{"head":{"counts":{"debateCount":1,"resultCount":1}},"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":"2026-11-03T17:36:42+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":154,"divisionCount":1,"debateSectionCount":9,"questionCount":0,"billCount":0},"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":56,"speakerCount":18},"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}}],"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 put to the people."},{"speaker":null,"textType":"heading","text":"An tOrd Gn\u00f3 - Order of Business"}]}}]},"contextDate":"2026-11-03"}]}