Search the record

matter, in the first instance, as the Deputy knows, for local authorities. It is their responsibility to identify an opportunity to advance regeneration programmes in line with the circular N11/2007 policy framework for the regeneration of local authority estates in their respective administrative areas. The Cork north-west … housing stock in Knocknaheeny that had not been the subject of previous refurbishment works. To date, over €96 million has been allocated to projects that are either completed or on-site under this particular regeneration programme. Up to the end of 2025, 121 social housing units had been

thank Deputy O'Donoghue for the question. I will update the Deputy and the House on the current situation regarding the building project for St. Joseph's Secondary School and Gaelscoil Ros Eo in Rush, County Dublin. The delivery of this campus project has been devolved to Catholic … education base. The brief for Gaelscoil Ros Eo includes the delivery of a 16-classroom primary school with one special education base. The project is currently at stage 2b of the architectural design process. This stage allows for detailed design and planning, obtaining the necessary statutory permissions

care without charges, and by virtue of this have access to the full range of GP services, including the chronic disease management programme, which I will speak about more in few moments. Having said that, we recognise that the Government needs to continue to improve access … meet the growing demand for GP services. Increasing access to GP services is largely dependent on increasing our GP workforce and the programme for Government commits to increasing the number of practising GPs. Significant work has already been undertaken in this regard, to increase GP numbers and improve

Department manages its funding allocations across three programme areas: rural development, community development, agus an Gaeltacht agus na n-oileáin. For 2026, my Department's overall budget allocation is €613 million, with around €273 million in capital funding and €340 million in current funding. This represents … increase on the 2025 allocation and builds on strong investment in the past number of years. The funding provision for the rural development programme has increased significantly in recent years. When the Department was established in 2017, the programme allocation for rural development was €80 million

Special Committee on the Future of Healthcare Sláintecare Report, published in 2017, was universal GP coverage by year five of implementation; — the 2016 Programme for Government committed to extending free GP care to under 18s, which never happened; — free GP care for children aged under six was rolled … took another eight years before free GP care for children under eight was authorised in 2023; and — the 2025 Programme for Government commits to extending free GP care to children up to at least 12 years; further notes that: — the 2017 Sláintecare Report stated that the current

three special class teachers. In June 2022, the school was given approval under the additional school accommodation, ASA, scheme for a traditional build project to deliver four mainstream classrooms, three special education tuition rooms, two special education classrooms and one universal access WC, along with the repurposing … existing accommodation to create one special education classroom. This project was devolved to the school authorities for delivery and it is currently at stage 1 - preliminary design. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure essential mainstream classroom and special education needs, SEN, accommodation is available

appraisal since the end of 2023. These set the value for money requirements and guidance for evaluating, planning and managing Exchequer-funded capital projects. Management and delivery of investment projects and public services within allocation and the national frameworks is a key responsibility of every Department, Accounting Officer … Minister. Action 23 in the accelerating infrastructure report, published in December 2025, commits my Department to streamline and speed up the project approvals process by amending the infrastructure guidelines. In line with this action, I brought a memorandum to Government this week on the following changes

sectors for 2026 out to 2030. Of the €7.55 billion investment it is envisaged that €5 billion of that will be used for project roll-out to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings. An additional €2.25 billion of the NDP funding will focus on supporting … existing school estates, including maintenance, minor works, and the climate action summer work scheme. Project roll-out under the NDP will continue on a prioritised basis within the parameters of available funding to meet the most urgent needs for provision of additional capacity and modernisation of existing facilities

euros of damage, and putting lives at risk; — communities are waiting, in some cases for decades, for flood defences, protection and amelioration projects to be built; — the delivery of flood defences is dangerously slow or grinding to a complete halt, with planning, licensing, permitting, tendering and the delivery … ensuring that vexatious planning objections are no longer allowed, and objectors who do not have a geographic or a material interest in a project should not be allowed to object to a planning application for a flood defence or flood alleviation plan where life and livelihoods are under

very thought-provoking address tonight here to the House about this strategically important route, which is a priority for the Government. The proposed project aims to enhance regional accessibility by improving the network connecting the cities of Cork and Limerick but also by improving connections to west Cork … Kerry along with that piece the Deputy spoke about, namely, balanced regional growth, especially in north Cork. The N20-M20 Cork to Limerick project will provide not just better connectivity between the second and third largest cities in the State. The Deputy outlined that towns such as Buttevant

action plan of the road safety strategy. This action, which is being delivered collaboratively by road safety partners, aligns with commitments in the programme for Government. Work on the first national safety camera strategy is now at an advanced stage. My Department is working closely with road safety … driving experience and training and prove their ability to drive safely by passing a driving test. We are also progressing a significant legislative programme. The national vehicle and driver file Bill is a priority for the current legislative term. I aim to see it enacted before the summer

with St. Patrick's Primary School Celbridge in relation to the emergency works scheme and to provide an update on its capital project. As the Deputies will be aware, the purpose of the emergency works scheme is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies or to provide funding … basis, the school was advised to submit a revised scope of works with an accompanying itemised cost breakdown. In January, the Department engaged project engineers and contractors to address the immediate issues. This facilitated the completion of initial remedial works by 5 February, which allowed for classrooms that

ageing and growing. In recent years, we have expanded free GP care and introduced new services, such as the chronic disease management programme. All this increases demand on general practice and we need to increase our GP workforce to ensure we can meet the need for GP care … there are challenges. Trained GPs are also being recruited from abroad under a joint HSE and Irish College of General Practitioners international recruitment programme. The recruited GPs are placed in practices in rural areas and work in general practice while completing the programme, providing an immediate increase

burdens with little to no benefit in terms of outcomes. The Government is seeking to reduce those barriers and streamline procurement processes so projects can be delivered effectively in this country. With the current set of rules in place, according to the European scorecard 2025, Ireland … reasons behind the Government's concerns relating to what the Bill seeks to do. The Government is undertaking an ambitious programme of reform and accelerating infrastructure with a committed spend of €275 billion on the national development plan, NDP. The associated projects in the NDP already factor quality

thank the Minister of State for his kind words relating to this project. It is a very detailed project and there is a lot of money involved, but I welcome the fact that in his response, he said the scheme preliminary business case is expected to be submitted … Government approval, which I am sure will come as is required under the infrastructure guidelines, the submission of the statutory documents for the project will be forwarded to An Coimisiún Pleanála. I thank the Minister of State very sincerely for his response. As two Cork TDs in this

just the first tranche. There is lots of capital to spend in this country, thankfully, and we will deploy that capital as projects occur and get ready. Over the course of 2026 and 2027, there will actually be construction work at approximately 10% of the overall school estate … that to give people some context. On the specific projects the Deputy mentioned, the first related to Skerries Community College. I understand the building project for this school has been devolved for delivery to the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, ETB, under a service level

déanach. Shíl mé go raibh na ceisteanna ag tosnú ag 10.30 a.m. I welcome the Deputy's question on the bus stop enhancement programme. It is a relatively new programme. Choosing sustainable transport is not just a matter of where a bus or rail line goes … number of schemes, including BusConnects, which is not included in the figures I will give the Deputy, Connecting Ireland, the active travel investment programme and, as the Deputy mentioned, the bus stop enhancement programme. That programme is a multi-annual initiative, which only commenced in 2024 and will

issue that we face and the impact that experiences of homelessness have on households and children, in particular. With this in mind, the programme for Government and the new housing plan reaffirmed lreland’s commitment to working towards ending homelessness by 2030. Increased supply is key to addressing … social homes were added to the social housing stock and more than 14,100 homes were brought back into use under the voids programme. The pipeline is also strong. The latest construction status report showed over 25,000 social homes at all stages of design and build

propose to take Questions No. 1 to 18, inclusive, together. The Cabinet committee oversees implementation of the programme for Government commitments in relation to health, receives detailed reports on identified policy areas, and considers health reforms, including Sláintecare, the reform of public health and health system preparedness … future health threats. It also receives reports in relation to programme for Government commitments in the areas of mental health and drugs policy. It is attended by the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, and the Minister for Health

thank the Deputy for his comments. Confidence is growing within the sector. The Lí Ban project was the only project across Europe that was awarded last year. We are ramping up our investment, from the State's perspective, to try to ensure the key enablers are in place … While many of these projects are currently in planning, we hope many will go to construction before the end of the decade. Our responsibility is to guide and support many of these companies. Each phase 1 project is responsible itself for the construction of its own offshore transmission

sectoral investment plan for the period 2026 to 2030, which involves a strong emphasis on maximising existing capacity and prioritisation of school building projects to meet the most urgent needs. From the total of €7.55 billion being invested via this plan, it is envisaged that approximately €5 billion … will be used for project roll-out to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the large-scale, additional accommodation, modular and annual September accommodation needs programmes. Over the course of this year and next, there will be construction work on some 10% of the school

reiterate that €193 million in capital funding was provided between 2020 and 2025 in Dublin 24. There are seven school projects under construction in Dublin 24. Some 23 schools have been upgraded, either through the provision of new school buildings or large-scale extensions. That … matter, however, because this is a rolling programme out to 2030. My Department will continue to engage with patrons and schools across the country, including in Deputy Murphy's constituency and in Dublin, to inform targeted and prioritised capital investment. That will include the identification of any urgent

pleased to inform the Deputy that a project comprising two mainstream classrooms, two special education tuition rooms and one special education needs base has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. This project was approved in 2022 and my Department has been engaging with the school … support it through stage 1 of the architectural design process to advance a design solution that is consistent with the approved project brief and in line with the Department’s technical standards. My Department has recently issued advice to the school and is currently awaiting submission

Government each week, we want to know that our colleagues in Cabinet are making the national development plan a priority and that those projects within it are a priority. However, more importantly, we want to know that the mechanisms are put in place to ensure the timely delivery … alone in 2026. The way we will judge the performance of the people we support in here will be on the delivery of projects and the way we will be judged will be on the delivery of specific projects in each of our constituencies. I want to raise

expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis and compact growth. It should be noted that the underlying demographic profile of preschools and school-aged children residing … schools have been upgraded either through provisions of new school buildings, large-scale extensions or modular accommodation. There are currently 64 school projects under construction in Dublin. Another 20 school projects will go to tender or construction in 2026 and 2027, which form part of the first tranche

Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth if all school capital building projects in the Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering programmes, are funded through the Sectoral Investment Plan; the breakdown of each school project included in the ADAPT 4 – Programme 4 bundles indicating … already underway; if not if these are included in the priority list in the Sectoral Investment Plan; to provide a list of those projects in the ADAPT-4 programmes that have achieved at least Stage 1 approval to date; the breakdown of each school project included in those

Flynn asked the Minister for Transport the current status of the N20 Cork to Limerick road improvement scheme; the stage the project has reached under the Transport Infrastructure Ireland project lifecycle; the total estimated capital cost as most recently assessed; the amount of funding allocated to the scheme … projected for 2027 and 2028 under the National Development Plan; the anticipated timeline for completion of route selection, statutory approvals and land acquisition; the projected commencement date for construction; and whether the project remains designated as a strategic inter-urban priority within national transport policy. [14673/26

benefit analysis comparing the actual fines, penalties, and compliance costs the State has incurred to date under EU or international climate obligations; the projected fines, penalties, and compliance costs the State may face if targets are not met; the costs and benefits of using the same or equivalent … funding for domestic climate mitigation and adaptation projects; to provide the findings of any such analysis; to provide a breakdown of annual actual and projected expenditure, including best-case and worst-case scenarios, for EU or international climate-related fines or penalties; carbon credit purchases or carbon market

Deputy Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth to confirm who is the external programme manager for the ADAPT 4- Programme Innovate; the annual cost for the contract for this service; the amount that was spent on the programme manager contract in 2025, and projected … work is no longer carried out by her Department itself; if a similar arrangement was in place for previous iterations of the ADAPT programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8496/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence the projected strength of the Permanent Defence Forces for each of the years 2026, 2027 and 2028, broken down by Army, Naval Service and Air Corps; and the projected inductions and projected discharges underpinning those projections. [15686/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has approved any workforce planning model or projection which quantifies the projected staffing shortfall to 2030 in social work, social care work, and dietetics; if so, to provide the projected shortfall figures by year … current apprenticeship intake levels align with those projections. [16012/26

Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the current status of all capital projects submitted to her Department from SETU; the status the projects are at including appraisal, design, planning and so on; the projected timeline for delivery for each … project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16113/26

Lawless asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the list of all flood relief and flood risk management projects in County Mayo since 2020, by each project: the name and location of the project; the total approved budget and amount spent to date … including maintenance and ongoing operational costs; whether the project is in planning, under construction, or completed; the number of properties and key infrastructure protected or expected to be protected; whether any nature-based solutions have been included in the design, implementation, or evaluation including but not limited

Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a list of all schools in Limerick with planned capital projects that are at Stage 2B; when each project first engaged with her Department on same capital project, and when the project was listed

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her announcement of 105 priority school building projects in the first tranche of the NDP rollout, the position regarding other projects; if projects such as the additional accommodation project at a school (details supplied) will

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Education and Youth to outline the current status of the permanent building project for a school (details supplied) and the projected timeline for delivery; if she will outline the reasons for progressing the project from Stage 1 to Stage … ADAPT programme since the submission of documentation in June 2025; if there are any contingency arrangements in place as the current temporary accommodation will reach capacity in June 2028; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12615/26

Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a list of all schools with planned capital projects that are at Stage 2B; the list by county, and if possible, constituency; when each project first engaged with her Department on same capital project, and when … project was listed as being at Stage 2B. [8983/26

Eoghan Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Youth to provide a list of the companies and professional practices appointed under the integrated project teams in each case for ADAPT 4 - Programme Innovate; to provide a separate list of sub consultancies; the proportion of these companies that … Irish; the projected total cost of the ADAPT 4 programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8497/26

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her announcement of 105 priority school building projects in the first tranche of the NDP rollout, what this means for other projects; if projects such as the additional accommodation project at a school (details supplied

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her announcement of 105 priority school building projects in the first tranche of the NDP rollout, what this means for other projects; if projects such as the additional accommodation project at a school (details supplied

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her announcement of 105 priority school building projects in the first tranche of the NDP rollout, what this means for other projects; if projects such as the additional accommodation project at a school (details supplied

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her announcement of 105 priority school building projects in the first tranche of the NDP rollout, what this means for other projects; if projects such as the additional accommodation project at a school (details supplied

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her announcement of 105 priority school building projects in the first tranche of the NDP rollout, what this means for other projects; if projects such as the additional accommodation project at a school (details supplied

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her announcement of 105 priority school building projects in the first tranche of the NDP rollout, what this means for other projects; if projects such as the Large Scale Project at a school (details supplied

Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth further to her announcement of 105 priority school building projects in the first tranche of the NDP rollout, what this means for other projects; if projects such as the Large Scale Project at a school (details supplied

Transport the details of active travel initiatives funded by the National Transport Authority in Kilkenny since 2020; the initial cost estimate for each project; the outturn cost of each project; and for those still unfinished, the latest cost projection, in tabular form; and if he will make

Transport the details of active travel initiatives funded by the National Transport Authority in Carlow since 2020; the initial cost estimate for each project; the outturn cost of each project; and for those still unfinished, the latest cost projection, in tabular form; and if he will make

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the total gross expenditure incurred by the Health Service Executive in 2025 and the projected expenditure for 2026 in respect of apprenticeship programmes in social work, social care work, and dietetics, including salary costs, academic costs, employer PRSI … grant income received from the National Apprenticeship Office; and if she will provide a programme-level breakdown. [16011/26

Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of capital projects submitted to the HSE estates for Waterford city and county from acute, primary, community, mental health and other services over the past ten years; the status of each project; whether they are at appraisal, design … planning or construction or any other phase codified by HSE estates; the current status of each project, by year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16111/26

Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the number of capital projects submitted to the HSE Estates from acute, primary, community, mental health and other services over the past ten years, the status of each project, whether they are at appraisal, design, planning or construction … other phase codified by HSE estates, the breakdown by year and the current status of each project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16122/26