that charter guidelines may require schools to make available information on school finances, including details of income and expenditure, and extend this transparency to funds raised and spent by parents\u2019 associations. The information may be made available to school staff, parents and students. The Bill also provides that, in preparing the charter guidelines, I must have regard to the need for schools to promote equality of access and participation in education by seeking, where practicable, to reduce the costs incurred by parents and students. This provision reflects the policy objective of minimising financial barriers to participation in education and ensuring that cost considerations are taken into account in the development of school charters. During Committee Stage consideration of the Bill, particular attention was given to the financial burden that school-related costs, including school uniforms, digital devices and other educational requirements, can place on families. I acknowledged these concerns and indicated support for ensuring that decisions taken at school level do not result in unnecessary costs for parents. I indicated that I would give further consideration to the matter in advance of the Bill progressing to Report Stage."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"School Uniforms"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_391","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Policies","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_380","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_380","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_391","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Michael Moynihan","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","memberCode":"Michael-Moynihan.D.1997-06-26","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Education and Youth The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is the statutory body responsible for the provision of special education and allocating supports for students with special educational needs. The information held on the department's Geographical Information System (GIS), particularly in relation to student demographics, is a key component when forecasting the need for additional special class and special school places. My department and the NCSE have undertaken analysis of the trends in special class and special school provision over recent years by county and local school planning area. In total there are 314 local school planning areas. My department and the NCSE identify the need for special educational provision with consideration to demographical and statistical data and in regard to an areas existing school provision and future capability. In addition, the forward planning process as to where new classes, schools or expansion is required looks at how far students are travelling to access an education that meets their needs. This is an important factor which has been incorporated into the decision-making process. Consideration is also given to the information the NCSE hold at local level on the number of children and young people seeking a special school place in a region. In order to support the NCSE and forward planning my department published Circular 0063\/2026. This circular informs school management and patrons of measures introduced to support forward planning and reiterates the need for parents to inform the NCSE through the Parent Notify process that they are seeking a special educational placement for their child. This notification process will provide the NCSE with critical information on children who continue to need a special class as they progress to post-primary level as well as details on students who require a place for the first time. This year to facilitate earlier sanctioning of classes for the 2027\/28 school year, an earlier date of 1 September was set for parents with necessary documentation to be provided by 15 September 2026 or as soon as is reasonably practicable thereafter. The Parents Notify process provides the NCSE and the department with the information for the potential need for specialist placements in working with schools to forward plan for special education provision. The NCSE will continue to engage with parents\/guardians and schools on this, to ensure all of the relevant information is provided as quickly as possible to facilitate comprehensive forward planning. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an admissions policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. Under the provisions of this act, all schools are required to have admissions policies which have been approved by the patron following consultation with staff and parents of students who are attending the school. It is a key requirement of the act that all school admission policies are fair and transparent. My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to achieve their full potential."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Policies"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"\n          ","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1688 answered with Question No. 1670."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":""}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_467","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_467","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1690 answered with Question No. 1668."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_468","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Health Services","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_468","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Reply not received from Department."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Health Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_469","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Ambulance Service","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_469","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1693 answered with Question No. 1668."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ambulance Service"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_470","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Funding","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_470","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Reply not received from Department."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Funding"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_471","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_471","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive (HSE) to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1696 answered with Question No. 1668."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_472","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_472","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_473","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_473","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices; therefore, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_474","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Health Services Staff","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_474","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Health Services Staff"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_475","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Programmes","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_475","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health The Terms of Reference for the Mid West Health Planning Board have been published on the Department of Health's website and are available here: www.assets.gov.ie\/static\/documents\/e57b7ffa\/Terms_of_Reference_for_the_Mid_West_Health_Planning_Board.pdf."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Programmes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_476","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Policies","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_476","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health The recruitment of graduate nurses and midwives remains a priority for both my Department and the HSE. The approval and issuing of individual employment contracts are operational matters for the HSE. My Department does not approve individual contracts for graduate nurses or midwives. Recruitment decisions are managed by the HSE in accordance with approved workforce plans, recruitment controls and available funding. As I have previously, there is no recruitment embargo in the HSE. Recruitment has not been stopped. However, strengthened recruitment controls are in place in certain regions to ensure that appointments are affordable and directed to areas of greatest patient need. Accordingly, no change has been made whereby individual contracts for graduate nurses and midwives require approval from my Department. Responsibility for the approval and processing of appointments rests with the HSE under its established recruitment and workforce management arrangements. I have previously emphasised that the annual graduation of nurses and midwives is entirely foreseeable and should be reflected in workforce planning. Newly qualified graduates represent an important investment in the future of our health service and should be provided with timely clarity regarding employment opportunities. The HSE has advised that recruitment and onboarding processes for graduate nurses and midwives continue to progress. Where graduates have received approved offers of employment, the completion of the appointment process, including the receipt of academic transcripts, professional registration and other required pre-employment clearances, remains a matter for the HSE. My Department continues to engage with the HSE on graduate recruitment and workforce planning to support the timely recruitment and retention of newly qualified nurses and midwives within the public health service."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Policies"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_477","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_477","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kieran O'Donnell) As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_478","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Home Help Service","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_478","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kieran O'Donnell) As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Home Help Service"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_479","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Medicinal Products","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_479","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter and under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013, the HSE has statutory responsibility for decisions on the pricing and reimbursement of medicines and medical devices, the matter has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Medicinal Products"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_480","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_480","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_481","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_481","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_482","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_482","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Kieran O'Donnell","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Kieran-O'Donnell.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Kieran O'Donnell) As this is an operational matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond directly to the Deputy as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_483","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Medicinal Products","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_466","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_466","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_483","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health I propose to take Questions Nos. 1708, 1741, 1743 and 1745 together. Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 the HSE has sole statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines. The HSE must assess applications for pricing and reimbursement to make sure that it can stretch available resources as far as possible and to deliver the best value in relation to each medicine and ultimately more medicines to people living in Ireland. HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds. There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and \/ or reimbursed. In line with the 2013 Act and the national framework agreed with industry, a company must submit an application to the HSE to have a new medicine added to the reimbursement list and continue to engage at all stages of the process with the HSE to progress applications. Reimbursement is for licenced indications which have been granted market authorisation by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA). Once the process has begun, applicants must continue to engage throughout the process to ensure that the necessary evidence is available for the HSE to carry out its statutory role as a decision-maker with respect to the reimbursement of new medicines, in accordance with the Act. The Act specifies nine criteria which must be considered. These include the health needs of the public and the clinical need for the medicine. All these factors, taken together, allow the HSE to make an informed decision on new medicines. In terms of the specific details of the application for pricing and reimbursement of house dust mite extract (Acarizax\u00ae): The HSE received a complete application for pricing and reimbursement of house dust mite extract (Acarizax\u00ae) on the 10th December 2025 from ALK-Abello (the applicant) indicated in patients (5-65 years) diagnosed by clinical history and a positive test of house dust mite sensitisation (skin prick test and\/or specific IgE) with persistent moderate to severe house dust mite allergic rhinitis despite use of symptom-relieving medication. The HSE commissioned a full Health Technology Assessment (HTA) on 28th January 2026, which is ongoing. Further information on the progress of house dust mite extract (Acarizax\u00ae) through the HSE assessment and approval processes is available via the Pricing and Reimbursement Application tracker available at [ www.hse.ie\/eng\/about\/who\/cpu\/ ] . HSE application ID HSE100082 has been assigned to this application. Information in relation to the pharmacoeconomic assessment being conducted by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics can be found at House Dust Mite Extract (Acarizax \u00ae) for Allergic Rhinitis (5-65 year olds) HTA ID: 25069 | National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics (\/www.ncpe.ie\/house-dust-mite-extract-acarizax-for-allergic-rhinitis-5-65-year-olds-hta-id-25069\/). The application remains under consideration with the HSE. The HSE cannot make any comment on possible outcomes from the ongoing process."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1709 answered with Question No. 1679."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Medicinal Products"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"\n          ","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":""}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_499","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Health Services","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_499","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Health Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_500","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Staff","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_500","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Staff"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_501","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_501","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health I propose to take Questions Nos. 1734, 1738, 1739 and 1740 together. As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_502","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_502","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_503","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Procedures","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_503","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health Under the Health Act 2004, the Health Service Executive (HSE) is required to manage and deliver, or arrange to be delivered on its behalf, health and personal social services. The Minister for Health is prohibited from directing the HSE to provide a treatment or a personal service to any individual or to confer eligibility on any individual. In relation to the particular query raised, as this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Procedures"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_504","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Medicinal Products","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_504","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1738 answered with Question No. 1734."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1739 answered with Question No. 1734."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1740 answered with Question No. 1734."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1741 answered with Question No. 1708."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1742 answered with Question No. 1668."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1743 answered with Question No. 1708."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Medicinal Products"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_505","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Health Service Executive","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_505","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health The Government recognises the importance of timely access for patients to new medicines. Under the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013 the HSE has sole statutory responsibility for decisions on pricing and reimbursement of medicines under the community drugs schemes. HSE decisions on which medicines are reimbursed by the taxpayer are made on objective, scientific and economic grounds. There are formal processes which govern applications for the pricing and reimbursement of medicines, and new uses of existing medicines, to be funded and \/ or reimbursed. Reimbursement is for licenced indications which have been granted market authorisation either by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or by the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA). Once a licence is granted a company must then apply to the HSE for a medicine to be reimbursed in its licenced indication. Once the process has begun, applicants must continue to engage throughout the process to ensure that the necessary evidence is available for the HSE to carry out its statutory role as a decision-maker with respect to the reimbursement of new medicines, in accordance with the Act. The Act specifies nine criteria which must be considered. These include the health needs of the public and the clinical need for the medicine. All these factors, taken together, allow the HSE to make an informed decision on new medicines. The processing time for pricing and reimbursement applications vary considerably depending on the nature and complexity of the application. Factors influencing the overall timeframe include whether the medicine requires a full pharmacoeconomic assessment (Health Technology Assessment (HTA)) after a Rapid Review is conducted by the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, the complexity of the clinical and economic evidence submitted, the need for engagement with the applicant during the assessment process, and any subsequent pricing or commercial negotiations. The HSE seeks to process all applications as efficiently as possible while ensuring that decisions are informed by robust clinical and economic evidence and represent value for money for patients. Consequently, the duration of the process can vary significantly on a case-by-case basis and a single average processing time would not provide a meaningful representation of the pricing and reimbursement process for all drugs. As outlined in the Framework Agreements on the Supply and Pricing of Medicines (FASPM) 2026-2029, the HSE is committed to achieving a 180-day review of new medicines and new uses of existing medicines."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1745 answered with Question No. 1708."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Health Service Executive"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_506","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Cancer Services","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_506","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Cancer Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_507","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Mental Health Services","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_507","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Mental Health Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_508","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Mental Health Services","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_508","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Mary Butler","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"Mary-Butler.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Health (Deputy Mary Butler) Recommendation 65 of Sharing the Vision, our national mental health policy, outlines how every person should have access to appropriate advocacy supports in all mental health services. I, as Minister for Mental Health, the Department of Health and HSE are committed to developing advocacy services to ensure that everyone is empowered to taking a leading role in their own care, as is their human right. The latest Sharing the Vision implementation status indicates that the delivery of this recommendation is 'on-track'. Commissioned research into advocacy services in Ireland has been completed, including an analysis of current service provision and identified gaps. A working group is now developing a prioritised service improvement plan, including mental health advocacy for young people and ethnic minority groups. The National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities already provides support to people who use mental health services, most commonly in relation to housing, social protection or other entitlements, with approximately 20% of its clients being people with mental health difficulties. The National Advocacy Service for People with Disabilities also currently delivers the Patient Advocacy Service under contract with the Department of Health. Patient Advocacy Service is an independent, free and confidential service which can provide support to people who wish to make a complaint about the care they or a family member has received in a public acute hospital, or in a public or private nursing home. They also provide support in the aftermath of a Patient Safety Incident. The Programme for Government includes a commitment to extend the independent Patient Advocacy Service to support those accessing public mental health services. The current contract with the Patient Advocacy Service, which runs until next year, provides for scoping work to be carried out to extend its services directly into mental health services. Earlier this year, I met with the Patient Advocacy Service to discuss how best to progress the expansion of advocacy services into mental health services. Department officials have subsequently met with both the Patient Advocacy Service and the National Advocacy Service to further progress this matter. Officials in my Department are actively exploring what form of advocacy will appropriately meet the needs of people accessing mental health services and how to deliver such services. To that end, I was very pleased to see \u20ac500,000 allocated in Budget 2027 to support the expansion of advocacy services into mental health services, with an initial focus on mental health community residences. As the Deputy will be aware, the Mental Health Act 2026 was signed into law by President Connolly in May this year. The 2026 Act will eventually replace the Mental Health Act 2001, introducing a more person-centred, human-rights-based approach to mental health legislation. Among the many significant changes in the Mental Health Act 2026, the Act introduces the ability for any person accessing inpatient mental health services to appoint a 'nominated person'. This 'nominated person' can be a family member, friend, loved one or any other person, including a professional or peer advocate. The nominated person, with the consent of the person receiving treatment, will be entitled to attend meetings with that person and to receive information of a general nature about the person's care and treatment. Furthermore, the Mental Health Act 2026 includes the right for people to receive information about any advocacy services that are available in the service in which they are receiving treatment. There are a number of significant changes in the Mental Health Act 2026 that our mental health services will need to adapt to. The Department has already begun work to commence the legislation, which will include the drafting of secondary legislation, the development of additional training and education for professionals working under the new Act, and awareness-raising of the changes for people accessing services under the Act. I will be seeking additional funding in future Estimates process to put in place the necessary resources to commence the Act. Sharing the Vision reinforces the need for every person with mental health difficulties to have access to a comprehensive stepped mental health service that is recovery-oriented and based on integrated co-produced recovery care plans supported by advocacy services as required."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Mental Health Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_509","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Mental Health Services","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_509","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Mental Health Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_510","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Hospital Services","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_510","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Hospital Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_511","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Health Services Staff","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_498","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_498","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_511","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Health Services Staff"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_548","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"\n          ","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_548","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 1794 answered with Question No. 1793."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":""}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_549","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Cancer Services","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_548","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_548","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_549","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Cancer Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_550","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Medicinal Products","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_548","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_548","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_550","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter the question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Medicinal Products"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_551","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Medicinal Products","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_548","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_548","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_551","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter the question has been referred to the HSE for attention and direct reply to the Deputy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Medicinal Products"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"\n          ","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2322 answered with Question No. 2321."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2323 answered with Question No. 2321."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":""}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_767","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Health Services","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_767","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2325 answered with Question No. 1885."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Health Services"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_768","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Schemes","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_768","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2327 answered with Question No. 1885."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Schemes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_769","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Commissions of Investigation","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_769","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health I propose to take Questions Nos. 2328 and 2329 together. I published the independent report of the Children's Health Ireland Inquiry into Spina Bifida and Complex Scoliosis Scoping Exercise on 28 September following engagement with patients and families. Mr Farrell, the independent facilitator of the scoping exercise, recommended a Commission of Investigation covering four defined modules; waiting lists, spinal surgery, hip dysplasia and the cohort of children who were not transferred to Temple Street post 2008. Government has accepted the report's recommendations and have agreed to the initiation of drafting the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the proposed Commission of Investigation. Officials in my Department will work in close consultation with the Office of the Attorney General on drafting the Terms of Reference. There will be a call for input from advocacy groups on the ToR. The final ToR will be submitted to Government for approval. Section 16 of the Commission of Investigation Act 2004 empowers a Commission established under the Act to: (a) direct a witness to answer questions that it believes to be relevant to a matter under investigation; (b) examine a witness on oath or affirmation or by use of a statutory declaration or written interrogatories; (c) examine or cross examine any witness to the extent the commission thinks proper in order to elicit information relevant to a matter under investigation. I have full confidence that any Commission of Investigation established by the Government will carry out their independent statutory functions as necessary and required."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2329 answered with Question No. 2328."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2330 answered with Question No. 1885."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2331 answered with Question No. 1885."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Commissions of Investigation"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_770","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Health and Safety","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_770","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to the Deputy directly, as soon as possible."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Health and Safety"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_771","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Policies","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_771","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Murnane O'Connor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Murnane-O'Connor.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Jennifer-Murnane-O'Connor.S.2016-04-25","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Murnane O'Connor","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Murnane-O'Connor.S.2016-04-25","memberCode":"Jennifer-Murnane-O'Connor.S.2016-04-25","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Health Dear Deputy Byrne, \"Cultured meat\", also referred to as cell culture-derived food, falls within the scope of Regulation (EU) 2015\/2283 on novel foods. Such products are considered novel foods because they were not consumed to a significant degree within the European Union before 15 May 1997 and fall within the category of foods consisting of, isolated from, or produced from cell or tissue cultures derived from animals, plants, micro-organisms, fungi or algae. Under the EU novel foods framework, only products that have undergone a comprehensive safety assessment and have been authorised at EU level may be placed on the market. Any authorised product is subject to specific conditions of use and labelling requirements set out in the relevant authorisation. To date, no cell culture-derived meat products have been authorised for sale within the European Union. Two applications for cell culture-derived foods of animal origin are currently progressing through the EU authorisation process: \u2022 Duck cells from cell culture, submitted in 2024, which is currently undergoing a safety assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). \u2022 Cell-cultured bovine fat biomass derived from the species of cow or domesticated cattle (Bos taurus): The novel food application was submitted in 2024 and is under European Commission\u2019s validation. The assessment and authorisation of these products will proceed in accordance with the procedures set out in Articles 10 - 13 of Regulation (EU) 2015\/2283. These procedures require a rigorous scientific assessment of the safety of the proposed novel food, including any potential risks to human health. is responsible for providing the independent scientific risk assessment, while authorisation decisions are taken by the European Commission in consultation with Member States through the relevant EU committee procedures. Ireland's position on any future application will continue to be informed by the best available scientific evidence, the advice of EFSA , relevant public health considerations, stakeholder engagement and discussions at EU level. The Department will continue to engage constructively in the EU decision-making process and to ensure that consumer safety and public confidence remain central to the consideration of any proposals relating to cultured meat products. Kind regards,"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Policies"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_772","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"State Claims Agency","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_772","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health The State Claims Agency manages claims on behalf of State authorities, not individual clinicians and, as such, does not require the recording of the employment type of individual clinicians involved in claims. Accordingly, the SCA is not in a position to report on the number of clinical negligence claims arising from incidents involving agency, panel or locum staff since 1 January 2020."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"State Claims Agency"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_773","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Medical Cards","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_773","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health Medical Card provision is primarily based on financial assessment. In accordance with the Health Act 1970 (as amended), eligibility for a medical card is determined by the HSE, which assesses each application on a qualifying financial threshold. The issue of granting medical cards on the basis of illness or a disability was previously examined in 2014 by the HSE Expert Panel on Medical Need and Medical Card Eligibility. The Group concluded that it was not feasible, desirable, nor ethically justifiable to list medical conditions in priority order for medical card eligibility. In following the Expert Group\u2019s advice, a person\u2019s means remains the main qualifier for a medical card. Every effort is made by the HSE, within the framework of the legislation, to support applicants in applying for a medical card and, in particular, to take full account of the difficult circumstances in the case of applicants who may be in excess of the income guidelines. The HSE may exercise discretion and grant a medical card, even though an applicant exceeds the income threshold where they face difficult financial circumstances, such as extra costs arising from an illness. Social and medical issues are also considered when determining whether undue hardship exists for an individual accessing general practitioner or other medical services. Furthermore, there are existing supports for people with a disability within the medical card assessment process, for example, \u2022 People who have been on a disability payment for at least a year can retain a medical card for a further three years on return to work, provided they were unemployed and in receipt of the full rate of payment for a period of at least 12 months prior to commencing employment. \u2022 Since December 2018, the medical card earnings disregard for people in receipt of Disability Allowance was increased from \u20ac120 to \u20ac427 per week and applies to the assessment process for single people and to family assessments. This significant policy change gave effect to an important recommendation of the Make Work Pay for People with Disabilities report. This substantial increase in allowable earnings acknowledges that a Medical Card is a particularly significant support and ensures that people with disabilities can continue to be supported to access care when needed. I can assure the Deputy that, in order to ensure the medical card system is responsive and sensitive to people's needs, my Department keeps medical card issues under review and any proposals are considered in the context of any potential broader implications for Government policy, the annual budgetary estimates process and legislative requirements arising."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Medical Cards"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_774","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_774","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jennifer Carroll MacNeill","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","memberCode":"Jennifer-Carroll-MacNeill.D.2020-02-08","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Health As this is a service matter, it has been referred to the Health Service Executive for attention and direct reply to the Deputy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2337 answered with Question No. 1885."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_775","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Third Level Costs","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_775","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme which is administered by SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). Under the terms of the Student Grant Scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students attending an approved course in an approved institution who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the awarding authority, SUSI. As part of the assessment process, SUSI may request additional information or supporting documentation where this is necessary to verify details provided in an application or to determine eligibility under the Scheme. An official in my Department has advised that SUSI received an application for grant funding from the applicant referred to by the Deputy on 31 July 2026. Following an initial assessment of the application, SUSI determined that additional documentation was required to verify certain aspects of the applicant's eligibility and, accordingly, issued a request for further details on 13 August 2026. On 26 August, SUSI received some documentation, however, this was deemed to be insufficient to confirm the applicant\u2019s eligibility and the application was refused. The applicant appealed to SUSI on 23 September 2026 and provided further documents on 24 September 2026. The Appeals Officer found that the additional documentation provided on appeal confirmed the applicant's eligibility for grant support under the Student Grant Scheme. The applicant has been awarded the Special non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant funding and was notified of this by letter dated 23 October 2026."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Third Level Costs"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_776","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Third Level Staff","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_776","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Information on post-doctoral researchers working in Irish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) is collected by my Department through the Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) survey. The most recent HERD survey was conducted in 2024 and collected data on R&D expenditure and R&D personnel in Irish HEIs relating to the 2022-2023 academic year. However, the survey does not collect any information on the disability status of research personnel. Research Ireland has also advised that it does not collect or publish data on the disability status of the researchers it funds due to potential identifiability issues and related GDPR concerns. It notes, however, that it has however recently launched the pilot initiative Disability Policy and Supplemental Grant to support researchers with a disability\/disabilities that may require additional supports to participate fully in their researcher endeavour, reflecting its commitment to fostering a more inclusive research environment. The National Disability Authority (NDA), in accordance with the Disability Act 2005, collate a PART 5 return on disability employment for the public sector. The latest report can be found here: English-version-Report-on-Compliance-with-Part-5-for-2024.pdf. The number and proportion of staff reporting a disability in 2023 and 2024 for several HEIs can be found on page 51. It should be noted, however, that this data relates to all employees of these HEIs, and is not broken down by role."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Third Level Staff"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_777","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Third Level Education","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_777","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science I have provided details below from the Equal Access Survey (EAS). The EAS is an annual, voluntary set of questions asked of first year full-time and part-time undergraduate students in HEA-funded institutions. These questions are asked as part of the registration process at the start of the academic year, and are conducted by the institutions and returned to the HEA for analysis purposes. The EAS is a vital source of information to measure progress on national targets, aimed at improving equity of access to higher education and to develop the evidence base and inform policy in this area. Furthermore, the EAS helps us develop a better understanding of the student population and their needs. The HEA has analysed this data and published a report which represents the HEA's first report on the profile of students with a disability in higher education in Ireland. A summary of key findings include: \u2022 Nearly 3 in 4 full-time undergraduate new entrants respond to the Equal Access Survey \u2022 17.8% of respondents state they have a disability \u2022 The most common disability amongst new entrants is Learning Conditions (37.0%), followed by Psychological \/ Emotional Conditions (31.2%) \u2022 Those with Learning Conditions are 53.9% male, whereas in all other categories women outnumber men \u2022 There are higher rates of mature students amongst those with Multiple Conditions (13.7%) and Physical Conditions (11.2%) \u2022 Those with a Physical Condition are most disadvantaged, with 13.9% coming from disadvantaged areas \u2022 28.3% of new entrants who state they have a disability enter higher education through DARE \u2022 Arts & Humanities is the most common field of study for new entrants with a disability, as opposed to Business, Administration & Law for students without a disability. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) publishes annual statistics on students enrolled in higher education, including information on students who have declared a disability. This information is in the public domain, and available on the HEA website, including [ Student Disability Data (EAS Disability 2023) | Statistics | Higher Education Authority ] and [ Key Facts & Figures | Statistics | Higher Education Authority ]."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Third Level Education"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_778","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_766","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_766","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_778","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The income and expenditure of the National Training Fund for 2024, 2025, estimated 2026, and projected figures for 2027 are set out in the table below. Income received by end-September 2026 amounted to \u20ac922,394, while expenditure over the same period was \u20ac879,972. Section 2 (14) of the National Training Fund Act, 2000 requires the Accounts of the Fund be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. The published Accounts can be found on the website:https:\/\/opac.oireachtas.ie\/knowvation\/app\/consolidatedSearch\/#search\/v=grid,c=1,q=title%3D%5B%22National%20Training%20Fund%22%5D%2CqueryType%3D%5B64%5D,sm=s,l=library3_lib%2Clibrary7_lib,a=t. The draft 2025 Annual Financial Statements are currently undergoing audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General. It is important to note that income comprises receipts from the NTF Levy, deposit interest, and other income streams, including ESF funding. 2024 Outturn* 2025 Outturn** 2026 YTD Estimate*** 2027 Estimate**** \u20ac'000 \u20ac'000 \u20ac'000 \u20ac'000 Income National Training Fund Levy 1,155,365 1,248,250 1,296,500 1,376,200 Other Income 51,650 48,963 29,951 36,798 Total Income 1,207,015 1,297,213 1,326,451 1,412,998 Expenditure Training in Employment 443,356 477,471 563,665 634,465 Training for Employment 531,311 533,610 585,627 647,628 Information on Skill Requirements 2,943 3,153 4,285 4,285 Bank charges\/audits 45 5 50 50 Total Expenditure 977,655 1,014,239 1,153,627 1,286,428 * As per audited NTF Financial Statements. ** As per draft unaudited NTF Financial Statements. *** As per Revised Estimates for Public Services 2026. **** As per Budget 2027 Expenditure Report."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"\n          ","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":""}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_780","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Budget 2027","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_780","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science I am conscious of reducing the cost of education for students and I have consistently outlined my commitment to improving student supports in a way that is equitable, funded, and fair, and provides certainty for families. Budget 2026 offered me my first opportunity to make real and permanent changes, and I was very pleased to increase the Post Graduate Fee Contribution Grant by \u20ac500 from \u20ac4,000 to \u20ac4,500. In Budget 2027 I secured a \u20ac34 million student support package that is enabling me to make further enhancements to respond to needs of students and families. This package will see SUSI grant improvements which include a 4.5% increase to all maintenance grant rates - adjacent and non-adjacent. This measure will benefit 54,000 students, including eligible postgraduate students whose maintenance grant supports were restored in September 2024. The maintenance grant improvements will come into effect on a pro rata basis from January 2027. Budget 2027 measures reflect my commitment to making effective, evidence based and sustainable improvements to the student support framework."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Budget 2027"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_781","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Education and Training Boards","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_781","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science I am committed to supporting a Further Education and Training (FET) sector that helps individuals realise their potential, supports economic growth, equips our workforce for future challenges, and strengthens communities. This commitment is reflected in the significant investment being made in FET. In 2026 over \u20ac1.236 billion has been allocated to SOLAS, excluding capital funding, with more than \u20ac1.077 billion provided to Education and Training Boards (ETBs) which deliver the majority of FET provision. My Department does not hold information on the total number of teaching hours delivered by ETB tutors or Adult Educators and, consequently, cannot provide detail on teaching hours between January and September 2026. Similarly, SOLAS does not collect, request or maintain records of teaching hours across the FET sector. In terms of staffing, the programmes referred to are generally delivered by ETB staff employed under existing grades and terms and conditions, including tutor roles and the newly established Adult Educator grade. The FET sector operates with a degree of flexibility in staffing, including the use of fixed-term contracts, to enable responsiveness to changing local education and training needs. These arrangements are managed in line with employment law, including the Fixed-Term Work Act 2003. ETBs are the employers and, as such, are responsible for these workforce planning and staffing matters. While data on teaching hours is not available, 2026 expenditure projections provided by SOLAS indicate increased investment in Literacy, BTEI and Community Education provision compared with 2025, while the projected expenditure for ESOL in 2026 has reduced, reflecting the conclusion of temporary ESOL funding in 2025. Each ETB is responsible for planning, prioritising and managing the delivery of FET programmes within its approved funding allocation. This includes determining how resources are distributed across programmes, scheduling provision, and making operational decisions regarding the delivery of services. My Department provides the overall funding framework for FET and allocates resources to SOLAS, however, responsibility for the management and delivery of programmes at local level rests with the ETBs. As independent statutory bodies, ETBs are responsible for their own operational and budgetary decisions."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Education and Training Boards"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_782","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_782","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science I am advised that Dublin City University does not currently offer a Speech and Language Therapy programme. Accordingly, there have been no students enrolled in Speech and Language Therapy at this institution during the period in question. However, the breakdown of all SLT enrolments in HEIs, including a breakdown of EU and non-EU students, is set out in the attached table provided by the HEA. It should be noted that the Government continues to invest significantly in expanding education and training capacity across priority Health and Social Care Profession (HSCP) disciplines, including Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Social Work and other professions critical to the delivery of disability, health and educational supports. As part of the 2025 healthcare capacity-building Expression of Interest process, approximately 460 additional annual student places were approved across a range of therapy and HSCP disciplines. This included an additional 86 places in Speech and Language Therapy, 100 in Occupational Therapy, 110 in Physiotherapy and 164 additional places across other health and social care disciplines including Radiography, Dietetics, Social Work, Podiatry and Medical Science. This expansion built on a recognised need to increase the supply of therapy and HSCP professionals to support disability, health and education services. Speech and Language Therapy remains a particular area of focus. National enrolments in Speech and Language Therapy programmes increased from 395 students in 2022\/23 to 435 students in 2024\/25, with further growth planned through subsequent expansion measures. In July 2026, Government approved Phase 1 of the 2026 Higher Education Capacity Building Process. This initiative will provide for approximately 253 additional annual places at full rollout across a range of priority therapy, psychology and health and social care disciplines, including Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Dietetics, Social Work, Educational Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Counselling Psychology, Audiology, Podiatry, Radiography and Medical Science. Approximately 86 of these additional places are expected to commence in the 2026\/27 academic year, with further places commencing on a phased basis thereafter. My Department, working with the Higher Education Authority, the Department of Health, the Department of Education and Youth and the HSE, continues to examine further opportunities to expand healthcare education provision in areas of workforce need. These measures form part of a wider programme of healthcare education expansion that will support approximately 1,421 additional student places annually across healthcare, disability therapies and related professions when fully implemented, helping to strengthen the future workforce available to deliver health, disability and educational services. Speech and Language Therapists Table 1 - all enrolments 2022\/2023 2022\/2023 Total 2023\/2024 2023\/2024 Total 2024\/2025 2024\/2025 Total HEI EU including NI\/UK Non-EU EU including NI\/UK Non-EU EU including NI\/UK Non-EU Trinity College Dublin 135 5 140 125 5 135 125 5 130 University College Cork 115 115 115 0 115 115 0 120 University of Galway 100 0 105 105 0 105 125 125 University of Limerick 35 5 40 45 5 50 60 5 65 Grand Total 385 10 395 390 15 405 425 15 435 Key: EU including GB and NI Non-EU All enrolments"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_783","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Ministerial Responsibilities","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_783","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science I have visited TU Dublin on five occasions in 2025 and 2026 to date as outlined below Date Occasion 1st May 2025 To officially launch \u00c1ras Geal, a state-of-the-art teaching facility on the Blanchardstown Campus of TU Dublin. 6th May 2025 Launch new Tertiary Bachelors\u2019 Degrees for the 2025-2026 academic year with the National Tertiary Office, TU Dublin Grangegorman 20th November 2025 Launch \u00c1ras Thuaidh, TU Dublin Tallaght Campus building spanning 5,199 m\u00b2 and to serve as a multidisciplinary hub for teaching and research in hospitality, culinary arts, engineering, and apprenticeship programmes. 25th March 2026 Skills Roundtable: Skills for the Workforce TU Dublin Grangegorman 11th September 2026 Official Opening of Academic Hub and Library, TU Dublin Grangegorman"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Ministerial Responsibilities"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_784","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Cybersecurity Policy","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_784","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science My Department takes the issue of cyber security very seriously and is committed to maintaining and strengthening its cyber resilience. My Department is supported by and works closely with the Department of Education and Youth (DEY) on the provision of ICT infrastructure and security systems to booth Departments under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). An organisation-wide approach is adopted across both Departments to protect departmental information, data and ICT systems, supported where appropriate by specialist ICT security providers. This approach includes staff awareness and training initiatives to promote good cyber security practices and hygiene. Robust arrangements are in place to help prevent, detect and respond to cyber security threats and incidents. These arrangements are regularly reviewed and updated to address emerging threats and reflect evolving best practice. At a national level, the Government's recently published National Cyber Security Strategy 2030 sets out a framework for strengthening cyber defence capabilities and enhancing resilience to cyber security threats. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the State's primary cyber security authority, provides a range of services and supports across Government. My department works closely with the NCSC and benefits from its threat intelligence, alerts, guidance and incident response support, including support from the national Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT). In line with previous advice from the NCSC, it is not appropriate, for operational and security reasons, to disclose specific details of cyber security measures or arrangements, as doing so could compromise my department's information security posture or assist malicious actors in identifying potential vulnerabilities."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Cybersecurity Policy"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_785","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Expenditure","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_785","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The Deputy will find the link to my Department's Payments over \u20ac20,000 Report for Q3 2026 here: www.gov.ie\/en\/department-of-further-and-higher-education-research-innovation-and-science\/organisation-information\/payments-for-goods-and-services-over-20-thousand\/."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Expenditure"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_786","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Apprenticeship Programmes","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_786","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The Phase 2 craft apprenticeship curricula is already delivered through a nationally standardised curriculum and assessment framework. Craft apprenticeships are national programmes and already operate on the basis of a standardised curriculum and assessment structure for each individual craft. The curriculum for each apprenticeship is based on a uniform, pre-specified occupational profile determined and agreed with industry and is structured around defined national learning outcomes. Phase 2 is an off-the-job component of the national craft apprenticeship programme and is delivered in accordance with the relevant national curriculum. This ensures that apprentices undertaking the same craft programme are working towards the same learning outcomes and assessment requirements, irrespective of the location in which their Phase 2 training is delivered. The national model is underpinned by common assessments and a quality assurance framework. Craft apprenticeship programmes are reviewed and revalidated periodically to ensure that curricula remain current, industry-relevant and responsive to the needs of learners and the economy. This national standardised approach supports consistency of training and assessment nationwide while ensuring apprentices develop the knowledge, skills and competencies required by employers and industry."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Apprenticeship Programmes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_787","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Apprenticeship Programmes","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_787","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The most recent National Survey of Apprentices found that 87% of apprentices reported enjoying their apprenticeship experience and 94% believed their apprenticeship would lead to good employment opportunities. This positive experience is reflected in SOLAS data which shows that, on average, between 90% and 92% of first-year apprentices progress to their second year, comparing favourably with other tertiary education pathways. Craft apprenticeships operate on a continuous intake basis, meaning apprentices complete their training at different times during the year. As a result, there is no single cohort expected to complete in any given year and, therefore, no definitive measure of the number who did not complete during a particular year. In light of these factors, SOLAS advise that it is not possible to provide completion data per institution and year. Apprentices may take longer to complete for a range of reasons, including deferred training, repeated assessments, employment changes or other personal circumstances. Apprentices are employees, and all apprenticeship programmes are undertaken under a contract of employment. Responsibility for minimum wage legislation rests with the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment. Neither my Department nor SOLAS has a role in setting apprentice wages. For the majority of craft apprentices, wage rates are set primarily through collective bargaining or, in the construction sector, through a Sectoral Employment Order. These rates increase as apprentices progress, with fourth year rates the highest, reflecting that apprentices are in training and building their skills over the course of their training. By year three of their apprenticeship, most craft apprentices receive a State allowance at or above the national minimum wage. The Central Statistics Office has published data regarding apprenticeship outcomes. Over 90% of apprentices qualified in 2020 were in employment two years later, with median weekly earnings of \u20ac935, or \u20ac48,600. I am conscious of cost of living pressures facing learners and I am committed to sustainably reducing the cost of education. Across Budgets 2026 and 2027, I have permanently reduced the fees payable by apprentices attending higher education institutions by a cumulative 22%. This will benefit approximately 16,000 apprentices in the 2026\/27 academic year."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Apprenticeship Programmes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_788","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Records","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_788","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Records"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_789","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Reports","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_789","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Since Quarter 4 of 2025, my Department has published quarterly reports of payments over \u20ac20,000 in xls machine-readable format in accordance with Regulation 7 of S.I. No. 376 of 2021. My Department does not hold records relating to quarterly reports of payments over \u20ac20,000 made by its aegis bodies. Contact details for these bodies are set out below, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly with his query. Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Name of Body Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members Higher Education Authority Oireachtas@hea.ie Trevor Purtill tpurtill@hea.ie Grangegorman Development Agency oireachtas@ggda.ie Nigel Thompson nigel.thompson@ggda.ie SOLAS oireachtasinfo@solas.ie Maria Walsh maria.walshe@solas.ie Skillnet Ireland oireachtasmembers@skillnetireland.ie Tracey Donnery tracey.donnery@skillnetireland.ie Quality and Qualifications Ireland ceo@qqi.ie ceo@qqi.ie L\u00e9argas \u2013 The Exchange Bureau oireachtas@leargas.ie Lorraine Gilligan - lgilligan@leargas.ie Taighde \u00c9ireann \u2013 Research oireachtasqueries@researchireland.ie Donna McCabe"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Reports"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_790","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Parking Provision","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_790","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science My Department does not have any application for the works referred to by the Deputy. The Higher Education Institution (HEI) referred to by the Deputy, is an autonomous higher education institution with responsibility for the management and operation of its campuses. Accordingly, matters relating to traffic management and parking provision, are matters for the institution to address. The Deputy should note that my Department provides an annual Devolved Grant, to all HEI's to support ongoing infrastructure and maintenance requirements. Over the five-year period from 2021 to 2025, my Department has made available devolved grant allocations to this institution of circa \u20ac16 million. As devolved grant funding is provided directly to the institution, it may be used, at the discretion of the HEI, and in line with its priorities, to address a range of campus infrastructure needs, including issues such as traffic management and parking, where considered appropriate."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Parking Provision"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_791","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Third Level Education","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_791","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science With reference to the individual referred to by the Deputy, the University of Galway has confirmed that it reviewed the matter and that the individual was invited as a guest speaker on two occasions during Nelson Mandela week in 2023\/24 and 2024\/25. In this context, they received travel and subsistence expenses only, totalling c.a. \u20ac2800. With regard to the report referenced, the University has advised that the Irish Centre for Human Rights at the University, as an internationally renowned academic human rights centre, engages closely with United Nations entities, including the United Nations Special Procedures. Clinical legal education is a priority for the university's specialised human rights postgraduate teaching, and clinical learning opportunities have been developed for students over an extended period with several United Nations mandates, including through its Human Rights LLM clinic, and through supervision and engagement by academic staff and research clusters. The report referenced was published in 2024 and criticised the work of the UN Special Rapporteur. Reference is made in the report to the Irish Centre for Human Rights and research assistants provided in preparation for the thematic reports of the Special Rapporteur. This research assistance was provided by students as part of postgraduate teaching and clinical learning activities, while studying LLM programmes in International Human Rights Law, in Peace Operations, Humanitarian Law and Conflict and in International Migration and Refugee Law and Policy. A number of the students concerned were recipients of prestigious Ireland Fellowship programmes funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs. Following the publication of the October 2024 UN Watch report, the Irish Centre for Human Rights formally raised concerns about being targeted by UN Watch with Ireland's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Third Level Education"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_792","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Records","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_792","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The Department maintains an internal contract register in accordance with its procurement and governance requirements. Where a procurement process gives rise to a published contract award notice on eTenders, the procurement documentation retained by the Department contains sufficient information to identify the relevant procurement procedure and associated contract. The Department's contract register is maintained as a management and governance tool for the oversight of contracts and does not have a statutory requirement to record a specific eTenders URL or notice reference number as a separate reporting field. Contract award notices are published on eTenders in accordance with the applicable public procurement rules, while the Department maintains its own internal procurement and contract records to support contract management, audit, and financial oversight."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Records"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_793","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Proposed Legislation","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_793","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science I recognise the valuable contribution made by community-sector education workers, including those involved in the delivery of Local Training Initiative (LTI) programmes, in providing accessible education and training opportunities, particularly for individuals experiencing educational and socio-economic disadvantage. The EU Pay Transparency Directive (EU) 2023\/970 aims to strengthen the principle of equal pay for equal work, or work of equal value, between men and women through pay transparency and enforcement mechanisms. The Directive aims to increase transparency around pay and gender pay gaps and to strengthen the measures available to address instances of pay discrimination. The Directive does not provide for automatic pay parity between employees of different employers or organisations. Rather, it seeks to support the enforcement of existing equal pay rights between men and women performing the same work, or work of equal value. Accordingly, it does not create an automatic entitlement to pay equivalence between LTI staff and staff directly employed by Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The new operational guidelines for third-party providers, which ETBI are developing in collaboration with the sector, and which will be published by SOLAS, will manage the operational relationship between ETBs and third-party providers, in line with the requirements of DPER Circular 13\/2014 governing the administration and accountability of Exchequer-funded grants. As LTIs are delivered by independent community and voluntary organisations that are grant-funded through ETBs, the staff employed by these organisations are not employees of ETBs and are not automatically subject to the same terms and conditions, including incremental salary scales, as ETB staff. Accordingly, the new operational guidelines do not address pay or employment-related matters, which remain the responsibility of the governing bodies of the independent organisations concerned, nor do they provide for the introduction of salary scales aligned with those applicable to ETB employees. Any changes to remuneration arrangements would require separate consideration, having regard to the relevant employment, funding and industrial relations processes. While the new operational guidelines do not address pay matters, a 9.25% pay increase for eligible CTC and LTI staff was recently agreed through a Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) conciliation process involving employer and staff representatives and is expected to be implemented shortly. My Department will continue to engage with all relevant stakeholders to support the effective delivery of LTI programmes within the established funding and governance framework."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Proposed Legislation"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_794","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Regulations","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_794","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Private English language schools do not come under the aegis of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. However, inclusion on the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP) is necessary for a Higher Education or English language education provider to be eligible to recruit learners from non-EEA countries on Stamp 2 immigration permissions. The ILEP is administered by the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in conjunction with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The ILEP was introduced in 2015, as an interim measure, and is a restrictive list of education programmes eligible for international student immigration purposes. The list is used as a reference point for the immigration function of the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration in considering visa and residency applications from non-EEA applicants wishing to study on a full-time basis in Ireland. Providers must remain in compliance with the relevant criteria to retain a listing on the ILEP. Immigration Service Delivery (ISD) monitors compliance and any education provider may be subject to unannounced inspections, on-line monitoring, or random spot checks to ensure its compliance with ILEP criteria, and this includes the maintenance of records and reports. These may be requested by ISD at any time and failure to do so can result in the removal of a provider from the ILEP. According to colleagues in the Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, the number of inspections since 2022 is as follows: \u2022 2022: 2 inspections \u2022 2023: 3 inspections \u2022 2024: 2 inspections \u2022 2025: 4 inspections \u2022 2026: 0 inspections Once a provider is listed on the ILEP, they are required to notify ISD of matters such as, but not limited to, any changes to the ownership of the school, change in locations or additional centres, changes to their academic management or teachers, and student capacity numbers. All ILEP listed English language schools are required to submit information on a weekly basis, and this includes data on enrolments, attendance rates, details of any student expulsions and withdrawals from the ILEP listed programme. There are high levels of compliance regarding data provision for immigration compliance purposes. All schools are aware of the consequences of non-compliance, and that failure to adhere with ILEP criteria may result in removal from the list. ILEP is currently being superseded by the new TrustEd Ireland scheme. The new international education mark launched in September 2024 by QQI and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The TrustEd Ireland scheme is a statutory quality mark and part of a suite of legislative measures designed to further protect international learners. Once the ILEP is discontinued, only education providers which are granted authorisation to use the TrustEd Ireland mark provided by QQI will be eligible to recruit non-EU\/EEA students to English language programmes, foundation programmes and higher education programmes leading to awards within the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). To obtain the mark, providers must undergo due diligence assessing their capacity and capability to deliver quality-assured programmes, participate in the statutory Learner Protection Fund, and comply with an associated Code of Practice including key criteria on information provision, student welfare, and academic support. English language providers are required to undergo a site inspection as part of their assessment of Code compliance. All English language education providers holding the mark are subject to a statutorily required formal review at least once every three years. Providers must also submit a monitoring report every 18 months. QQI may withdraw a provider\u2019s authorisation to use the mark where it considers that the provider no longer complies with the Code."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Regulations"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_795","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Third Level Education","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_795","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science I propose to take Questions Nos. 2359 and 2360 together. Higher Education Institutions, including universities and technological universities, are autonomous bodies within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Under this legislation, they are academically and administratively independent and entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes. Matters relating to mitigating circumstances, repeat examinations and the capping of marks are therefore matters for the institution concerned in accordance with its own academic regulations and procedures. Neither my Department nor I have a role in reviewing or intervening in individual cases. Accordingly, I am not in a position to determine whether the student concerned may apply for, or be granted, a waiver of capping."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2360 answered with Question No. 2359."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Third Level Education"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_796","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_796","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The below table outlines data provided by the HEA on the number of enrolments in artificial intelligence, machine learning and related courses in higher education institutions over the last five academic years. Academic Year 2021\/2022 2022\/2023 2023\/2024 2024\/2025 2025\/2026 Enrolments 510 615 800 1055 905 Demand for specialists in these areas will continue to grow significantly over the next five years into 2030. In its September 2026 report on the digital skills landscape in Ireland, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs estimated that demand for digital specialists is expected, under baseline levels of growth, to grow from 168,800 in 2025 to 215,400 in 2030. This demand may reach 222,700 under a high-growth scenario. Over this period, demand for digital specialists is expected to be greatest in machine learning, cybersecurity, data engineering, advanced analytics, AI implementation and cloud-related roles. Applications will remain the largest area of employment for digital specialists, driven primarily by machine learning roles. Demand in this area is expected to grow by over 50% from 2025 to 2030. Furthermore, employment demand in cybersecurity is expected to almost double in size over this same period, with demand in data management and IT leadership expected to grow at a rate of around 30%. This growth will not be limited solely to the ICT industry, with demand for such competencies strong across manufacturing, financial services, professional services and public administration. While demand for digital specialists is expected to continue growing over the next five years, I recognise graduate concerns over access to entry-level roles in these industries. It is important to note that the number of ICT graduates in employment within nine months of graduation is over 80%, in line with the average across all subject areas. However, Government, HEIs and employers must continue working together to ensure that graduates are being given the skills they need to thrive in the modern workplace environment and are being provided with sufficient opportunities to put these skills into practice. To this end, Budget 2027, through the National Training Fund, has provided for \u20ac150 million aimed at strengthening the skills needed to manage this digital transformation in the workplace."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_797","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Third Level Education","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_797","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science As part of Budget 2027 I announced that funding of \u20ac0.5m will be provided to include all institutions to assist with the provision of a Student Placement Support. Since the commencement of this academic year, a Student Placement Support project has commenced in selected Institutions and is available for students within those institutions to submit applications from 1st October 2026. Learnings from this limited trial will inform the development of the support announced in Budget 2027. A student in a third-level institution experiencing exceptional financial need or socio-economic disadvantage can also apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The SAF has a dual focus and is designed to support students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with ongoing needs for financial support and to also provide emergency financial assistance for other students. SAF is available to students attending full or part-time courses leading to a higher education award (NQF level 6-10) in approved educational institutes. A student's individual circumstances and financial means will be taken into consideration by the Higher Education Institution (HEI) they attend, when assessing an application to the Fund. The SAF is available to assist students who are unable to meet costs associated with day-to-day participation in higher education throughout the duration of the academic year. It can assist with: \u2022 books and other class material that are required to enable students to continue and participate in teaching and learning and\/or complete examinations; \u2022 rent, heating and lighting bills and other utility bills e.g., mobile phone data plans, that are required to enable students to continue and participate in teaching and learning and\/or complete examinations; \u2022 food; \u2022 essential travel; \u2022 childcare costs; \u2022 medical costs; \u2022 family difficulties e.g., costs arising from situations such as bereavement. The above list is not exhaustive. However, it is important that the nature of the expenditure for which assistance is being provided is clearly identified. I would advise any student experiencing financial difficulties to contact the Access Office at the HEI they are attending, for information on options and other supports that may be available to them. Where a work placement forms an integral and compulsory component of an approved course of study, a student may continue to be eligible for maintenance grant support, subject to satisfying all other conditions of the Student Grant Scheme. Eligibility is assessed by SUSI on an individual basis, having regard to the specific circumstances of the application and the relevant provisions of the Student Grant Scheme. It is also worth noting that the rate of grant (adjacent\/non-adjacent rate) may increase as a result of the location of the placement. For example, if a student is receipt of an adjacent rate of grant (home address is less than 30km from their college) and the location of their placement is over 30km from their home address, they may be eligible to receive the higher non-adjacent rate of maintenance for the duration of their placement. In order to receive the change of rate, the placement must be a compulsory part of their course and a minimum duration of one semester."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Third Level Education"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_798","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Records","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_779","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_779","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_798","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Purchase orders issued by the Department are processed through its financial management systems in accordance with the Department's internal financial and procurement control processes. The Department maintains appropriate records to support the management of contracts and the monitoring of expenditure. Expenditure against contracts is monitored through a combination of financial system reporting, procurement records and contract management arrangements to ensure that spending remains within approved budgetary and contractual limits. The Department's financial and procurement controls provide oversight of cumulative expenditure over the lifetime of a contract and support audit and governance requirements."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Records"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"\n          ","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":null,"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":""}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_800","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Artificial Intelligence","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_800","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The Higher Education Authority launched its Generative AI in Higher Education Teaching & Learning: Policy Framework in 2025 and are currently supporting its implementation in higher education institutions. The Framework provides a national reference point to guide the adoption of generative artificial intelligence in teaching, learning and assessment. It sets out five core principles covering academic integrity, transparency and accountability; equity and inclusion; critical engagement, human oversight and AI literacy; privacy and data governance; and sustainable pedagogy. Irish higher education institutions are statutorily independent, autonomous bodies, with responsibility for their own academic and administrative affairs, including the development and implementation of policies. As such, it is not within the remit of myself as the Minister, the department, or the HEA to determine or enforce institutional policy on the use of generative AI. The Framework is therefore intended to support a consistent national approach while allowing institutions to independently take account of their individual contexts. The HEA has also made available guidance and resources to support institutions in applying the Framework's principles. In 2027, the HEA - supported by my department - plans to undertake a follow-up review and prepare a report which will assess progress in implementing the Framework across the sector. This will examine how its principles have been reflected in institutional policies and practices, identify areas where further guidance or support may be required, and inform the sharing of good practice across institutions. The HEA is also supporting institutions through the Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) funding, which supports institution-led teaching and learning enhancement activities, including initiatives relating to generative AI. In April 2026, the HEA launched four open online courses to support AI literacy among higher education staff and students. Available through OpenCourses.ie, these resources are being used and adapted by institutions to support their own approaches to generative AI in teaching and learning."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Artificial Intelligence"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_801","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Third Level Costs","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_801","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grant Scheme where students are studying for the first time or are progressing to study at a higher level. The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter, in the first instance, for the centralised student grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine. For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students. The conditions for dependent and independent status are prescribed in the Student Grant Scheme. The scheme sets out that a student may be assessed as an independent mature student if: \u2022 The student has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in studies of at least three years and; \u2022 is not ordinarily resident with their parents from the previous October. Otherwise, they are assessed as a dependent student i.e. assessed with reference to parental income. Applicants who do not meet the criteria to be assessed as an independent student for grant purposes, or who cannot supply the necessary documentation to establish independent living for the required period, may still apply to SUSI to have their grant eligibility assessed as a dependent student. The relevant information, including details of parental income, would be required by SUSI to determine grant eligibility as a dependent student. Further information regarding class of applicant (independent or dependent) and the types of documentation accepted as evidence of living independently from parents is available from SUSI\u2019s website: https:\/\/susi.ie\/eligibility\/applicant-class\/. With regard to the specific application, an official from my Department has advised that the student referred to by the Deputy has not yet submitted their application for student grant funding for the 2026\/2027 academic year. SUSI have advised that the applicant has an application in progress, but it has not been fully completed and submitted for assessment. Please note that SUSI\u2019s online application system closes for 2026\/2027 grant applications on Thursday, 5 November 2026. Apart from the Student Grant Scheme, students in higher education institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Details of this fund are available from the Access Office in the third level institution attended. In addition, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from a student's local Tax Office or from the Revenue Commissioners website www.revenue.ie."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Third Level Costs"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_802","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Third Level Admissions","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_802","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"James Lawless","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","memberCode":"James-Lawless.D.2016-10-03","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The CAO admissions system is one route to higher education, but it is important to consider the overall transition of students to tertiary education and, ultimately, graduate outcomes. Officials in my Department are exploring policy options for reform to improve the experience of learners, both in their transition to higher education, and as they progress through it. A number of interrelated issues are being considered as part of this work including opportunities for a broader education; more transdisciplinary learning and the development of transversal skills. This work is being considered alongside related policy areas, including progression to higher education from further education and training, with a view to expanding the prevalence and ease of this pathway. Improved access to guidance and greater transparency of information for learners are also important in supporting better decision-making. My Department is also continuing to expand alternative pathways into higher education. There are 78 tertiary programmes available for the 2026\/27 academic year across 24 counties, an increase of 70% on last year. These include a new pathway into primary teaching, opening the profession to a more diverse group of future teachers. Tertiary programmes allow students to begin a degree in further education and progress into higher education, outside the traditional CAO points route. In addition, my Department is also supporting 83 part-time undergraduate courses through the free fees scheme. I am committed to continuing to work with the sector to progress reform in a way that reduces pressure on students, supports better choices for individuals, and broadens pathways into and through higher education."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Third Level Admissions"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_803","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Dormant Accounts Fund","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_803","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Objective Two of Trading for Impact, the National Social Enterprise Policy 2024-2027, is to help social enterprises grow and become more sustainable. In April 2026, I approved the launch of a scheme to provide \u20ac2m in 2026 and \u20ac2m in 2027 under the DAF Sustaining Social Enterprise Scheme 2026\/2027. Under the Scheme, successful applicants may employ a new staff member(s) whose role will be to increase their traded income, or to take on additional support (e.g. administration or HR) that frees up an existing income generating member of staff. Applications were invited from individual social enterprises and those applying as part of a shared services model and applications had to outline how the role would become self-funding by the end of the funding period. The programme closed for applications on 15 May 2026 and a 2-stage application and appraisal process was administered by Pobal on behalf of my Department. A total of 139 applications were submitted to the programme and 72 social enterprises completed the full application process. In total, 51 applications with a value of \u20ac5.75m were found to fit the scheme requirements and scored above the threshold in the assessment, making them eligible for funding. As it was not possible to fund all of these projects from the funding available, the additional selection criteria that were outlined in the programme requirements were applied to prioritise shared-service projects and ensure a geographic spread of projects supported. Following the assessment and selection criteria outlined, I have approved 32 projects for support under the Scheme. All applicants have now been informed of the outcome of their application and I look forward to publicly announcing the successful awardees, in tandem with Minister Calleary, very shortly."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Dormant Accounts Fund"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_804","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Schemes","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_804","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht The Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a major capital investment programme, which seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. The focus of the RRDF is on rural towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000 people. To date, the RRDF has awarded over \u20ac611 million for 271 projects across Ireland, of which, over \u20ac11.8 million has been allocated to 9 projects located in County Laois. The assessment process for the RRDF applications received under this 6th Call for Proposals which closed at the end of July, and which is undertaken on a competitive basis, is ongoing. Following the assessment of applications, it is anticipated an announcement of successful projects will be made before the end of this year. I am committed to ensuring that the RRDF can continue to support high quality and transformational projects across rural Ireland in line with the objectives of Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First policy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Schemes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_805","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Funding","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_805","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Administered by my Department, the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) is a major capital investment programme which seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects which can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. The focus of the RRDF is on rural towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000 people. RRDF funding is allocated to local authorities and other State-funded bodies, who take a 'Lead Body' role in individual projects. While community organisations, voluntary groups or other civil society bodies cannot act as a Lead Body to an application, they can seek to partner with a State-funded body, which would be in a position to assume the Lead Body role. As advised in my previous response to your Parliamentary Question, 4133 of the 7th September last, in submitting an RRDF application, a Lead Body must ensure the proposal is the product of comprehensive deliberation and community engagement. Typically, this involves the organisation that is seeking to bring a project proposal forward engaging directly with a local authority, who, subject to the scheme's eligibility criteria and the Council's own strategic priorities, will then shortlist any preferred applications it may wish to make under the scheme. The most recent RRDF Call for Proposals for Category 1 projects was opened in February last and closed on 28 July. The Call had a focus on strategically important, large-scale projects that are ready to commence and have full planning and other consents in place. Assessment of RRDF applications is undertaken on a competitive basis and is ongoing. Following the assessment of applications, it is anticipated an announcement of successful projects will be made before the end of this year. I am committed to ensuring that the RRDF can continue to support high quality and transformational projects across rural Ireland in line with the objectives of Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First policy."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Funding"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_806","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Transport","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_806","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht My Department does not own or have any leasing arrangements in respect to non-specialist vehicles. There are eight agencies under the remit of my Department: Charities Regulatory Authority, Foras na Gaeilge, Oifig an Choimisin\u00e9ara Teanga, Pobal, \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta, the Ulster-Scots Agency, Water Safety Ireland, and the Western Development Commission. The agencies do not have any leasing arrangements in place for non-specialist vehicles. I have set out applicable financial costs of purchased non-specialist vehicles incurred by agencies of the Department, in the following table. Agency Vehicles Owned Vehicles Leased Total Cost Charities Regulatory Authority 0 0 Nil Foras na Gaeilge 1 0 \u20ac23,650.01 Oifig an Choimisin\u00e9ara Teanga 0 0 Nil Pobal 0 0 Nil \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta 5 0 \u20ac194,697.87 Ulster Scots Agency 1 0 \u00a319,944.30 (stg) Water Safety Ireland 4 0 \u20ac139,800 Western Development Commission 0 0 Nil"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Transport"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_807","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Data","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_807","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Administered by my Department, both the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) and the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) form part of my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme. The RRDF is a major capital investment programme, which seeks to support large-scale, ambitious projects that can achieve sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. The focus of the RRDF is on rural towns and villages with a population of less than 10,000 people. From 2024 to date the RRDF has awarded over \u20ac188 million in funding to 61 projects across Ireland, of which over \u20ac9.4 million has been allocated to two projects in Co. Clare. I was delighted to open an RRDF Call for Category 1 Proposals in February this year. The key focus of this Call is to support projects that can revitalise our rural towns and villages, providing the necessary facilities and infrastructure in settlements to assist in attracting people to live, work and invest in rural areas while aiming to ensure that rural towns, villages and communities can prosper in the years ahead. The assessment process for the RRDF applications received is ongoing and it is anticipated an announcement of successful projects will be made before the end of this year. The ORIS provides funding under several measures for the development of new outdoor recreational infrastructure and for the necessary repair, enhancement or promotion of existing outdoor recreation infrastructure in countryside areas across Ireland. This includes walking trails, cycleways, mountain access routes and facilities at rivers, lakes and beaches. Since 2024, over \u20ac1.4 million has been allocated to Co Clare to support the delivery of 17 projects. The attached tables outline the total RRDF and ORIS funding allocated to County Clare in each of the years 2024, 2025. I can also confirm that applications are now open for the 2026\/2027 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme under Measures 2 and 3, which support projects seeking funding of up to \u20ac200,000 and \u20ac500,000 respectively. The application period for smaller-scale projects under Measure 1 and the Project Development Measure has now closed, and officials in my department are currently assessing the applications received. I am committed to ensuring that my Department's Rural Development Investment Programme can continue to support high quality and transformational projects across rural Ireland in line with the objectives of Our Rural Future and the Town Centre First policy. PQ 76082 Oris Funding26 PQ 76082 RRDF Co Clare"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Data"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_808","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Records","counts":{"speechCount":0,"speakerCount":0},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":false,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_808","speakers":[],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Records"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_809","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Cybersecurity Policy","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_809","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht My Department is committed to maintaining a robust approach to cybersecurity and to building resilience against cyber threats across its ICT systems and services. DRCDG's Managed Desktop services are provided by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (OGCIO). The Department benefits from the OGCIO's extensive Information Security Management System (ISMS) comprising of security policies and controls, aligned and certified to the international security standard ISO 27001:2022 to address risks from cyber security attacks. This framework underpins the overall approach for managing and mitigating cyber risks. Core capabilities such as threat analysis, vulnerability management, and cyber infrastructure support are delivered through an appropriate combination of resources and skillsets. My Department\u2019s cyber resilience is strengthened through participation in external threat intelligence initiatives such as with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Government Cyber Security Co-ordination and Response Network, which supports threat intelligence sharing, coordination, exercises, and joint response activities across Government Departments and Agencies. My Department's strategic approach to cybersecurity focuses on: Maintaining strong governance, security controls, and risk management procedures. Threat detection through monitoring, intelligence sharing, and vulnerability management. Adhering to and reviewing established incident management and cyber response processes. Recovering through resilience planning and business continuity arrangements. Continuously improving through engaging and building on the relationship with OGCIO, NIS2 implementation, ongoing risk assessment, training, and enhancement of cybersecurity controls. Working closely with the OGCIO and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the Department maintains appropriate technical, operational and administrative safeguards to manage cybersecurity risks and strengthen its overall cyber resilience. The Department's approach is aligned with national cybersecurity policies, standards and guidance and is supported by a combination of governance, technology, processes and staff awareness measures. The Department's cybersecurity arrangements are kept under continuous review to ensure that they continue to address the evolving cyber threat landscape and support the secure delivery of services to citizens and communities."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Cybersecurity Policy"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_810","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Correspondence","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_810","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht The aim of the Community Development Pilot Programme (CDP) is to trial community development initiatives that address poverty, social exclusion and inequality, and promote human rights by providing supports to the most severely marginalised. The CDP was launched on 4th March 2021 with seven projects. Additional funding was made available in 2023 for the expansion of the programme. Following a closed call for applications in 2023, three additional projects were approved under the programme for 3 years. In 2024, the Programme was extended for a further two years up to the 31st of December 2026. In 2025, after a review, the funding for each of the CDP Projects was increased by \u20ac25,000 to \u20ac150,000 for 2026. All schemes operated by my department including the CDP are reviewed on a regular basis, to ensure the funding available is put to best use in terms of supporting communities throughout the country. The funding allocations for the CDP beyond 2026 are currently under consideration by my department."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Correspondence"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_811","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Funding","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_811","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht The Community Centre Investment Fund (CCIF) was introduced to provide high quality community facilities that are available to community groups in both urban and rural communities. Through the CCIF, some \u20ac112 million has been allocated for the enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres and the construction of new centres where such a need has been identified. I launched the latest round of funding under CCIF 2026 on the 26th of March for enhancement and refurbishment of existing community centres. The fund will be delivered across 2 categories with maximum funding levels of \u20ac25,000 and \u20ac100,000 respectively. The closing date for the CCIF 2026 has now passed. Applications are currently being assessed and I look forward to announcing the successful projects under category 1, which provides funding of up to \u20ac25,000, shortly. Approvals under category 2, which provides funding of up to \u20ac100,000, will be announced before year-end."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Funding"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_812","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Records","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_812","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Since September 2025, all payments made by my Department are processed using the Financial Shared Service System provided by the National Shared Service Office. Finance Shared Services delivers a range of financial services including the maintenance of a supplier listings report. Each individual supplier is given a unique supplier ID number, and is searchable on the system by name, supplier ID number, VAT number and CRO registration number (if applicable). All these identifiers are carried across reports, including contract register and payments. They are also included on individual purchase orders and remittance advice notices. With regard to agencies, there are eight agencies under the remit of my Department: Pobal, Western Development Commission, Charities Regulator, Water Safety Ireland, Oifig an Choimisin\u00e9ara Teanga, \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, and the Ulster-Scots Agency. The agencies are independent legal entities responsible for managing their own corporate affairs. Notwithstanding the above, my officials have written to the agencies to collate the information requested which is provided in the table below. Agency Name Response submitted Pobal Pobal maintain a supplier electronic record in which our suppliers are assigned unique identifiers within our Accounting System. As well as unique identifier assigned to each supplier, we also record the supplier name, address, Tax Reference Number. This information is available for each purchase order and payment record. We do not record CRO registration number for our suppliers as not all suppliers have a CRO number. Western Development Commission On our procurement system (Precoro) we hold a register of suppliers. An individual code is created for each supplier. This is unique to each individual supplier and is used on all systems linked to our Precoro software within the organisation. These identifiers are traceable internally on purchase orders, contracts and payments Charities Regulator DRCDG administer all financial payments for the Charities Regulator. Each individual supplier is given a unique supplier ID number, and is searchable on the system by name, supplier ID number, VAT number and CRO registration number (if applicable). All these identifiers are carried across reports, including contract register and payments. Water Safety Ireland Water Safety Ireland maintains a supplier register within our electronic accounting system. Each supplier is assigned a unique identifier, in the form of a short account name. Each suppliers\u2019 unique identifier is recorded against individual purchase orders, invoices and payments. Oifig an Choimisin\u00e9ara Teanga Oifig an Choimisin\u00e9ara Teanga maintain a supplier register, they do not create unique identifiers. \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta maintains a vendor (supplier) register. Each supplier has a unique internally generated supplier ID number. Their VAT number, if applicable, is also stored on the supplier record. CRO registration numbers are not maintained on the supplier register. The internally generated supplier ID numbers are automatically recorded against individual purchase orders, and the invoices are automatically recorded against each purchase order. Through the vendor ledger entries, we can match the invoices to the payments, however there is no direct link between the purchase order and the payment. For\u00e1s na Gaeilge Information on suppliers is held in Foras na Gaeilge\u2019s accounting software. Internally generated supplier ids are used. The organisation does not use a purchase order system, however the supplier identifying number is recorded against all payments. Ulster Scots Agency Agency\u2019s suppliers are given a unique account code. Pertinent details on each supplier are stored under the unique account code. The Agency largely works with community organisations that are not registered through Companies House\/CRO or have registered for VAT in either jurisdiction. All invoices and payments are recorded against the account."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Records"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_813","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Reports","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_813","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht My Department publishes quarterly reports on all procurement related payments over \u20ac20,000 both in pdf and in xlsx format. The latest report, Q3 of 2026, is available at the following link, [ www.gov.ie\/en\/department-of-rural-and-community-development-and-the-gaeltacht\/collections\/drcd-payments-in-excess-of-20000\/ ]. With regard to agencies, there are eight agencies under the remit of my Department: Pobal, Western Development Commission, Charities Regulator, Water Safety Ireland, Oifig an Choimisin\u00e9ara Teanga, \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta, Foras na Gaeilge, and the Ulster-Scots Agency. The agencies are independent legal entities responsible for managing their own corporate affairs. Notwithstanding the above, my officials have written to the agencies to collate the information requested which is provided in the table below. Agency Name Response Pobal Pobal currently publishes the quarterly reports of purchase orders or payments over \u20ac20,000 in PDF format and is available at the following link: https:\/\/www.pobal.ie\/financial-information\/The underlying data in the reports is available in machine readable format on request from Pobal. Pobal will discuss the introduction of the publication in a machine-readable format internally. Western Development Commission The WDC publishes quarterly reports of purchase orders or payments over \u20ac20,000 on its website Westerndevelopment.ie and these reports are downloadable in xlsx format. Charities Regulator DRCDG provides HR and Finance Administration services to the Charities Regulator through the National Shared Services Office (NSSO), including making all payment to suppliers on our behalf. Details of payments with a value of, or in excess of, \u20ac20,000, are published on a quarterly basis by both the Charities Regulator and DRCDG. Machine readable versions of these reports are available on the Department\u2019s website in xlsx format. Water Safety Ireland Water Safety Ireland publishes details of payments made with a value of, or in excess of, \u20ac20,000. This information is available on the web site via this link: https:\/\/watersafety.ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Payments-in-excess-of-20K-0625.pdf This information is currently published in pdf format only. Publication in a machine-readable format such as XLSX is expected to be introduced in Q1 2027. Oifig an Choimisin\u00e9ara Teanga The agency has no applicable payments over \u20ac20,000 to report. \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta \u00dadar\u00e1s na Gaeltachta publishes information on purchase orders over \u20ac20,000 on its website at the following link [ https:\/\/udaras.ie\/en\/about\/corporate-governance\/purchase-orders\/ ] At present, the information is published in PDF format. The underlying data is gathered in excel format and will be published in CSV format from 1 January 2027. For\u00e1s na Gaeilge Foras na Gaeilge has no applicable payments over \u20ac20,000 to report. Ulster Scots Agency The agency is aware of the legislation but has no applicable payments to report."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Reports"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_814","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"EU Funding","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_814","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht My department utilises EU funding across three broad areas, the LEADER Programme, the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+), and the PEACE Programmes. The LEADER programme is co-funded by the EU, with the rates of EU funding differing across each programme period. In 2025 and to date in 2026, LEADER has funded some 800 projects to the value of \u20ac31.9 million, which includes \u20ac13.8 million EU funding. A breakdown of EU funding received per project for the years referred to are included in the attached appendix. Further details on the LEADER programme, and the individual projects funded can be viewed online on www.gov.ie\/LEADER. With regard to the PEACE Programmes my department is an accountable department for two investment areas delivering capital projects, namely 3.1 Shared Spaces and Services, under the PEACE IV Programme, and; 1.4 Reimaging Communities under the current PEACEPLUS Programme. The core programme area includes Northern Ireland and the border counties of Donegal, Leitrim, Sligo, Cavan, Monaghan and Louth. My department does not provide direct grant funding for projects approved under the PEACE Programme, rather it provides the appropriate portion of pre-financing to the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB), which approves projects and administers the grant funding. 85% of payments under PEACE IV and 80% of payments under PEACEPLUS are recoupable from the EU under the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). My department receives recoupments via the SEUPB based on the certified eligible costs of the relevant capital projects. These are based on overall contributions as opposed to split across individual projects. As such, details of the capital works projects associated with the above investment areas are attached, including the total funding amounts approved for each project. As detailed above, my department provides the appropriate funding proportion in pre-financing to the SEUPB and then recoups funding at the rates detailed above. Under the PEACE IV Programme 2014-2020, the previous programme, \u20ac2.807 million was recouped in 2025 and \u20ac867,894 recouped in 2026. Under the PEACEPLUS Programme 2021-2027, the current programme, there was \u20ac0\/Nil recouped in 2025 and \u20ac102,800 recouped to date in 2026. There were no capital works projects funded under the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+) for the period in question. PQ 76516 LEADER 2025 to 2026 PQ 76516 PEACE 2025 to 2026"},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"EU Funding"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_815","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Schemes","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_815","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Jerry Buttimer","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","memberCode":"Jerry-Buttimer.S.2007-07-23","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister of State at the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht My Department is responsible for the Seniors Alert Scheme which encourages community support for vulnerable older people in our communities through the provision of personal monitored alarms to enable them to live securely in their homes with confidence, independence and peace of mind. Funding is available under the scheme towards the purchase by a registered community-based organisation of a personal alarm or pendant and one year of monitoring. Expenditure to date in 2026 under the SAS initiative has been \u20ac4.28 million. As it is a demand led scheme, it is kept under continuous review to ensure funding can be made available to meet the requirements of all qualifying applicants. Officials in my department continue to work with stakeholders, agencies and other Government Departments in the assessment of new and developing technologies as part of the ongoing review of the scheme. However, there are no plans to provide funding for the provision of video doorbells at present. The Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage provides funding for security additions through the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People, which are administered by local authorities."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Schemes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_816","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Records","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_816","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht My Department publishes its contracts register on a quarterly basis. This information is available on the Department\u2019s website at the following link: www.gov.ie\/en\/organisation-information\/294dc7-financial-information\/. The Q3 2026 report is available, along with previous quarterly reports, via this link. With regard to linking contract award notices published on eTenders to the quarterly contracts register, this is not presently done by my Department. However, there is no known impediment to capturing the eTenders information, and my Department will seek to link this with the contracts register for future reports, whilst maintaining consistency with relevant central guidance such as the model FOI publication scheme published by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform - https:\/\/foi.gov.ie\/guidance\/model-publication-scheme\/."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Records"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_817","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Programmes","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_817","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht I propose to take Questions Nos. 2382 and 2383 together. The new S\u00cdOL programme was launched on 8 July 2026, in line with the Programme for Government commitment to deliver funding for projects and initiatives in urban areas with the highest concentration of disadvantage. S\u00cdOL means \u2018Seed\u2019 in English and S\u00cdOL stands for Sc\u00e9im Infheist\u00edochta ag Obair Le Ch\u00e9ile, which translates to \u2018Working Together Investment Scheme\u2019. Capital funding of \u20ac31.5 million has been secured up to 2030 in the National Development Plan to support the new programme. Funding of \u20ac5m has been allocated to the programme for 2026 and Budget 2027 allocated an additional \u20ac1m for next year's programme. The programme targets small areas of disadvantage in our towns and cities, providing funding for infrastructure to improve the areas and the lives of the communities. Priority is being given to those Small Areas with the highest population of extreme disadvantage, and the scheme is designed to provide similar supports to these areas that is given to rural areas through schemes such as CL\u00c1R. The new programme is focussed initially on 15 areas that have been designated as S\u00cdOL areas. The programme takes into consideration the areas in Ireland already covered by the CL\u00c1R programme, to ensure geographical complementarity. Several datasets were analysed by my department to develop a robust methodology for selecting the areas to be designated as S\u00cdOL areas. The methodology was informed by data from the 2022 Census which was published by the CSO, the Pobal HP Deprivation Index and the ESRI's Urban and Rural Life in Ireland 2019 & 2025 reports. Different approaches were used to identify the town and city areas that would be included in the S\u00cdOL programme. The approach for identifying towns that may be designated for inclusion in the S\u00cdOL programme was informed by the ESRI's Urban and Rural Life in Ireland 2019 & 2025 reports, which identified Independent Urban Towns as being the areas most in need of financial assistance outside of cities. As there is no dataset available that directly details the deprivation levels of towns classed as Independent Urban Towns, the Department utilised the dataset containing deprivation scores for Built Up Areas, which have the boundaries that are the closest approximation to the boundaries of Independent Urban Towns. Of the 116 Built Up Areas identified, only those that are not in a current CL\u00c1R area and also those that contain at least 1 Small Area designated as \u201cExtremely Disadvantaged\u201d under the Pobal HP Deprivation Index were deemed eligible for designation as a S\u00cdOL area. Towns were ranked based on total population that are living in a Small Area that is classified as being \"Extremely disadvantaged\". The city areas that were designated for inclusion in the S\u00cdOL programme were identified by first ranking the Small Areas with the lowest scores on the Pobal HP Deprivation Index. In order to maximise the impact of funding, multiple connected Electoral Divisions were combined, as required, to form a continuous area that has a population of at least 5,000 people. The S\u00cdOL programme will be kept under regular review by my department with a view to potentially adding additional areas on an annual basis, and this aim will be supported by the additional funding of \u20ac1m that was approved for next year's programme in Budget 2027. It is expected that the process for identifying additional areas that may be included in S\u00cdOL in 2027 will include, but will not be limited to, analysis of the same data that was used to design the programme this year. The areas referenced by the Deputy will be examined as part of the assessment process."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"summary","text":"Question No. 2383 answered with Question No. 2382."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Programmes"}]}},{"debateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_818","debateType":"debate","bill":null,"showAs":"Departmental Records","counts":{"speechCount":1,"speakerCount":1},"parentDebateSection":{"uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/akn\/ie\/debateRecord\/dail\/2026-11-03\/debate\/dbsect_799","formats":{"pdf":null,"xml":null},"debateSectionId":"dbsect_799","showAs":"\n          "},"containsDebate":true,"debateSectionId":"dbsect_818","speakers":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null}}],"formats":{"xml":null,"pdf":null},"text":[{"speaker":{"showAs":"Dara Calleary","uri":"https:\/\/data.oireachtas.ie\/ie\/oireachtas\/member\/id\/Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","memberCode":"Dara-Calleary.D.2007-06-14","role":null},"textType":"speech","text":"Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht Since September 2025, all payments made by my Department are processed using the Financial Shared Service System provided by the National Shared Service Office. Invoices processed through this system require a corresponding Purchase Requisition and Purchase Order in order to be paid. To raise a Purchase Order on the Financial Shared Service System, the supplier needs to be active on the system, and a contract must be generated and linked to the payment. Each contract contains a unique identifying number which enables linkage between payments and contracts in place, and ongoing monitoring of cumulative expenditure against the approved value of each contract."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"Departmental Records"}]}}]},"contextDate":"2026-11-03"}]}