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occupational therapists into mainstream schools. I am also pleased to say that we have secured continuing funding of €92 million for the summer programme, more than double what it was just four years ago. As Members all know, October is Dyslexia Awareness Month and this year the theme … received funding for three key initiatives to help support young people with dyslexia. The first is the Literacy Association of Ireland's pilot programme with graduates of DCU's master of education in dyslexia which will initially support up to 40 schools to enhance the quality of literacy

increase in the funding for the independent human rights monitoring mechanism. The budget allocation of €9.5 million for immigration and international protection programmes includes essential programmes for the removal of non-nationals who no longer have a right to reside in the State

base. We are also providing substantial support towards local authority staffing costs, ensuring councils have the resources they need to deliver projects and services at a local level. The budget will also enable us to support local authority innovation initiatives and drive actions recommended by the local democracy … task force. This programme of work will improve the efficiency and effectiveness of local government and enhance democratic accountability and engagement at a local level. In the context of planning, this budget is about preparing for the future. If we are serious about building more homes, supporting economic

Department and also the heritage section, including nature and biodiversity. Starting with water quality, a key goal of this Government and a key programme for Government commitment is to improve water quality and we have secured a budget of €86 million to do this throughout Ireland. This … million increase on last year and much of that will go towards the farming for water European innovation partnership, EIP. Under this programme the river basin management service within the Department, along with farmers the length and breadth of Ireland, will put in place key measures on farms

five new care and repair locations, and we are looking at a national roll-out of care and repair in line with the programme for Government. It is a free service. It is something that is hugely effective and Age Action Ireland will be a partner with … delivery. They interlink with integrated care programme for older persons, ICPOP, teams. It is once again about that integrated model. There is €635,000 in funding to five additional healthy age-friendly homes co-ordinators. They are based in the local authorities and deal with people's housing

crimes up more than 20%. Sadly, the number of drug poisoning debts is at least twice the national average. There is a SOLAS project in the area that targets the areas of Dublin 8, 10 and 12. This project operates the Rua and Targeted Response with Youth

into improvements in access and better outcomes for patients. One measure I particularly welcome is a phased introduction of a national shingles vaccination programme for people aged over-65, starting with those who are immunocompromised. I have raised this issue repeatedly because shingles can cause severe and long … services. I also welcome improved access to oral health and orthodontic services for children, including reducing waiting lists for school dental programmes and improving access to more complex dental treatment. For Cork, investment is also continuing in the planned elective hospital, which is part of the wider expansion

cutting community development funding at a time when communities need it most. Sinn Féin proposed €10 million extra for the community services programme. The Government gave €5 million, which is not enough to keep up with wage demands or to keep people in jobs. We proposed over … Government has allocated absolutely nothing. Then it has the gall to talk about seeking efficiencies from the workers and organisations that deliver those programmes on the ground. What an insult. These are the people who are always doing more with less. They supported people and held communities together

give this humanitarian crisis its own section or detailed budget allocation. It is lumped in with a list of other housing supports and programmes. That shows an absolute lack of respect. When we discuss the defective concrete crisis, the Government focuses on the current estimate of €3.6 billion … crucial assumption, namely, the number of homes affected. If we cannot answer the question of how many homes are affected, no cost projection can be defined. I will give the Minister of State an example. If 50,000 homes ultimately require remediation and the average State intervention comes

change but you are talking, at best, about 1.5% and, in some cases, only 0.5% when inflation is currently running at 3.9% and projected to be about 3.5%. In real terms, workers will be worse off in a year's time than they are now. That is against … absolutely no plan to increase the delivery of social and affordable housing to meet the housing crisis when we know that the projected house delivery for next year is 20,000 fewer homes than are necessary to meet the targets set out by the Housing Commission to address

billion to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, of which €855 million is allocated to overseas development and international co-operation programmes. Some of the countries included in that aid have records of human rights abuses. I am very concerned about that. The overseas aid should … jobs have been lost and people are genuinely struggling. The national sheep welfare scheme receives €22 million. The additional funding for the DEIS programme is €2 million. The increase in school capitation funding costs €17 million. Rural communities are entitled to ask whether Government priorities are properly balanced

deliver on the commitments up to 2030. The work is already under way. In advance of the opening of the 2027 immigrant support programme, which will be in December, engagement with key stakeholders and service providers is ongoing to ensure the emigrant support programme remains to existing

thank the Deputy very much. I know of her interest in this area and her work on it. I have seen the programme. I told the Deputy last week that I would watch it. It is an important programme because it gives a visual insight into the real

with a protective notice because no funding commitment has been provided from the Department of justice, the Department that should be funding this project. Let us be clear: this is a vital service established in the aftermath of the Limerick feud in the early 2000s, a dark period … Gardaí also said these cameras play a critical role in crime prevention and detection and making our communities feel safe. Closing this vital project would be completely counterproductive. I call on the Government to immediately commit to multi-annual funding to keep these cameras operational and protect

funding for a feasibility study. On my second point regarding safety on our trains and platforms, one of the key commitments in the programme for Government is to introduce a transport security force. While the numbers seem quite low, there were 50 incidents of sexual offences on trains … disembarked from a train without saying anything, despite going home shaken and traumatised by the event? It is a key priority in the programme for Government. When are we going to introduce the primary legislation to make this happen? People going to work need to be able

this matter as sceptics but, having studied the evidence, became absolutely convinced of the need for this. We know that the 2020 programme for Government had that elusive promise of a referendum on housing. Nobody ever knew what that meant and the Government never clarified … committee and our committee agreed to write to the Minister, urging him to proceed with the referendum. Yet here we are. with a programme for Government almost two years old, with no commitment on the right and the current Minister giving the same lame, uninformed justifications

produced from renewable resources. The target by 2030 is to deliver a 20% biodiesel mix, which will help to significantly reduce emissions. The programme for Government also committed to examining the taxation of HVO used for commercial freight to support sustainable transport solutions and decarbonisation of road freight … price leverage. The price of HVO is dependent on many factors. However, I assure the Deputy that the Government is conscious of the programme for Government commitment and it will continue to examine the potential to increase existing supports for HVO in recognition of the positive role

they both referenced. In 2025, this post was regraded to a consultant in medical ophthalmology to align with the HSE’s national clinical programme for ophthalmology. This clinical programme for ophthalmology developed a model of care to realign eye care services from hospital settings to the community

respond to me on that occasion. Unfortunately, there has been no progress since. Instead, two planned meetings with school management to progress the project have been postponed with no alternative dates offered by the Department of education. The Taoiseach and I spoke that day about school management dealing … Taoiseach's commitment to special education I ask him once again to contact the Minister for education and get this much-needed project at St. Anne's Special School moving, with either an interim solution or the long-term solution of a new school build

committed to in the programme for Government, Ireland is to establish a statutory national security authority that can provide, and is capable of providing, the full range of personnel and facility clearances. Given the current security environment in which we are all operating, this is not just … security issue but also, potentially, an economic one. Certain EU research programmes require those clearances. Can the Taoiseach indicate when the national security authority will be fully operational and whether the current gap is limiting opportunities for research institutes like South East Technological University, SETU, and businesses

fill medical, nursing, paramedical and healthcare assistant posts. Many were specifically recruited for IT and engineering sectors under Ireland's critical skills programme. These workers keep our hospitals, nursing homes, hospitality and agricultural sectors afloat. These workers are here legally on work visas and employment permits and under … Ireland's critical skills programme. They work and pay their taxes, they are law-abiding and they have brought their families here with them. They are embedded in local communities, on parents' councils in the schools their children attend, and they are members of our sports clubs, with

First, I did not see the programme yesterday evening. One has to be objective and there has to be balance in the assessment of any story. The last five years has witnessed extraordinary expansion and investment in special education, which the Deputy has ignored completely in his comments … There was a dispute between Enable Ireland and the school board on the question. That was a mistake. I did not see the programme last night, but the outcome of that mistake is the facilities the children now have in the School of the Divine Child. That

programme last evening but have made the point that the expansion in the number of teachers, SNAs, special classes and special schools has been exponential in the past five years. I do not know whether the programme acknowledged that or not but those are the realities. There

February 2025. It meets quarterly, in advance of regular European Council meetings, and as required. Its role is to oversee implementation of programme for Government commitments in relation to the European Union, including Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the EU, and international issues. The Cabinet committee … Israeli military detention. I also attended a UNICEF event on child nutrition where I was pleased to announce a new four-year programme to combat child malnutrition and hunger across Africa, with funding totalling €96 million. I also attended the annual US host country reception, hosted by President

spiralling costs within the transport system, including the write-off of approximately €50 million arising from a failed public transport Information Technology project; — affordable, reliable and accessible public transport delivers significant social, economic and environmental benefits by reducing congestion, lowering emissions, supporting regional development and connecting people with … that the Government expects ordinary people to pay more while CEOs have their salaries topped up, millions of euro are wasted on failed projects, and costly overruns are tolerated without consequence. The Minister will say there were no fare hikes since 2016 but there were plenty between

Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Youth her plans to further expand the Health Alliances for Practice-Based Professional Education and Engagement Project at the University of Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53930/26

Education and Youth the number of children eligible for a special school place aged 12 years or up availing of the Home Tuition programme in the 2025-2026 school year. [54110/26

Deputy Naoise Ó Muirí asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she will provide an update on the City Connects Programme; if she plans to expand the scheme on a wider pilot basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [54245/26

County Clare connected under the National Broadband Plan to date; the number remaining; the scheduled works for the remainder of 2026; and the projected completion timeline for the county. [53842/26

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has examined the potential for a nationally supported and professionally managed home sharing programme to increase the use of underoccupied homes in order to provide affordable accommodation and support for older people to age in place

Order; the precise calendar month in the second half of 2026 targeted for the formal launch of the interim Building Standards Agency; the projected timeline for the publication of the general scheme of the Bill to establish the permanent, statutory Building Standards Regulatory Authority (BSRA

Deputy Eoin Hayes asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the programme for Government commitment to establish a regulator for owners’ management companies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54024/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the Voids Programme is currently open for applications; the number of applications approved to date in 2026; and the overall amount provided, by local authority. [54151/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount allocated under URDF funding, by project; and the amount drawn down to date in 2026, in tabular form. [54185/26

Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the projected demand for childcare places in Cork city and county over the next five years; the planned increase in supply to meet that demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53772/26

Health the number of community pharmacy contractors that have provided notice of participation in Phase 1 of the BowelScreen community pharmacy intervention; the projected cost of the per patient service fee under Phase 2; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53757/26

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht for a list of the projects approved and funding allocated under LEADER in Dublin for Lucan north and Castleknock since 2020. [54019/26

through social enterprises; if he plans to invest in not-for-profit delivery of essential services through the social inclusion and community activation programme, SICAP, particularly for the delivery of community childcare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53636/26

McGuinness asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he plans to substantially increase funding for the CLÁR programme in light of the recent expansion of the scheme’s eligibility. [53185/26

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht for an update on the local enhancement programme as recently announced; and if he has plans to expand the scheme. [53133/26

Cathy Bennett asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if he will report on his engagements regarding the LEADER programme under the next EU budgetary cycle. [53300/26

Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update into the community centre investment fund; the status of all approved projects not yet drawn down; whether inflationary top-ups are being considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53059/26

Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht to provide an update on the progress of the implementation of the revitalised RAPID programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53321/26

Deputy Peter Roche asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht if his Department has considered establishing a dedicated community project support officer within each local authority whose role would be to assist voluntary community organisations in identifying suitable funding opportunities, preparing grant applications, managing

asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the expected timeline for the publication of details of the new SÍOL Programme and opening of applications for this new initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53308/26

spends an absolute minimum of 220 days at sea per year, with this being phased in over the course of the vessel replacement programme as per the CODF; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52822/26

Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Health whether adenomyosis is included in the HSE's MISE (Menstrual Information Specialising in Endometriosis) Education Programme; if not, whether consideration will be given to including information on the symptoms, diagnosis and impact of adenomyosis in future MISE training materials

David Cullinane asked the Minister for Health the status and details of the new ambulance base in Waterford; the next steps for the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53057/26

Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Transport the up-to-date position of advancing improvement project works at Macroom bus station/depot, Macroom, County Cork; to provide full details and plans for the works and timeline for commencement of the works; and if he will make a statement

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Transport whether further consultation will be carried out for a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52987/26