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climate objectives but also help reduce costs. In the time I have left, I will outline what exactly is being funded under the programme to date. Schools will fund up to 6 kW of roof-mounted solar PV - approximately 14 solar panels - and all associated inverters and cabling … allow unused solar energy to feed into the grid from schools when closed, which is really important because we are coming into the summer period. Schools are closed now so it is important they can feed into it. To the Deputy's specific point, I will work with

meal supplier menus and their compliance with nutritional standards. The nutritional standards have been in place since 2019, since the inception of the programme. They were developed by the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute, the HSE, Safefood and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland. There are 16 standards … vegetables and how available they are. That was very hard to decipher from the menu. We will have the full report by the summer and I look forward to discussing it. In regard to our role as a Department, we are also developing an inspection tool

wastewater treatment plants if the Government has not provided money for them and has not ensured that they are in the capital programme. Everything cannot be funded, which I accept, but we need honesty in respect of all of these issues. On planning, work still needs … responsible for this because he has just taken over but it was remitted back to the board three years ago, in the summer of 2021. Again, my point is not to criticise the board but the lack of resourcing and of statutory timelines are the underlying problem

address key infrastructural bottlenecks more rapidly, and to lead to further improvements in living standards and competitiveness. In addition, the recently agreed programme for Government sets out that the Government will prioritise an early review of the national development plan, which will be completed in July … additional capital that is available and that will, as we have stated, be allocated in strategic areas. That will be completed by the summer

programme for Government refers to work-life balance, quality of life, quality employment and it even contains the phrase "a secure future for all living things", which is quite a noble ambition. I want to shout out for a group of workers very close at hand … that Government, not having any work and not knowing when they were going to be able to work, being laid off during the summer, at Easter and at Christmas but having to be always available to work for the company, whose name is Pi Comms

work of national governing bodies, for everything from equipment to facilities, is crucial. The delivery of this, through the sports capital programme and the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, has benefited over the past number of years our clubs, our councils and the NGBs that govern them. There … really hit home for me when I attended an event celebrating 25 years of the Ballinteer St. John's GAA clubhouse during the summer. Many other countries have large-scale legacy infrastructure from hosting major tournaments and events, such as the Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre

acutely aware of this issue. Last spring and early summer, I met with the principals of all of the special schools in five locations across the country to hear at first hand what the challenges are. I am acutely aware of the challenges being faced. This year alone … SNAs on the one side and, on the other side, in the education therapy service, a new initiative that was in the programme for Government. People were reluctant but we have embraced it and are rolling

recommendations of the expert advisory committee on governance and culture in RTÉ chaired by Professor Niamh Brennan. The programme for Government is clear that legislation is required to ensure the corporate governance model in RTÉ is open, transparent and appropriate to its public service mandate. As the Minister … Public Accounts. We can all attest to the value of the work done by the committee to hold RTÉ to account in the summer of 2023. It is important there is no doubt about the responsibility of the directors general as persons accountable to appear before the Committee

treatment within the recommended 15-day working timeframe. In Galway, patients are waiting seven to eight weeks for treatment. The National Cancer Control Programme has written to Aontú stating that the HSE is failing to meet its own radiation treatment targets. In the year to August 2024, treatment … cancer survival rates are as high as 94% in Cavan, but they are as low as 80% in the likes of Kerry. Last summer, BreastCheck, a countrywide screening service for women between 50 and 69, missed the target for 195,000 screenings by 30%, an incredible figure. Aontú

their priorities. Obviously, bringing affordability to public services, whether in education, childcare or health, is an important component of many aspects of the programme for Government, including the student contribution fee. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, has engaged extensively with the third level representative bodies and directly with representatives … protection and many other areas of expenditure. As part of budget 2026, we are engaging in a negotiation, in the aftermath of the summer economic statement, and affordability for students will form part of that overall discussion. The Minister, Deputy Lawless, will engage with everyone across the Government

lands for parks and playing pitches to help to build liveable communities. While neither of my Department's sports capital funding programmes, the community sport facilities fund, CSFF, or the large-scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF, provide for the acquisition of land, I would be supportive of local … finalised shortly, in advance of it opening. My Department is aiming to announce the opening of applications over the course of this summer. Regarding the LSSIF, our current focus is on ensuring project delivery under the first two rounds and this process will inform any decisions regarding

subsequently, after their arrest and once they go through that process, they cannot then be put on the pathway of the youth diversion programme. Deputy Ward will know that generally criminal behaviour is committed predominantly by boys and men between the ages of 14 and 30. Once they … that there are greater resources for gardaí but also for young people. If youths are hanging around, which sometimes happens more in the summer months, we need to ensure that we have the services available as well so that they can do things like play football

This review spoke to why the limit should remain. However, the Department of education continues to engage on the commitment in the programme for Government to assess the feasibility of removing the inclusion of drivers over 70. This is a work in progress and a matter on which … hope to advance these further in the years ahead. Improvements have also been made to enhancing the customer experience, particularly during peak summer months. These include: a dedicated Bus Éireann call centre for school transport queries; a dedicated email address for Oireachtas Members; and a new case management

carbon tax are allocated for expenditure on just transition and climate-positive measures, including funding social welfare measures, agri-environmental schemes and retrofitting programmes. The net impact of the combined measures funded by the carbon tax has consistently been shown to be progressive. As of budget … interests of fully informing the House. As the Deputy has heard me say before, we published a tax strategy group paper over the summer. It outlined different ways one could consider the carbon tax reforms that could be made. We are considering that in the round

larger scale. It also allows us to deal with invasive species such as the Asian hornet, which gained so many headlines over the summer. It allows us to put in place management and control plans to ensure that these invasive species cannot get hold in Ireland. It also … things like the farming for water EIP. It allows us to improve water within urban areas and to invest in rural water programmes. It is a significant win for biodiversity, nature and heritage

compliance" with international law. These are important points, and I know that they were made because I was at every committee hearing last summer. I worked with Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael backbenchers, along with everyone in opposition, to unanimously recommend that both goods and services be included … those of us in opposition but also for the Government, since the Government parties included it in their election manifestos and their programme for Government? Israel is committing and has committed huge atrocities, war crimes and genocide. There is no longer any debate about that. Every day that

meant to be enjoying their summer holidays and getting a summer job. While many students and their families are stressing over the summer to try to secure whatever is left of the extortionately priced student accommodation, they now face the prospect of having to come up with … students in Maynooth this year. For many, it will decide whether they can afford to go to college. It is completely unacceptable. The programme for Government promised fair and equal access to further and higher education, regardless of socioeconomic status, to ease the financial burden on students

system in the long run. Along with my colleagues across both parties and the Independents, I am fully committed to our programme for Government commitments. We will make progress in the coming college year but we have to be straight with people. To govern is to choose. Every … with students' unions and I look forward to meeting with more of them in the weeks and months ahead. Over the summer months, I will continue the consultation I started with an event in Croke Park in April that brought together all the key stakeholders, including the students

number of those who have gone through the judicial system as victims and witnesses. I was struck when this was raised over the summer by the sisters, Paula Fay and Catherine Wrightstone, following the conviction of their brother for sexually abusing them. Ms Fay reported that when … difficult the process is for many of those has been highlighted multiple times. Rape Crisis Ireland has been running the national accompaniment programme which has been funded by the Minister's Department for over 15 years. The Department started funding some centres to deliver a professional model

Deputy Gogarty several months ago; — better school attendance monitoring; — a penalty points system for stronger action with repeat offenders; — enrolment in education programmes where abuse is found to be motivated by the race, gender, sexual orientation or religious/cultural background; — a faster, ticket-based reporting system for victims … about what is happening, especially when the culprits are under the age of 18. I raised this matter with the Taoiseach before the summer for a lesser time period. I did get some sympathetic responses, but collectively we need to have a sense of urgency to deal with

climate was issued to the Government. Research by Met Éireann and Maynooth University shows that Ireland experienced extraordinarily high temperatures during the summer of 2025 with average night-time temperatures beating all previous records. This is a terrifying finding. We are seeing catastrophic effects of climate change around … cost of repairs. There are no big ideas on climate forthcoming from the Government. We saw the climate targets retained in the programme for Government. That was welcome. However, there was no pathway to achieve them. At the outset of the formation of this Government, there

roll-out to support the delivery and modernisation of school buildings across the large-scale, additional accommodation, modular and annual September accommodation needs programmes. The Department continues to build on the progress made over recent years with the roll-out of projects on a prioritised basis to meet … announced in 2027. Investment under the plan also involves the delivery of the first tranche of 297 projects under the climate action summer works scheme. This includes seven projects in County Waterford that are approved to undergo works this summer

thank Deputy O'Meara for raising this and for his advocacy on behalf of clubs in his constituency. As he will know, the programme for Government commits to maintaining sports funding to get more people participating in all levels of sport, particularly targeting cohorts in society where there … plan to have completed another round of the community sports facility fund by the end of this year, opening up in early summer with applications over the course of the summer and with the aim of having decisions made by the end of the year. I am also

will we stretch our finances to autumn, get everything that we need to ready and then still maybe take a holiday, organise summer camps, etc. The motion is, as stated, very timely. I thank everyone involved for their work on it. It has been very interesting to listen … digital divide. The digital divide has been seen from Covid time, in particular. My own project in Ballymun, the anseo school completion programme, provided laptops and broadband. I know people still do not believe me that we provided broadband to families but we did because they

here she is specifically referencing Offaly School of Special Education. She referred to the most recent pilot scheme, which was announced last summer, in respect of 11 special schools across the country. As I said earlier in reply to questions on special education, the overall objective … convened a meeting of the Cabinet subcommittee on disability and a decision has been taken to set up a national therapy education programme. We will be recruiting and employing, through the NCSE, therapists to work in the 124 special schools across the country. We have to do that