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This can be a result of staff shortages as the HSE has recruitment and staff retention problems. This has impacted school dental screening programmes and caused significant delays in routine dental assessments for children. The long waits for specialist orthodontic treatment and the fact that orthodontic treatment … implement is to put in place a plan to reduce waiting times for dental care and to increase resources for the school screening programme. Our dental healthcare is a system beset by workforce shortages, underfunded State schemes and outdated legislation

welcome Deputy Ennis. In relation to the question he has asked, I have always been clear in communicating that the €200-per-month programme for Government commitment is to be achieved over the lifetime of this Government. Shaping the Future: Early Years Action Plan, Phase 1 Report, published … last December, sets out measures to achieve key programme for Government commitments on the affordability, quality and accessibility of early learning and care and school-age childcare. The action plan adopts a phased approach that enables action to be taken in 2026 while allowing adequate time

that regard. We have a unique opportunity now. It is a purpose-built facility and is ready to go. That is a project that really needs to be looked at in terms of the eight overall projects. Again, I would love to see building blocks extended. We have

many questions on this issue. On what date did the Department or SETU formally advise Carlow College's senior management that staff and programmes would not be transferring into SETU? At what point did the Minister notify Carlow College and advise that it engage with staff? Was formal … adherence to CORU regulations for students in the BA on applied social studies and the professional social care. This means that the degree programme remains fully accredited and recognised for statutory registration as long as the student completes it within a two-year period. Why are students

Government has significantly invested in our schools and in our teacher workforce in recent years. Deputy Scanlon will be aware that the programme for Government commits to making further progress in this area with an aim to reduce the general pupil-teacher ratio at primary level … Deputy Scanlon's point here this evening. The Deputy makes a very strong case in relation to the enrolment for this year, the projected enrolment next year, the high number of junior infants that will be in the school, and the challenges that presents. The Deputy said there

move to a modern and sustainable regulatory model in managing this historically important landscape. In collaboration with Kildare County Council, the Curragh consultancy project was published in 2024, as the Deputy referenced, which identified the need for a review of the Curragh bye-laws and the Curragh … committed to the implementation of these recommendations to address both the opportunities and challenges, as can be seen by its inclusion in the programme for Government. To this end, Department officials are continuing to engage with the National Parks and Wildlife Service, NPWS, which has undertaken an initial

carers on 4 June 2026, at a rate of €2,000 per person being cared for, marking an investment of €336 million. The programme for Government has set out a commitment to significantly increase the income disregards for carer's allowance in each budget, with a view … through a number of budgets. I intend to do this over the lifetime of the Government, in keeping with the conditions of the programme for Government

services. We need certainty. The N8 route is planned to be implemented as part of phase 9 of the BusConnects Dublin network redesign programme. The exact implementation date for the route will be determined by funding provisions and operational readiness. The route will run between Blanchardstown and Clongriffin … Deputy's question on a previous occasion. As soon as we can get funding for the route it will be a priority project. We have increased the funding. I still think we will be on track for later this year or early next year to roll

provide an update on when he intends to approve and release the funding for DART+ South West, which is a vital public infrastructure project for Dublin Mid-West? It is urgently needed and it is greatly delayed. Public representatives and, crucially, people living along that rail corridor were … Minister made the announcement last year that he would not honour his predecessor's commitment to approve the funding and have the project start as a matter of urgency. I would welcome an update on the matter

barrack people all of the time. He lost that debate too, in the last general election. We are going to deliver this project. We have published an NDP that is fully funded. We are bringing the funding forward on this for DART+ West and DART+ South West … happening. There is no resiling from that whatsoever. This period of time is actually the delivery period for many transformational public transport projects right across the country. It might disappoint the Deputy to actually see those commencing and being delivered because it gives him less to give

transport. It is pretty damning as an assessment in that, already, the sectoral emissions ceiling has been exceeded. The 2025 one is projected to exceed the second one. The report also calls for investment to be expedited in a range of public transport infrastructure projects. Will the Minister

still the case that access to life-changing drugs is far too slow. Government must deliver on its own commitments in the programme for Government. I welcome the Minister's commitment to a review and the additional capacity in the system. A tracking system was committed to which … must be delivered on. Importantly, there is a commitment in the programme for Government to try to ensure early access. Government must ensure early access happens. I acknowledge the pilot but while pilots are something, they are by their very nature exclusive. I noted the Minister's comments

need for reform, noting that the current one-size-fits-all model for assessment and reimbursement is not fit for purpose. The programme for Government includes a commitment to review the drugs reimbursement process. However, it is essential that specific consideration be given to innovative and orphan medicines … into producing new drugs that may give an improved quality of life to our citizens and work in tandem with the managed access programme so that when these innovative drugs are developed, they are accessible and can be used by our citizens. I thank the Minister, Deputy Carroll

flag something with the Minister of State that I noticed on social media, which is the Department of agriculture funded equine therapy and programmes that are available around the country for the children of farming communities who have additional needs. If the Department of agriculture … classes. I would also like to commend the library services through the local authorities, in particular Meath County Council. Through the healthy Meath programme, it has have embraced well-being classes and story massage through Una Curran, who has also done this online with other local authorities

that suits. I understand that will be different for every person. On universal design, whether we are talking about course content, capital projects and settings like this, it is about ensuring as much as possible that we facilitate as many as possible. We are talking about those with … element of trepidation and are unaware of the schemes that exist such as the wage subsidy scheme or the work and access programme. What also was pointed out to us is that those schemes are not fit for purpose. We must have a more comprehensive and holistic look

education setting that ruins them as an individual? Separate to this, when I was a school completion co-ordinator, we had the iScoil programme. It is not for children with disabilities but for children who left school and were not in school for six months at a time … school curriculum. They are not able to read it because they have not been given the skills to do that. We are using programmes like Reading Recovery, which is being struck off in other countries, and we are investing a quarter of a million euro or more

build. This decision appears to be based on the assertion that a two-classroom unit would require planning permission and would delay the project. However, the information available to the school raises serious questions about this justification. A report has suggested that a septic tank would need … playground will be disrupted and effectively removed during construction. It is entirely reasonable that playground damage or loss as part of this project should be fully reinstated when the works are complete. I call on the Minister of State and the Department to urgently review this proposal, engage

centres employ relatively few people. The level of employment relating to data centres is in the construction of them and, of course, those projects are time limited. In turn, I strongly encourage Ministers to stop trying to muddy the waters between the employment within a data centre … Cork have improved and there are ambitious plans for the rail network and for the Cork Luas. However, these are long-term projects that must overcome funding hurdles. We need to see the delivery of proposed bus routes linking rural areas and towns, and we need

grid, Dublin Bus has not been able to charge new electric buses for up to three years and vital public transport projects like DART+, MetroLink and Luas are being delayed as a consequence. The ESB has warned that MetroLink construction and further electrification of Dublin Bus will have … rely on "timed electricity connections" to avoid winter peak loads. A briefing note prepared for the Government's major project governance oversight group in April 2025 warned that there was insufficient power in the ESB network to support DART+. Then we hear that funding for DART+ South West

producing a dental-specific plan. It is important to reference what the Deputy said about long waits, particularly for children. A specific intervention programme will last about two years. The Irish Dental Association has been involved with that. Let us not give the speaking points of private representative … things. Yes, we need to have a new contract anyway. Yes, we need to continue to make sure that we have a structured programme particularly for children. However, it is also true that there is not just dentistry happening and that is reducing capacity particularly in the public

million now, supporting 70,800 students across 2,000 schools. Funding has increased by €42 million in the last five years alone. The programme is open to all schools, with a particular focus on increasing participation in special schools. Eligibility remains largely unchanged from 2025. My understanding … that it was originally for special schools and special needs children. That was the original objective of the schools summer programme. There always has to be a razor-sharp focus on targeting those who most need it. I will talk to the Minister, Deputy Hildegarde Naughton

supplies in this country. The key question will be whether we can get community and political buy-in to the kinds of projects that the country requires and avoid partisan rows that would undermine the national and public interest in terms of getting these projects done

there is limited data available on the number of cases that may arise after commencement. It went on to say the Department’s projections may prove optimistic. That is hardly a ringing endorsement. Then there are the efficiencies the office is meant to bring. With the majority … elements in governments, to abuse the trust and authority the Minister would vest in them. I appreciate he may say the entire European project might be based on such a theory but in this instance we are talking about fundamental rights. We are talking about political persecution

including mathematics, business studies, home economics as well as the ones mentioned by the Deputy, and the level 1 and level 2 learning programmes for students with general learning disabilities, provide structured opportunities for students to deepen their financial knowledge and skills. The redeveloped senior cycle, places … specifications will further enhance students' numeracy and financial literacy skills. The new specification for life, community and work, formerly the leaving certificate vocational programme, LCVP, supports students in preparing for life beyond school. Through its two modules, me and my future and community and work, students learn

Also, system supports must be provided by operators. Most importantly, data centres are now part of the solution in regard to renewable energy projects, grid connections and energy storage. We have a huge pipeline of onshore and offshore projects coming through. If we manage renewables, we will have

identify the number of residential spaces required for adults with intellectual disabilities for each year from 2027 onwards for each county; the current projected requirement for each county for each of the years 2027 to 2037 inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51152/26

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if the State-funded GLÓR Speech and Language Therapy Programme is intended to be available to all eligible children and adults with Down syndrome, regardless of membership of any organisation; and if she will make a statement

Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality if organisations delivering the State-funded GLÓR Speech and Language Therapy Programme are permitted under the funding agreement to restrict access to the service to paid-up members or members whose subscriptions are not in arrears

adults with Down syndrome who are not members of any organisation have equitable access to the State-funded GLÓR Speech and Language Therapy Programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51577/26

childcare capacity that is frequently though non-consecutively unavailable due to room closures; if her Department monitors cumulative room closures across a programme year; the safeguards in place to ensure that public funds are protected where services are unable to deliver their funded capacity; and if she will

Equality the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across her Department, by project, year and value; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51760/26

Equality the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across her Department, by project, year and value; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51778/26

Equality the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across her Department, by project, year and value; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51796/26

Health to confirm, in respect of the treatment abroad scheme, whether the public spending code applies to individual funding decisions and to programme-level oversight of the scheme; if not, the framework under which her Department satisfies itself that expenditure under the scheme meets the standards of regularity

provide a timeline for the publication of the final report and recommendations following the work undertaken by the National Women and Infants Health Programme review group; the specific recommendations within the National Maternity Strategy (Recommendations 62 to 66) that remain outstanding or in progress; and if she will

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she will extend eligibility for national screening programmes, including BreastCheck, BowelScreen and bone density scanning, to persons aged over 70; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51286/26

Deputy Albert Dolan asked the Minister for Health if she will consider including the shingles vaccine in publicly funded vaccination programmes or under the drug payment scheme; the estimated cost of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51287/26

asked the Minister for Health her plans to ensure adequate healthcare for persons in disadvantage; and her plans to expand the Inclusion Health programme between the Mater and St. James’s Hospitals, Dublin. [51599/26

Health the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across her Department, by project, year and value; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51769/26

Health the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across her Department, by project, year and value; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51805/26

originally expected to be completed in Q1 2025 now has a significantly longer timeline; the way in which this timeline compares with the projected timeline for the much more extensive Midleton Primary Care Centre, where construction has not yet commenced; whether the HSE considers the current timeline acceptable

coordinating Ireland's Presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1 July to 31 December 2026, if the EU Presidency programme includes any citizen science initiative, in line with the role of citizen engagement in the EU missions. [52339/26

Deputy Michael Cahill asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science to examine a written report on a scholarship programme, together with an independent auditor’s report, thus ensuring that this report is brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas (details supplied

Research, Innovation and Science the number of apprenticeship registrations in County Cork in each of the past three years, broken down by apprenticeship programme; the steps being taken to expand apprenticeship opportunities in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51105/26

Science the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51768/26

Science the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51786/26

Science the total cost of engagement with a company (details supplied) in each of the years 2020 to 2025, across his Department, by project, year and value; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51804/26

Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht whether footpath construction and footpath improvement works are eligible for funding under the CLÁR programme; if he will provide details of changes made to eligibility criteria in recent years; and if he will make a statement on the matter

Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht whether consideration has been given to reintroducing support for footpath infrastructure under the CLÁR programme, particularly in rural villages and settlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51166/26

Peter Roche asked the Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht the number of applications relating to pedestrian infrastructure or footpath projects submitted under CLÁR in each of the past five years in County Galway; the outcome of those applications; and if he will make