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areas for the whole of Government and relevant agencies to consider, there are also specific learnings for the electricity system that have emerged already. On Friday, 31 January, I met again with representatives from the ESB, ESB Networks and the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities … Networks confirmed that there are no financial barriers or budget constraints impacting on the Storm Éowyn response, as the regulatory regime makes full provision for force majeure events. A number of actions emerged from these discussions, and I outlined these earlier today in a memo to Government which

years ahead. The additional funding of €333 million allocated in budget 2025 represents the largest ever increase in the disability services budget. Some €290 million has been allocated in existing-level-of-service funding, which recognises those challenges that prevail in the sector, including the increased cost … historical issues relating to funding arrangements and existing and emerging challenges including - due to the changing profile of user need - higher safety and quality standards and general demographic and inflationary pressures. As I previously stated, the total budget for specialist disability services in 2025 is €3.24 billion

Ireland’s commitment to working to eradicate homelessness by 2030. Budget 2025 allocates more than €300 million to this end, up €61 million on 2024. Additionally, €12 million in capital funding is being provided for supported emergency accommodation for families and individuals experiencing homelessness. We have also committed

because it is going to help people. Let us give praise when praise is due. The planning situation needs to be tackled. An emergency should be called because objections are holding up many planning permissions. I ask the Minister to look at that. I also … gave a budget for works throughout the country but not one red cent has been spent within those towns that need sewage schemes to help in providing water. I ask the Ministers to look at those few fundamental things. On top of that, an emergency should be called

increased resources in budget 2025 for Cuan and a commitment to multi-annual funding for rape crisis centres and other domestic, sexual and gender-based violence service providers. Unfortunately, in the six months since then, little has changed and more shocking cases have emerged. Tackling domestic, sexual

major issue for her constituents and for people in the mid-west more broadly. I could quote figures showing the increased budget, the increased staffing and the increase in beds that have taken place, but I accept there is much more to do. That is why the previous … Minister for Health, as the Deputy's colleague Deputy Cullinane will know, asked HIQA last year to lead a review into urgent and emergency care capacity in the mid-west region, including consideration of the need for a second ED. An interim update is expected this month

technicians who hold a contract with the HSE to operate the scheme. Services available annually and on demand include an examination, two fillings, emergency extractions, and a scale and polish. More complex care, such as dentures and a broader range of treatments for patients with additional needs … local HSE principal dental surgeon. To support contractors to provide care under the scheme, an additional €10 million was made available in budget 2022 to increase the preventative care available and, from May 2022, increase by 40% to 60% the fees paid to contractors for most treatment items

will be working to secure further significant increases in the coming years. We now have a mental health service budget of €1.5 billion, exemplifying our commitment to delivering vastly improved services for people. The investment is supporting the implementation of our national mental health policies across a broad … assessment nurses, SCAN, for the national clinical programme on self-harm and suicide-related ideation, which is now in place across all our emergency departments. This will allow for better community-based suicidal crisis supports. These are valuable developments in services that have been experiencing increasing demand

work. That work will be concluded and published in April. On the imposition of tariffs under the first President Trump Administration, two learnings emerged. First, the EU did respond. The EU has indicated it will respond again in a firm and proportional way. Second, we did see across … point the Deputy made about our reliance on corporate tax, our reliance is why I have made the case for running budget surpluses and why we have set aside money in our two reserve funds. Maybe the Deputy might clarify her position on running budget surpluses and putting

hospitals to crumble under the pressure. Last January, a record 13,972 people were left on trolleys or chairs in overcrowded accident and emergency departments. More than 28,000 hospital appointments were cancelled. This was 5,000 more than the same month last year. This is not just … then starved it of the resources required, putting lives at risk. This inaction has turned our hospitals into pressure cookers, with soaring budgets and unsafe conditions. It does not, though, have to be this way. Sinn Féin has a plan to future-proof healthcare. Our vision is simple

Ministers, including the Minister for housing. Institutional Property Ireland is the puppet master pulling the housing policy strings. What is needed is an emergency response from the Government, including a three-year freeze on all rents, an immediate halt to the ongoing tsunami of evictions and security … need by means of a new direction and new policies. There is €150 billion sitting in Irish bank accounts and billions in budget surpluses. The question is: why is the Government restricting the funding we have available in the country to be invested into housing

programme for Government are "teacher shortage". The Government does not seem to realise this is a problem. It is an emergency and a crisis. I do not have time to develop that statement, but it is incredible that it is not mentioned or dealt with. We have … well. It seems to me this task force will diagnose the problem but has no medicine to treat it. It has no budget, no money and that will not, unfortunately, lead to places. Two parents have contacted me. One has 13 refusal letters from the universal application system

leasing. Every year, some €1.5 billion goes to the private sector. It does not deliver homes but takes money out of the public budget. We have put forward very clear solutions today. One is to develop a new State savings scheme that would provide additional finance – we have … health system, we do not say to people that we are restricting the funding and restricting their access to accident and emergency or to maternity care because the State has decided the private sector has to deliver them and if the private sector does not deliver the accident

under-resourced. That is something we have to correct incrementally insofar as we can as a Government. A sum of 6% of the budget is simply not enough and that is replicated across the country. As public representatives, we see the lack of services and the difficulty … them, so that is a very significant issue. No doubt, mental health problems very often result in severe physical health problems emerging after a while if there is undertreatment. For a wide variety of reasons, it is extremely short-sighted for any Government not to prioritise and adequately

stamp duty levy on the bulk purchase of homes, investors have bulk bought half a billion euros worth of residential property; and - in Budget 2025, the Government increased the stamp duty levy, which does not apply to apartments, from 10 per cent to 15 per cent; further notes … renters. Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach Gníomhach. We are bringing forward this motion today because the housing crisis is a catastrophe and an emergency. The Government's plans are failing disastrously and we need a new approach. We are calling on the Government to be brave and ambitious

This represents significant growth of an additional 372 whole-time-equivalent staff working across the CDNTs. We are building on this progress. In budget 2025, more than €2.8 million in new development measure funding was secured to provide for additional whole-time equivalents in the teams. This includes … Government and Heritage, to develop our commitments on the development of the national disability strategy, the role of local authority decision-making has emerged as a consistent theme. As my Department leads on the finalisation phase of development, it will be critical that local government is involved

operating costs. While all spending has to be questioned, I will try to concentrate on what Ireland is getting for this huge budget. Every housing target that Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, the Labour Party and the Social Democrats have set are nothing short of farcical … generators. Not alone did they not have generators, changeover switches had not even been fitted in any plants in case of an emergency. To pick the plant in Inniscarra in Cork as an example, imagine if it had an electricity shutdown for a number of days and there

Celtic tiger years, Governments reduced roads funding dramatically to County Wexford, leaving a €67 million hole in the county's rural roads budget. Even the 2021 storm works, including bridge repairs, are only being completed now. Across the State, an average of 15% of roads are in poor … licence issue, this is a significant matter for the Road Safety Authority. I call on the Minister of State to immediately intervene with emergency funding for County Wexford to deal with the disintegrating road conditions. No other country in Europe has to put up with this

fewer older patients waiting longer times. We intend to try to reduce that further this year. It is important to acknowledge that our emergency departments see over 5,000 patients a day. The vast majority of patients who need a bed get one in a timely manner … live well in their own homes. At the moment, the State is supporting approximately 58,000 people to receive home support. The overall budget for home support stands at €838 million, which is an increase of 70% on 2020. That allocation meant we could provide more than

funding available to deliver to the State in different forms. Reference was made to the Apple money. We will have a significant budget surplus. I ask for a response from the Minister to my next point. The requirement of funding referenced is €20 billion. That makes an assumption … homelessness. As I am sure is the case in the Minister's constituency, in my constituency babies are being born into homelessness and emergency accommodation. As parents, how can we stand over that? There are children who have urgent requirements in terms of additional needs, something

professionals, GPs and families on the front lines are raising serious concerns. Mental health services now receive a smaller proportion of the health budget, at just 6%, than they did over three decades ago. That is significantly lower than the UK spend of 9%. This long-term decline … health services is a welcome development, and I acknowledge the significant efforts to roll out self-harm and suicide-related services across all emergency departments. However, we must ensure that these services are properly staffed and extended into the community, where they are equally needed. When we moved

over the term of the 34th Dáil, namely "reform" and "delivery". We have much to be optimistic about, such as full employment, budget surpluses and putting money aside for two long term funds to future-proof growth and investment. However, we would be foolish to take this position … roadmap for stability, respect and progress now just as it was in 1998. However, I am uncomfortable if there is an emerging train of thought that constitutional change can only be entertained once the reconciliation of people is achieved. If we are to be true to the Good

scale up delivery further in the short term and secure a sustainable level of supply that will help us meet unmet and emerging demand over the coming years. The current plan is supported by a record €6 billion in capital investment in 2025, supporting initiatives already in place … years. We will continue to invest at unprecedented levels to ensure that we build a sustainable housing system where, ultimately, supply meets demand. Budget 2025 provides for continued record investment in housing with Exchequer funding of €4.85 billion. This is supplemented by funding to the LDA. The Government