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trains are now overcrowded. People are huddled together at every point in the day and, at some stages, particularly in the summer when it was hot, people with conditions like asthma were struggling to breathe. It is not just on the carriages, but also on the platforms. Drogheda … 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

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 … established and had not been caught, would have led to ecological devastation across Ireland. I am really proud of that fact. During the summer we saw their bravery in the likes of Killarney and Wicklow where they were battling fires on the ground and once again showing

affordable, accessible, convenient, connected and safe. In particular the motion seeks to ensure the full implementation of the Connecting Ireland rural bus programme. Developing transport in rural Ireland is very important as many transport services in rural parts of the country are poorly developed and unreliable. This … reliable, with the bus sometimes not turning up because it has broken down. These routes can often be overcrowded, particularly in the summer months when people use that service as a mode of transport to get to the airport. Typically, older people can be left stranded

number of Government colleagues will be here to participate. I was eager that we should have this discussion kicked-off before the summer recess. I am pleased that we have managed, as an Oireachtas, to facilitate that. I am obviously committed, as I know everybody in this House … progress, while remaining steadfast in fully implementing the Good Friday Agreement and its potential. To date, the Government has advanced the largest ever programme of all-island investment to build a more connected island through the shared island initiative, backed by a €2 billion fund. In April

levels of sport, particularly targeting cohorts in society where there are lower than average participation levels. The Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport: the community sport facilities fund, CSFF, and the large scale sport infrastructure fund, LSSIF. The first allocations under the LSSIF opened … million allocated to 347 sporting projects in Cork. We will now be opening a new round over the course of the summer. I share the Deputy's desire to ensure this site is put to sporting use very promptly. The information my Department has is that Riverstown

change. Staffing at the International Protection Office has been scaled up from approximately 212 in 2022 to over 600 full-time equivalents this summer, driving more decisions and helping to reduce the backlog, as the Minister outlined earlier. A new immigration customer service portal has 145,000 registered … community well-being, healthcare, elder care, and house building, in particular, so that migration actively helps us clear the most pressing bottlenecks. The programme for Government commitments remain clear: reduce reliance on hotels; develop State-owned capacity; require contributions from applicants where appropriate, in respect of which

behalf of the Minister for Transport, Deputy Darragh O'Brien. As members may be aware, Shannon Airport Group informed the Department in summer 2020 that it was necessary to consider a comprehensive and radical adjustment of its structure to secure the long-term future of the Shannon Heritage … structures and buildings in question, engage with the urban regeneration and development fund, the rural regeneration and development fund, the LEADER programme or Údarás na Gaeltachta funding schemes

sure anyone here who has been to a Youthreach centre will know how fantastic they are. These centres also have fantastic forward-facing programmes. I was involved in one in Ballymun, which got a 3D printer that was fantastic. Can that be rolled out? At a meeting … surplus we should also consider the employment of some of those involved in the service. As the Minister of State knows, in the summer we met with a group of adult educators who are not happy with how the new contracts have been rolled out. My understanding from

ensure that we can put this back on the agenda at a European level. It has not been on the agenda since last summer before a ceasefire was agreed. What we agreed last week at the Foreign Affairs Council was, for the first time, a Commission proposal that … have been advocating for that for months. Separate from that, I say clearly that we will fulfil our commitment in the programme for Government. We will bring forward legislation because it is the right thing to do. However, I also want to make sure that the actions

This is one of only two health Bills listed for priority publication yet it was only published last Friday, just shy of the summer recess. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile and modest legislation. To pick up on some comments by the previous speaker, we hear two different narratives constantly … Almost a decade later, with the same parties in government, it remains undelivered. A commitment to multi-annual funding appears in the new programme for Government but delivery must be accelerated. Without this important change to the budgetary process, this Bill just tinkers at the edges. The existing

will be solely focused on the disregard scheme. The objective of Deputy Ó Snodaigh's Bill corresponds with Government policy and specifically the programme for Government commitment to implement legislation to disregard specific historical offences related to the criminalisation of homosexuality. As such, this Bill is consistent with … value to the working group in its deliberations and helped to inform its final recommendations. The working group's final report, published in summer 2023, contained 95 recommendations on how to establish, operate and promulgate such a scheme, and on key matters such as the range of offences

which, more than €83 million has been provided since October 2023. This includes €58 million to UNRWA since 2023 to support its programmes in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as in Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Ireland will continue to support the Palestinian people … rightly raised the issue of the occupied territories Bill, following the hearings at the Oireachtas Committee on Foreign Affairs and Trade in the summer months. As the Tánaiste outlined in his opening address, and has consistently said for the past while, we are absolutely committed to bringing

European Union does not want tariffs and has not sought tariffs. We have a number of events coming up. We have the summer economic statement to be published. That outlines the broad expenditure proposals. We have the budget itself. We have the completion of the national development plan … clear whether that could achieve a qualified voting majority. If, for example, we looked at the Horizon Europe programme in terms of seeking to put pressure on Israel and not facilitate its use of the Horizon programme, would that get the requisite support? That is something

they are going to heat their homes. They are making difficult, impossible choices day in and day out. Coming into the summer, there are parents who know that they cannot afford to pay for activities for their kids. Their kids' friends are able to take part in activities … cost-of-disability payment to help disabled people with the extra costs they face in both the general election campaign and the programme for Government, the Government took up to €1,400 off disabled people. That was a cruel, unnecessary decision in a country that

together was taken in recognition of the importance of the inquiry for families and survivors and their quest for truth and justice. The programme for Government also clearly reiterates our commitment stating that we will "play our full part in legacy processes ... including facilitating and supporting the Omagh … also the need for speedy enactment. As the House will be aware, I intend to bring forward separate legislative proposals before the summer to progress implementation of the Government's commitments in the joint framework on addressing the legacy of the Troubles that was agreed with the United

work that they do. The passport service is currently experiencing a high level of demand for passports, as citizens prepare for upcoming summer travel. The Department of Foreign Affairs has operational and staffing plans in place and the Passport Office is successfully responding to the current level … part of a general update of passport service policies. The witnessing policy is also being reviewed in the context of the ongoing programme of passport service reform. This reform programme focuses on the future of service delivery by implementing projects that enhance the customer experience while maintaining

outside of European control that have access and have a destructive effect. As part of this, we are putting in place a governance programme to try to ensure that we maintain biodiversity, for the greater good of all. Deputy Mythen talked about going to Kilmore Quay … Department will be setting out a position on this very soon. I am hopeful that it will be in place before the summer. The passage of time from the original information that was gleaned from BIM and the Marine Institute required me to seek the most

that we future-proof the legislation. It might be vapes of a particular type today. We spent a lot of time during the summer talking about HSC vapes. We are now talking about the legal vapes. There will be another product into the future. The reality … parliamentary question in September as to the Department of Health's initiatives regarding vaping cessation. There is a well-established smoking cessation programme, which is decently funded by the Department, in place now for many years. When we asked the question about somebody who presents who wants

child poverty figures. It is something my party colleagues and I have been bringing up relentlessly since they were published in the summer. I have spoken about it many times and I have brought it up with the Taoiseach. My party leader brought up the figures again … week in our first budget. We were the only major party to suggest increasing funding for the hot school meals programme to make it more nutritious. We committed to eliminating consistent child poverty by 2030 in our manifesto - eliminate it, not reduce it. This Government, however

majority of trans persons requiring surgery do not have to travel abroad; — confirm a timeline for the introduction of the new clinical programme for trans healthcare; — establish guidance and facilities to allow for trans healthcare for young people aged under 18; — implement a ban on conversion therapies that … very real impact, which is summed up by that feeling of hopelessness. The lack of supports can have deadly consequences. During the summer, The Journal reported research by Trans Healthcare Ireland that 75% of trans people have self-harmed, 82% of trans people have experienced suicidal thoughts

unhealthy conditions. We heard last week that our newest designated bathing area in Dún Laoghaire will be off-limits to swimmers this summer because of water pollution. Pollinators are disappearing from our countryside, peatlands continue to degrade and species that were once commonplace in Ireland are becoming rarer … nitrates directive exists. It was introduced to protect waters from agricultural pollution and to improve water quality across Europe. lreland’s nitrates action programme is supposed to reduce the run-off of slurry and fertilisers into rivers and groundwater. However, year after year, we have seen the same

type of infrastructure envisaged under the national mental health policy, Sharing the Vision. The new mental health ten-year capital development programme will focus on upgrading existing facilities, replacing inappropriate community facilities and continuing to expand services. In the context of capital infrastructure development, the Minister of State … both a local and national level for a variety of mental health issues. This tool is due to be launched before the summer. These examples show how over the last number of years Ireland has managed to develop and implement mental health policies that are very supportive

legislation. In budget 2026, the Minister, Deputy Chambers, and I announced a budgetary package of €9.4 billion, as set out in the summer economic statement. Some €8.1 billion has been allocated for public spending and €1.3 billion for taxation measures. The budgetary measures we announced seek to protect … support renters, I am extending the rent tax credit for a further three years, until 31 December 2028. In line with the programme for Government, I am reducing the rate of VAT that applies to hairdressing services and the sale of food and certain drinks in the hospitality

already have a record number of people in arrears. It is only in September, and they are still getting bills for the summer months. This is the important issue. The Government has decided to withdraw energy credits and supports in the upcoming budget, yet it had no problem … State to do something about it in the budget. We also need to ensure that windows and doors are included in the retrofitting programme. A great deal of heat is being lost through windows and doors and is not being contained within houses. Many low-income households that

drugs reform, of which I was privileged to be part in the previous Oireachtas, yet we see them effectively ignored in the programme for Government. There is not a single mention of decriminalisation. All this year, we have been hearing that we are finally going … families and pharmacists can easily and readily administer it. We need to make sure testing is widely available. At music festivals during the summer, we saw the HSE promote that, and that was wonderful, but we need to ensure that is much more widely available. In Paris