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homes by 2030. It is an ambitious task and one that will need every tool available to Government to deliver. Every week I hear from local builders who want to help Government to deliver on that ambition by building houses in hundreds of rural communities, helping the Government … rural Ireland without a treatment system. Rural Ireland simply cannot wait the decades it will take to deliver the treatment plants needed. Uisce Éireann has shown no interest in delivering these small scale treatment systems as it is more focused on the large urban areas. There

central objective of the programme for Government is to deliver increased levels of integrated health and social care with service delivery re-oriented towards general practice, primary care and community-based services to enable a “home first” approach. It is acknowledged – as the Deputy has rightly said - that … town in Ireland with a diverse population. The Minister is committed to building capacity in primary care, as outlined in the programme for Government, by recruiting additional staff numbers, promoting advanced practice roles in the community for health and social care professionals and increasing the number of college

community or at home where possible. At Monaghan Hospital, there is also ongoing development of pain services, haemochromatosis and an expansion of cardiology services. These improvements greatly enhance the supports provided to patients and their families and lead to better, more appropriate care, delivered in the right setting … beds. The HSE has advised that bed occupancy rates vary from time to time due to factors such as infection prevention and control, building works and the criteria for patient admission. Figures from the HSE show that overall occupancy in these beds has been at 85% or higher

effect we want. There is little point in making something more affordable if the places are not there to allow homes and households to avail of them. The Deputy will be aware of the work the Department of Children, Disability and Equality is doing on this … programme in place - the building blocks extension grant scheme - under which she has announced a further €25 million to deliver an additional 1,500 early learning and childcare places for one-to-three-year-olds across our country. I understand that 49 community and privately operated services have

villages and their communities. More broadly, they also currently work closely across the multidisciplinary technical teams in local authorities, such as capital delivery teams, which are also funded by my Department, vacant homes officers, broadband officers and night-time economy officers, and build linkages with town teams … office, local authorities and the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage to ensure the ongoing implementation of the policy and to deliver on the goal of revitalising rural towns and villages. Importantly, the town centre first approach is also underpinned by a range of capital funding streams

ensures every child is supported to achieve their full potential. An education system that wraps around all children and young people in every community is essential if we are to achieve that. I want the outcome of my time as Minister to be greater equity and excellence … know there are children with huge levels of trauma who need additional support. I have established a design advisory group with principals, home school community liaison and school completion programme co-ordinators who work with children from areas of high intergenerational disadvantage every day. This student-centred design

area where I live, Castle Park, planning permission for a large residential development of 469 houses has been sanctioned, alongside the existing 500 homes. Residents in the area have made it quite clear that they are not against the housing development, but they cannot accept that level … They are against the lack of public infrastructure. They have serious concerns about roads, drainage issues and village community infrastructure. I welcome housing developments and the building of homes. Every second person who contacts me mentions private rental and social housing. However, if the Government is going

delivery of housing in recent years. We have seen more than 133,000 new-build homes delivered between 2020 and 2024. A total of 92,500 of those homes were delivered just between 2022 and 2024, which is up nearly 50% on the previous three years … take it to the next level and be able to achieve the ambition we have of 300,000 more homes being delivered in this country by 2030. We are very clear in regard to what we need to do, and many of the issues the Deputy highlighted

committed to in the Programme for Government, including a new housing plan building on the successes of Housing for All, will help us meet the enormous challenge of delivering more than 300,000 new homes by 2030; — a record level of investment is being provided for the delivery … infrastructure needed at a local or district level to support housing delivery on multiple sites, including social and community infrastructure needed to support the development of sustainable communities; — legislative and system level reform of the planning system is progressing; — the Government is prioritising the commencement of the Planning

Europe’s purpose which is to bring peace, stability and democracy to all its peoples. At the heart of the EU is a community that values of democracy, equality, respect for human rights, and the rule of law. These principles are enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty … minority rights, the credibility and cohesion of the entire Union are at risk. Ireland is firmly committed to upholding these values at home and abroad. We support strong EU mechanisms to monitor rule of law compliance and to act decisively when necessary. We owe it to our citizens

community. We want to see childcare fees that are affordable for families. To do all that, we need the State to take the lead and not just leave it all to private providers. In my constituency of Dublin Bay North, we have seen a lot of new homes … underpaid. The programme for Government gives a commitment, for the first time ever, to public provision in this area. It promises to build or purchase State-owned childcare facilities. That is a huge step forward but we need to see the action plan urgently. We need commitments

leaves no child behind. That means investing properly in schools, teachers and, most importantly, in the future of children. The first step in delivering real change in our education system is proper and adequate funding. For years, schools have been forced to fundraise for the most basic things … school days because of the lack of supports at school. It is no fault of the teachers or the school communities. A further 177 children are getting home tuition while awaiting an appropriate placement. I urge the Minister to heed the concerns raised by the INTO, among others

work. MIE needs a long-term home within the Higher Education Authority. I encourage the Minister and the Minister of State to consider that over time we could work together to develop a long-term strategy for where that home for MIE would be so it will … School where we were this morning. It is a fantastic Gaelscoil delivering great education to students as Gaeilge. It has been seeking and waiting for year upon year - some 25 years plus now - for the buildings it really needs and deserves. I know it is a priority because

reasons I am working hard to build up our research system and take it to a higher level. This is a critical step to allow us to compete for the future. Basic research is where the building blocks of a modern economy are forged. Those developments in turn … products of those industries worldwide, namely, pharmaceuticals and medicines, semiconductors and medical devices. We are home to many leading multinationals, such as Microsoft, Intel, Pfizer, Google and Apple. In fact, we are home to nine of the top ten global software companies, nine of the top ten technology

ensure sufficient homes are delivered to ensure people have safe, secure and affordable homes and that these homes are served by the physical and social infrastructure needed to create sustainable communities. We are working tirelessly to address these challenges and implement policies that are making a positive difference … Housing for All and having regard to the work already under way to develop the new national housing plan, we have delivered growing levels of new homes and will continue to do so. In the amendment, the Government makes clear its commitment to scale-up capacity to deliver

residential care, with 65,000 day respite sessions and 161,000 overnight respite delivered in 2024; and additional personal assistance and home supports providing for approximately 95,000 personal assistance hours and 40,000 home support hours. Early learning and care and school-age childcare funding … ECCE programme, both in term and out of term. In 2025, I will also deliver on other key commitments, including continued roll-out of the equal participation model; the delivery of the building blocks capacity grant, which was announced this week, to provide 15,000 early learning

have seen at first hand how further education has changed lives in the communities in which I have lived and worked for a number of years. Yesterday, the Minister delivered his keynote speech at the Irish Universities Association's Future of Ireland seminar. He presented a vision that … will speak about those students I lectured on the bachelor of education course. They worked very long hours on the course, travelled home, worked at the weekend and tried to complete the volume of work they needed to do. Anybody here who has worked in third level education

distress caused by and the continued risk of flooding. I have seen impact of flooding on people and on their homes, businesses and farms at first hand. I fully recognise the hardship experienced by all those who have been affected by flooding. The OPW is the lead agency … think we can deliver on schemes. We have given local authorities up and down the country 50 engineers to drive forward and improve the delivery of schemes. This is not a silver bullet, but it gives local authorities the support they need to deliver on those important schemes

Policing, Security and Community Safety Act 2024 and the establishment of the Votes for two new statutory agencies, the Policing and Community Safety Authority and Fiosrú and, therefore, I seek the approval of the House this evening to a Further Revised Estimate for the Justice Vote. The Revised … applicants and integration policy, under one Minister and Department creates a cohesiveness to the management of all aspects of international protection and builds on what was, up to 1 May, a close working relationship between officials in international protection in my Department and those with responsibility for accommodation

sleepover and held hostage for 50 days. Let us not forget that Israeli families still wait for loved ones held hostage to come home, after 19 inexpressibly cruel months. These are truly unspeakable and despicable crimes. Hamas is responsible and must be accountable but let us remember also … relief of their suffering. We will continue to work with like-minded partners, including in the region, to build a political process that can deliver peace and security for Palestine and Israel - two states, the only sustainable solution. We will pursue that goal, including though the global alliance

scenes Deputy Sherlock rightly mentioned in relation to young children and babies. There is no one in this House who wishes to deliver well-meaning statements. There is a whole array of people, including hundreds upon hundreds of people in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade … Ireland, it is regrettable that it is only much too belatedly that a more united voice is being found among the international community in response to the war crimes and genocidal activity that we are witnessing. I want to clearly restate this country's position. We unequivocally condemn

State brought the Minister there but he did not deliver. The previous Minister was down there about 12 months ago; he has not delivered. The bottom line is the river needs to be cleaned and the pearl mussel is the problem. I have nothing against the protection … Ballinascarty or stand outside the community centre in Ballyhennessy. There are so many good people there who work hard and who re willing. They are looking at water literally coming into their beautiful community centre, which they basically killed themselves to build, all the while knowing they

building. Ireland is taking a leading role in the work and evolution of the global alliance, including as part of the so-called Madrid group, which is a core group of European, Arab, and Islamic countries particularly concerned by the catastrophic situation in Gaza. The global momentum building … Ireland will play an active role in the conference and we hope it will be a decisive moment for the international community. Ireland continually seeks to build alliances to address the horror of what is happening on the ground in Gaza. Two weeks ago, I issued a joint