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founded, nor do I think the wildest exaggerations of its abilities will be borne out. It is a bit like the Microsoft Excel programme, Google search or, indeed, a smartphone when they came along. We have advances in technology that we can reap benefits from, but ultimately … foundational awareness. That is an essential element. I am also launching a new range of courses, free or heavily subsidised through the Springboard+ programme, which will bring a number of microcredential courses and other courses to learners. They can be in employment, they can be independent but those

discuss investment in the Limerick to Ballybrophy rail line. Deputy Colm Burke - To discuss the establishment of a national radiation therapy equipment replacement programme. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae - To discuss the delay in opening the Killarney Community Hospital. Deputy Tom Brabazon - To discuss the disruption to DART services … move of the An Post sorting office in Edmondstown to Lucan. Deputy Thomas Gould - To discuss the promised review of the voids return programme. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan - To discuss patient safety concerns raised by the University Hospital Limerick medical board. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire - To discuss breaches

Earcáin, tá a fhios agam go bhfuil fuinneamh ag na Teachtaí i leith an chláir seo. I recognise that the school building project is important to the Deputies. It is an important part of what we do in expending the education budget. I recognise that the reply tonight … hear. I will certainly bring their remarks back. I will definitely relay their concerns as to the advancement of the school building programme to the Department and the Minister. I thank them for their courtesy to me tonight

days later, the delays in progressing these recommendations is systematic of the lack of urgency, as usual, where UHL is concerned. A project board needs to be established swiftly to deliver these projects. The challenges at UHL stem from bad decisions taken in the 2000s that ignored

healthcare in Limerick and the region for current and future generations. Obviously, the Minister is committed to advancing the establishment of the project board before the summer recess. That project board will look at all aspects, including capacity and everything else that is required in the region

plans to construct a new public swimming pool at Castlelands in Balbriggan. These plans are being progressed by Fingal County Council and the project has moved to preliminary design and planning stages. Fingal County Council made an application for grant funding in respect of the proposed new pool … local authority or the national governing body of a sport. So far, we have seen €41 million invested in 12 swimming pool projects through the LSSIF

post office network is a key component of the economic and social infrastructure throughout the country. On the back of that, the programme for Government states that the Government will continue to provide the nationwide network of post offices with funding to ensure their sustainability and enhance … enhanced amount of €15 million per annum from my Department. That has increased from €10 million per annum. In line with the programme for Government, the funding will support the stability and sustainability of the nationwide network of post offices, protecting and nurturing a commercially focused post office

years from now, towards the latter end of the Government, because the current focus is on drawing down funding and making sure the projects funded in the most recent round are followed through on. We will be monitoring that closely. We are not talking about the next year … general guidance on that. Going around the country, I met Deputies McGrath and Cleere in their own areas. I know they have many projects they want to see going forward. There is real demand. It is exceptionally rare that I visit a club or an organisation that

provide outlets and amenities for people. As I mentioned to the Minister of State previously, in my hometown of Carrigaline I have a project in the pipeline for the LSSIF. This is why I am interested in that fund. This is a combined application made … number of local sporting groups and we have a very ambitious project in the pipeline, so I will follow up on that with him in due course. I welcome the fact that there is a commitment to open up that fund during the Government's term

have all the infrastructure in place to be able to identify where risks emerge and how we respond to them. The military radar programme coupled with the sonar programme we are developing, the sonobuoys, make sure that we have a full and complete picture of what is happening

with the overall costs facing cadets. Cadets are required to complete a training period that is approximately 11 months longer than the training programme provided to recruits. They have to complete this programme before they are commissioned and operational. When they are commissioned, their starting pay ranges from

through the public sector pay agreements, on the health supports that are provided, on specific supports for those in the navy with particular programmes they are engaged in, on direct entry, and on allowances for specialised areas. More recently, issues around holiday pay, bank holidays and double time … valued members of Defence Forces as is the work they do. I know many people who have gone in through the cadet programme and are doing really well. They are people we are extremely proud of in the roles they are in. We need to make sure

sick to the teeth of the Government, which is a serial waster of public money, spending money over and over again on vanity projects? That includes €336,000 on the Leinster House bike shed, €100,000 on the Holles Street hospital bike shed, and now the Minister defends … bike shed in the Kerry hospital. It was the most expensive option, at 20 times dearer. These are vanity projects and the Government has lost the run of itself on public spending and value for money. The Government is tone deaf when it talks to people about

What we have is an infrastructure plan of €102 billion. The Deputy can talk about one project. I think we all agree we need to make sure whether it is a large or small project, that value for money is achieved

Deputy's point, that is exactly what this Government campaigned on, was elected on and what we set out to do in our programme for Government. We have a programme for Government that is set out over the five years. It is important to stress that

action would be taken. Here we are in 2026 and no action was taken. In fact, hospital car parking charges have increased. The programme for Government gave a commitment to examine again reducing the cost of car parking charges at hospitals but it simply has not happened … have seen them go up and up. It varies from hospital to hospital and site to site. Where is the programme for Government? Why is it taking so long for any action to be taken? Patients who have recurrence and repeat appointments and people who visit sick people

Oliver Bond complex. I appreciate that there is a huge amount of frustration and anger when it comes to this specific project. We need to understand how we have got to this point and how the direction has suddenly changed and the project has not been approved. More

from Galway, but we see the importance of the road and its approval recently. It is, however, important that any new project engage with families locally in a sensitive way. I will relay the Deputy's concern directly to the Minister and ask that the transport authority engage … directly and as quickly as possible. I know people locally want to see the project move as quickly as possible

pupil-teacher ratio currently stands at 23:1. The programme for Government contains a commitment to reduce it to 19:1, which would be more in line with EU averages. We all know the importance of having a low ratio. With the multiplicity of needs that teachers … reduce the pupil-teacher ratio. It is something we have to do and we need to press ahead with the commitment in the programme for Government

kind of toxic nationalism existed in Europe. While that toxic nationalism is certainly been diluted as a result of the European Union project, we should never take it for granted. In some ways, we took the peace of the Good Friday Agreement for granted prior to the Brexit … have an approach similar to the way the European Union excelled in the delivery and procurement of the Covid vaccine. The AccelerateEU programme will be at the centre of the EU Presidency for Ireland. We need to ensure that the changes we make will have a practical impact

This week we mark Europe Day. The European Union likes to present itself as a peace project founded off the back of two World Wars in quick succession and built on the promise that never again would Europe stand by while genocide unfolded. It talks about multilateralism … hollow because when it matters most and when people are being slaughtered the European Union has not led; it has failed. The peace project is taking a battering. What we continue to see in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran has shattered any claims the EU has moral leadership

Europe has worked as a peace project. We all know Europe was incredibly facilitatory and really useful in our own peace process. The solidarity we were shown during the lunacy of the Brexit process was a necessity. I assume it also shows the power of the Single Market … they are paying for that. The fact is that we have these sorts of actions by those who are ensconced within the European project at the same time we have member states, particularly Germany, selling arms to Israel and the continuity of the EU-Israel Association Agreement

should be allowed to have plug-in solar battery systems rolled out faster. Air-to-air heat pumps should be allowed. Solar meitheal projects should be brought in across social housing and we should benefit our country with what we already generate from offshore renewable energy … into account inflation. That is the UK Government. We have seen how some of the State contracts have gone overboard here with small projects. Think of a nuclear power plant and any small change that can happen. Hinkley Point was originally expected to be functional

would become the creators and guiders of our country. We are generating renewable energy and then turning it off. We are delaying projects due to grid constraints. Why are we importing electricity when we can produce it ourselves? That is not just inefficient; it is costing the Irish … development of small modular reactors, SMRs, we need to focus on what we can deliver right now. We currently have renewable projects waiting for grid connection. The Critical Infrastructure Bill and the private wires Bill in conjunction will speed up the gridlock and reduce costs. The slowing down

disadvantage to help children and young people realise their potential through education. I spent most of my life teaching the leaving certificate applied programme as an adult education director. This is about the power of being able to see the investment in education, upskilling, training and reskilling … education system being able to be supported under this scheme. This morning, I spoke with students participating in the think big programme in Stillorgan. These are wonderful young people coming together with ideas and creativity. Understandably, people are frustrated, angry and upset at the rising costs. However

Deputy Liam Quaide asked the Minister for Education and Youth whether graduates of educational psychology programmes with placements largely or exclusively in NEPS settings would be eligible and considered competent to work outside NEPS, including in HSE child psychology posts, CDNTs, primary care psychology, CAMHS, CAMHS

Sport 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. [49088/26

whether his Department receives detailed accounts showing how this funding is spent; and if he will publish a full breakdown of funding, by programme, including high performance, passporting, breeding, administration, IT, staffing, legal costs and governance. [49476/26

Heritage 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. [49097/26

asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of households currently reliant on septic tanks or similar systems; and the projected trends over the next decade. [49466/26

Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of requests for increased CALF and CAS funding on individual projects after construction has commenced, and where costs have increased above initial stage 1 approval in the past 12 months, with a breakdown by local authority

Protection 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. [49099/26

Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration the projected additional cost arising from adjournments, appeals and judicial review proceedings brought by or on behalf of unrepresented accused following the reform, net of any efficiency gain, given his statement that the reform

each organisation; the county in which each organisation is based; the purpose for which the funding was awarded, and the type of project or works funded in each case, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48957/26

Migration 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. [49164/26

Marine 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. [49085/26

whether his Department receives detailed accounts showing how this funding is spent; and if he will publish a full breakdown of funding, by programme, including high performance, passporting, breeding, administration, IT, staffing, legal costs and governance. [49475/26

details supplied), for which a chairperson was appointed in January 2025, is expected to be finalised; the current status of that investigation; the projected timeline for publication of the findings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49761/26

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. [49086/26

each year since 2020 under all capital investment and expansion schemes; the number of successful applications; the number of additional childcare places projected to result from those investments; the number created to date, where known to her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter

information available to her Department; the corresponding national figures; if she is satisfied that staffing levels are sufficient to meet existing and projected childcare demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49791/26

successor expansion scheme; the value of funding approved in each case; the number of additional childcare places her Department expects each project to deliver; the number delivered to date, where known; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49793/26

regarding the primary care centre in south Conamara, County Galway; if the business case was submitted in Q1 2026; the timeline for the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48870/26

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health the specific funding programmes or grant schemes for charities providing counselling, psychotherapy, and community-based mental health supports which will be open for application in 2026 and 2027, respectively; the opening and closing dates for each scheme

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. [49096/26

national target uptake rate for MenB, MenC and MenACWY vaccines under the Primary Childhood and School Immunisation Programmes; if so, the target for each vaccine; the date by which it is to be achieved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49257/26

Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Health to provide a list of planned capital infrastructure projects in Dublin West, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49603/26

McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the status of the proposed student assistance fund pilot placement project which is currently in draft stage and due to be rolled out in 2026-2027 to support students. [49036/26

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. [49095/26

postdoctoral funding commencing in 2027 will have access to a nationally competitive fellowship scheme comparable to the current Government of Ireland postdoctoral fellowship programme; if not, how such funding will instead be allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49174/26