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delighted to be here today to speak on this important policy, which was launched in 2024 and is in keeping with programme for Government commitments. Social enterprise has the objective of achieving a social or environmental impact rather than maximising profits for owners or shareholders … communities. The first national social enterprise policy was developed in partnership with the sector and was underpinned by a joint research project undertaken by the Social Finance Foundation and my Department in 2017 and 2018. It was informed at a key national level by a bilateral series

Budget 2026; — the Government has prioritised the reduction of child poverty through the establishment of the dedicated Child Poverty and Well-Being Programme Office, ensuring cross-departmental coordination to address the root causes of poverty affecting children and families; — the increases in child poverty rates, as reported … schools and 550,000 children now eligible; — in addition, over 23,000 children are availing of cold lunches, while a Holiday Meals pilot project took place this summer with 914 schools providing meals to 68,000 children; — the Government has expanded the roll-out of free schoolbooks

investments in vital infrastructure are necessary to transform our electricity system to support a growing population, new housing and expanding businesses; — the Programme for Government reaffirms Ireland's ambitious targets of 9 gigawatts (GW) of onshore wind capacity, 8 GW of solar capacity and at least … levy has a reduction of about 40 per cent on 2024/25 to €2 a month or circa €24 in the year; — the Programme for Government sets out a clear policy direction that balances energy, housing, climate and economic development, recognising that increased and unprecedented investment in our electricity

here will be aware of the community safety fund. It is a very significant asset. In 2024, over €3 million was allocated to projects nationwide. Themes from the 2024 successful applicants included projects aimed at addressing antisocial behaviour, domestic violence, drug-related intimidation and social inclusion. I believe … Deputy Fitzmaurice who mentioned that we need youth diversion programmes. One of the things I have noticed since I became the Minister for justice is all the excellent work being done in youth diversion programmes, and there is a lot of excellent work being done by the Probation

thank the Minister for being in attendance. He will be aware the greater Dublin drainage project was granted planning permission in July and a judicial review was subsequently initiated. This is an absolutely essential project for the existing half a million homes in this country and tens … thousands more homes that will not be built unless this project is continued. I do not need to tell the Minister, as a Dublin Bay South TD, about the impact the absence of the drainage project is having on the Ringsend wastewater treatment plant. On Wednesday, I raised

thank Deputy Geoghegan for raising this extremely important matter. He started his contribution by referring to the greater Dublin drainage project, which is an absolutely critical project not just for the people in the constituencies we share but indeed for the whole Dublin area. Deputy Geoghegan's specific … before the courts can be prevented or short-circuited in some way to ensure the common good and public interest in such a project is represented and protected by the State. I agree with the sentiments he is expressing. What I have indicated to my Department

autumn. This plan will optimise outputs from the national development plan allocation, with a strong focus on maximising school capacity, progressing priority projects where local capacity across schools in the area is deemed insufficient, and ensuring that what is provided is affordable, provides value for money and meets … Athenry, Celbridge, Clonakilty, Greystones, Tullamore and Killina will be able to apply online using a single application form as part of a pilot project to streamline the admissions process. This pilot is a first step towards a national common application system. It will be a game-changer

exceed 3 hours and 32 minutes) - Statements on the Positive Effect on the Sporting Landscape through the Use of the Sports Capital Programme, Large Scale Sporting Infrastructure Fund and the Major Events Programme (not to exceed 2 hours and 25 minutes) - Motion re Ratification of the UNESCO Convention … extent: (a) in the event that the Statements on the Positive Effect on the Sporting Landscape through the Use of the Sports Capital Programme, Large Scale Sporting Infrastructure Fund and the Major Events Programme conclude before 7 p.m., the sitting shall stand suspended until

urgent need to have this road completed. I wish he and I were not in the House again discussing this. It is a project of gargantuan importance. As Members will know, it involves 80 km of refurbishment and, at its core, the project will address many … road safety concerns on the existing N20. I also commend Councillor Liam Madden on his work on this project. In addition, the project is aimed at improving connectivity between Cork and Limerick, increasing journey time reliability for passenger and freight traffic and improving the economic heartbeat

these pressures remains a top priority. Extensive work has and will continue to be undertaken right across government to address these challenges. The programme for Government acknowledges these pressures and commits to bringing forward measures to help contain these costs. Ireland faces particular challenges in relation to energy … most vulnerable households and communities. These revenues provide vital funding to support those at risk of energy poverty, as well as retrofitting programmes and agri-environmental supports for farmers. In budget 2025, an allocation of €951 million in carbon tax revenue was provided to a range of programmes

that each child and young person with a special educational need has an appropriate school place, in line with their Constitutional right and Programme for Government commitments; notes that the Government will: — progress work on the development of a more inclusive education system for children with special education … special education to ensure that every child can reach their full potential; — support additional schools and students to benefit from the Summer Programme 2025; — ensure that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will continue to engage intensively with parents and all educational partners to continue to increase

discussed earlier, the objective of the school meals programme is to provide regular nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement. In budget … this year, approximately 3,700 schools and 682,000 children will be eligible for the school meals programme. Under the school meals programme, the primary relationship is between the school and the supplier. The Department provides the funding for the meals directly to each school

does support Waterford Airport. I assure the Deputies that the Government is committed to working with all stakeholders to see the Waterford Airport project to lengthen and widen the runway progress. In line with this commitment and the requirements under the Government’s infrastructure guidelines, Waterford Airport … Deputies will be aware, the infrastructure guidelines set out the value-for-money guidelines for the evaluation, planning and management of public investment projects. These arrangements apply to all public bodies and all bodies in receipt of Exchequer capital funding of this nature. In relation to the timeline

have to do more in terms of our national security and defence. The Defence Forces infrastructure development plan, IDP, sets out a programme of project delivery for the years 2023 to 2027. The programme reflects the complex environment in which the Defence Forces operate and the need … commitment to ensuring the development of our military infrastructure. I am pleased to say that over the past five years, 43 capital infrastructure projects were completed across Defence Forces installations and barracks. Some of the most notable projects include the upgrade and refurbishment of blocks within the historic

recent weeks, I have attended a number of different community meetings in my constituency relating to proposed energy projects. These are causing a lot of concern and are very divisive. They are all being led by private investors. To give a few examples, in Athenry, Bord Gáis Energy … high emission stack. In Portumna, a reserve gas-fired generator is awaiting a decision from An Coimisiún Pleanála. This project alone would represent more than 1 GW of generation capacity, with three chimney stacks in excess of 100 ft. These two developments would be among the largest individual

Minister of State will be aware, the programme for Government sets out quite clearly that a task force will be set up to deal with the challenges that exist in Cork city centre. There is a need for major redevelopment and for an overall plan to deal with … community groups must also work together to develop and grow the city centre. For instance, I offer the simple example of one project I was working on when I was Minister of State, namely having a day centre for people who are homeless. We have more than

decade, and €245 billion-plus in total. Those are the facts. Now it is about delivery and we are seeing lots of our projects across the country coming through planning and starting to commence. I am sure the Deputy shares our commitment under the NDP and welcomes … communities right across the Republic. I will give a couple of examples. In Cork, I attended the contract signing for the M28 Ringaskiddy project, which will benefit the entire south-west region by providing much-needed improved access to the Port of Cork, thereby enhancing competitiveness

Minister said, it is about delivery at this stage. All the projects he mentioned are projects that were previously announced. The NDP review did not bring anything new to the table. It was also scant on any real substance or detail. Most of the projects were … books for years and some of them, like MetroLink, for decades. MetroLink, on the books for decades, is the only transport project the NDP review mentions. The Government is talking about new announcements but the people do not want announcements; they want project deliveries to happen across

fully funded multi-annual plan. In the coming weeks, each Department, including my own, will publish departmental NDP plans setting out specific projects. I could stand here for the next two hours listing the projects that are under way but I will give only a couple of examples … Phase 1 of the Cork area commuter rail programme is scheduled to be completed next year. There are ongoing station upgrades at Galway Ceannt and Oranmore, as well as the construction of a new Waterford Plunkett Station. These investments will increase accessibility and reliability for passengers, provide interconnectivity

coming weeks, which will provide further sectoral details in relation to the distribution of those investments and that allocation across the various programmes right across the Department. The Deputy asked about criteria. A clear focus of that plan will be on providing greater certainty on the projects … programmes that will advance and get delivered in the next five years. Deliverability and commencement of projects, and obviously making sure projects are moving through planning, are particularly important. In developing that plan, I will obviously take cognisance of commitments under the programme for Government, as well

area and championed it over that time. In total, more than €29.2 million under the EU just transition fund has been allocated to projects that are fully or partially based in County Laois. Of this, almost €3.6 million has been approved for projects under way solely within County … Laois, while more than €25.6 million has been approved for projects across several counties, including County Laois. I will provide the Deputy with the full breakdown of these allocations in tabular form, including details of the recipients, projects and amount of support allocated. That information will be provided

acutely aware of the personal and economic impact both physical and verbal assaults have on retail staff and their families. The programme for Government includes the examination of the introduction of a specific offence of an assault on a retail worker. The development of legislation is a complex … task that requires consideration of all the potential implications of any change in the law. Work to progress the commitments within the programme for Government has commenced and I am happy to engage in further discussions on proposals for the protection of retail workers. It is important

enjoyed our engagement with her and I really appreciate that. Deputy McAuliffe raised the issue of Beaumont Hospital. There are four major projects under way there. The national development plan has allocated very substantial funding to the Department of Health and the HSE for the realisation of those … projects. The key is to keep the pressure on to get them through the various stages. Health capital tends to be slow and health projects tend to be slow moving. We need to accelerate some of these projects and get them delivered. They are well under

interest of transparency, it is important when an environmental impact assessment derogation is granted that the public receive early notice of the particular project as well as access to key information and that there be some mechanism for observations to be made. A concern I have is that … general could leave the process open to abuse. There has already been a fairly sizeable increase in the number of exempted projects across Europe in the past number of years. Between 2014 and 2017, the European Commission was notified of only three, whereas between

Funding announcements are very welcome but, obviously, what will matter is the delivery of projects and it is clear there are serious deficits in our transport infrastructure across the State. We have yet to see the detail of the plan and what projects are going to be funded … delivered. As Deputy Daly pointed out, the only project specifically mentioned in the NDP was MetroLink. As I have mentioned to the Minister many times, the west and north west is one of the most underdeveloped regions in Europe when it comes to infrastructure, particularly in respect

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No. 257 of 3 July 2025, to provide details of the seven projects approved for funding under measure A8 of the Multi-Annual Rural Water Programme; the number of premises to be addressed under each … seven projects; the number of full pilot projects completed to date; if any further funding applications for pilot schemes will be accepted under the current programme; if his Department has figures on the number of currently un answered localities that could benefit from such funding

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the Castlebar historic core reactivation initiative project and the Castlebar military barracks project have moved beyond the detailed project briefs and procurement strategies stage; the current stage of these projects; and if he will

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the sub-projects within the Castlebar historic core reactivation initiative project, particularly the old post office sub-project; the status of this subproject; the way it fits within the overall … timeline of the historic core project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48920/25

Deputy John Paul O'Shea asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of people who have accessed the WorkAbility programme since it was established in December 2023; the benefits of the programme; if the programme is on target to support over 13,000 disabled people progress their

Deputy Micheál Carrigy asked the Minister for Education and Youth the status of a building project (details supplied); if she will provide an update on the project’s progress within her Department’s building programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49643/25

Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 2920 of 29 July 2025, to provide further details regarding the major equipment replacement programme and expansion programme underway at St Luke's Radiation Oncology Network (details supplied); the timeline for completion of the replacement project for linear accelerators

Minister for Defence his views on the recent article in a publication (details supplied) regarding the future of the multi-role vessel project; the project timelines; whether he is satisfied that the project can be progressed under the recent national development plan capital allocation; and if he will

Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Youth the expected timeline for the expansion of the Junior Certificate school programme demonstration library project as committed to in the Programme for Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48092/25

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a detailed timeline for the completion of the Castlebar historic core reactivation initiative project and the Castlebar military barracks project; specifically, when the construction tender stage is expected to commence for these projects; the estimated completion date

Parliamentary Question No. 51 of 26 March 2025, if the review of processes by his Department relative to the Irish coast guard building programme has been completed; the outcome of the review process and the current position of all projects on the building programme; and if he will

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Transport to provide details of the review of key programmes and projects in the transport sector in the context of the capital funding envelope; when a decision on a programme of delivery with this level of capital investment will be made

works undertaken during this period; the amount spent on preparatory works prior to the COVID-19 pandemic; the duration of the project and reasons for any delays or repeated works; the total projected expenditure for the full completion of the project.; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to clarify which environmental projects have been submitted by his department officials as part of the National Development Plan bidding process; the budget allocation for said projects; which of those projects are directly linked

Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Transport the current status on the BusConnects project in Cork County; the status of the CMATS project in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51607/25

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the expected timeline for completion of the N/M20 Cork-Limerick motorway project; the projected total cost; and the extent of EU funding secured to date. [51153/25

Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he will publish post-completion audit reports on the rapid build modular housing programme, including the Clonmel development, showing final actual costs against projected costs; and the expected timeline for publication of those reports. [51323/25

Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Youth the reason a school building project (details supplied) for four classrooms and an SEN base is stalled at Stage 2B since January 2025 and awaiting approval to put the project out to tender. [51137/25

Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will introduce a new national small schools project as outlined in the Programme for Government in Budget 2026; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51268/25

Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider conducting an audit to date of a public project's (details supplied) financial, physical, social, and economic aspects following the closure of multiple organisations tasked with delivering the project and the previous publication

Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Social Protection the position regarding the rollout of the hot school meals programme; the percentage of schools in the Dún Laoghaire constituency that have this programme in place; in cases where there are delays, the work that is ongoing to expedite

Deputy Shane Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport the projected installation timeline under the all-island sports club EV charging programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50950/25

completed; if so, the outcome; if a preferred contractor has been formally appointed; if not, when this expected will take place; if the project remains on schedule to commence construction in Q1 and Q2 2026, as previously stated by her school visit … public or written notice will be issued regarding the appointment of the successful contractor and confirmation of the project timeline. [50619/25

Education and Youth when she expects the tender process to begin for the construction of a school (details supplied); to confirm that the project remains on schedule to commence construction in Q1/Q2 of 2026, as confirmed by the Minister in May 2025; if her Department will issue … public notice regarding the appointment of a successful contractor; if she will provide a preliminary project outline; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50714/25

Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Health the timeline for the NSAC work to consider the further expansion of the cancer screening programmes; when the BreastCheck and BowelScreen programmes will be extended to the over 70s; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50653/25

Bacik asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the progress to roll out restorative justice service provision as promised in the Programme for Government; his plans to provide year-on-year additional funding to ensure all counties have community-based restorative justice programmes; his plans