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renewal scheme, the urban regeneration and development fund and the THRIVE scheme. The rural regeneration and development scheme is a major capital investment programme supporting large-scale, ambitious projects delivering sustainable economic and social development in rural areas. The town and village renewal scheme, introduced by my Department

Deputy knows, last week we announced €20 million in rural regeneration and development funding for 30 projects across Ireland, including in his home town. I thank Deputy McCarthy for his work in lobbying for that. Fermoy will see the €772,000 development of a derelict site. This … something that the Deputy and the Minister of State, Deputy Buttimer, worked closely with me on. That is the kind of project we need. It will allow Avondhu to promote and get ready for a major application. That is what our RRDF announcement last week was about

Under the current LEADER programme, Galway has an allocation of €9 million. Approximately €5.5 million of that is allocated to Galway East for both projects and administration costs. A number of factors are considered when deciding on the funding allocations. These include providing a minimum allocation

former Minister, Healther Humphreys, did not slash any budget. Within the 2023 to 2027 programme, 38 projects have been funded across all the LAGs in Galway, the vast majority of which - 24 - are actually in Galway East. I have spoken about the work that is under way with

Absolutely. Since 1991, LEADER companies around the country have made a huge difference. LEADER projects have made a massive difference. It was the former Tánaiste and former Commissioner, Ray McSharry, and the former Minister of State and MEP Mark Killilea. Ireland's fingerprints are very much associated with … made the Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht. Outside of LEADER, we are continuing to invest substantial funding in rural projects and initiatives, funding that was not in place in the early days of LEADER. The Deputy can be absolutely assured that I am making

spoken about the importance of shared spaces and providing sport and recreation facilities. I appreciate the positive response of the Special EU Programmes Body to the Cavan regional sports campus application, with the €15 million approval this morning. It is great to work on a project

campus and give credit to Deputy Smith on that. This is about the reimagining of communities and investment in areas. It is a project that will bring, as the Deputy said, profound transformation to the area. It is a shared space. It represents a new type of modern … Border counties. I welcome our Department's involvement and both the Minister, Deputy Calleary, and I are very committed to the project. We look forward to working with all Members of the House

valuable work they do. My Department provides funding to men's and women’s sheds under various supports, including the local enhancement programme, the social inclusion and community activation programme and LEADER. Men’s and women's sheds can apply individually for all of these schemes. In addition

open to us to make that multi-annual funding available to a particular association so that they might have some certainty for the programmes they offer, recognising the value of men's sheds to particular communities and what they do for people throughout this country, in every constituency … multi-annual funding or through the association? Is there no pathway to give them certainty on what might be available to run the programmes they

programme for Government, we made a commitment to reduce the cost of childcare for a child to €200 per month under the national childcare scheme. Along with hard-pressed families, I strongly welcomed this. A problem arises when providers pull out of the core funding scheme. In some … have community preschool or childcare facilities, the State need to step in, possibly through the local authorities. There is a commitment in the programme for Government to co-locate these childcare facilities. My principal question today concerns the fact that the withdrawal of childcare providers from core funding

significantly and drastically changed. To put this in perspective, in 2014, more than 82% of the National Training Fund was spent on training programmes for employment, compared with only 55% in 2024. The funding deficit in the university sector was first identified in the Cassells report back … such a valuable part of the community in which it operated. Fourteen early-school leavers aged 16 embarked on a successful LTI programme to provide them with a level 4 major award and the option of progressing to level 5 this year, which would have given them

know which institutions will receive the funding, how much will go to apprenticeships as opposed to higher education or youth projects, how much will go to the rural education establishments versus the world leaders in the cities, and how it will be phased in over the six years … future framework? Another point raised was the lack of transparency about how employer contributions are invested and who decides what specific programmes get funded. Is it left up to independent institutions or is there a strategic element to it? What metrics are used to evaluate the success

That the programme for Government "commits to further review the minimum hours requirement under the wage subsidy scheme" is an absolute necessity. It goes without saying that we need "to examine an increase to the payment rate". One of the fears is with the three-year review mechanism … good place in that regard. Beyond that, we need to streamline the entire system. The work and access programme, which allows for reasonable accommodation funding, is not fit for purpose. The wage subsidy scheme at the minute needs to be reviewed. I ask the Minister of State

keep out of hospital and away from the medical services, the better. One of the ways of doing that is vaccination programmes, whether it is the flu vaccine, the shingles vaccination or other vaccines. Vaccines help to keep people from having to require hospital care. Therefore, this … programme we should carefully look at, particularly now in relation to over-75s, and review to see if we can get that slot in there to at least start some element of it, in the same way other European countries have done

national directorate for fire and emergency management, NDFEM, supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for equipment and priority infrastructure projects. The NDFEM developed a policy document, Keeping Communities Safe

temporary building, its second in 20 years, because of the Department's incompetence in managing this process. There have been commitments that the project will be completed by 2027, given verbally earlier this year. Is the project going to be completed by mid-2027 to allow the school

Department sets out to make sure building projects are moved forward. Issues have arisen with this project. The Department, the Minister and ourselves take very seriously the obligations we have in relation to public funding. We are very committed. My understanding clearly is that the Department officials

accept the frustration in relation to this project, which has been ongoing and which is hugely important for the community. I reassure the Deputy that the Department is engaging to find an interim solution first, but the long-term solution is to make sure this project is completed

understand little issues can knock things out of time. Based on my discussions with the Minister and on her visit, the project is a high priority for the Department. I urge the Minister of State to work with us and the Minister on getting the process completed … project out to tender so the school can move on and prepare

frustrating. We are all fully committed to this project and are waiting for officials to make what should be a no-brainer of a decision, given where the project is, what the community is at and where we need to go. I urge the Minister of State

will give a commitment to move what has to be done in the Department speedily through the process and make sure this project is completed. I understand the frustration of parents and the community that something that was promised over 25 years ago has not been delivered … issues on the planning side of it. I give a commitment that we will do everything that can be done to move this project on. I will report back to the Deputies with an update

denied insurance, resale value, and mortgage access until full remediation is guaranteed, perpetuating economic exclusion and insecurity; — requiring homeowners to act as project managers imposes impossible burdens and exposes them to gouging, and that an end-to-end State-managed option must be made available to guarantee transparency … their fault. Then the Government adds a further concrete levy on top of the rebuild. The Government has made them project managers of their own trauma and still it has called it 100% redress countless times. That, quite frankly, is insulting. Let us be clear. This

homeowners, this legislation is being progressed as expeditiously as possible and the Bill is included in the autumn 2025 Government Legislation Programme for Priority Publication; — Local Authorities, working together with the Office for Emergency Planning and the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management have systems in place … forward a DCB social homes scheme as provided for under the legislation, to facilitate the remediation of social housing affected by DCB; — the Programme for Government commits to the establishment of a Building Standards Regulatory Authority, it is intended that it will be an independent central competent authority

fantastic if other Deputies could make it very clear that the contractor has a responsibility to the State, in terms of this project and every other project in which it is engaged, and to its international reputation as well

steering group was an applicant in the most recent application process. Those applicants remain under active consideration for further expansion of the FRC programme. The good news is that budget 2026 honours the programme for Government commitment to increase funding and expand the capacity and network of family

date; the number of those assessments that have been allocated to families in the HSE South West region covering Cork and Kerry; the projected timeline for the full delivery of that initiative nationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38081/26

Ireland's obligations under the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of health personnel; the year in which Ireland is projected to reach the self-sufficiency definition set out in the December 2025 workforce paper, namely reducing inward migration to between

average of 20.6%; the progress that has been made toward the introduction of a statutory home support scheme as committed to in the Programme for Government [38071/26

when the next iteration of the Ireland's Future Health and Social Care Workforce planning model will be published; whether supply and demand projections will be extended in that iteration to cover dentists, radiographers, radiation therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, dietitians, and social care workers

SUSI grant to graduate medicine students who already possess a level 8 QQI and subsequently enter a level 8 graduate entry medicine programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38089/26

Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the voids programme review committed to in the Government's housing plan. [37768/26

Deputy Rory Hearne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail the interventions, schemes, programmes and policies employed by his Department to avoid people being made homeless by eviction, prevent them from entering into homeless accommodation and reduce the number of people evicted into homelessness

asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the way in which his Department is supporting a holistic approach to a regeneration project (details supplied) to ensure it provides not only high-quality housing, but also the essential community infrastructure and public realm improvements required

Deputy Joe Neville asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide a list of all social housing projects that have been completed in Kildare in the past year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37568/26

Catherine Ardagh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will expedite the approval and funding process for a regeneration project (details supplied); to address the urgent living conditions of residents; if he will commit to a clear timeline for the commencement of works

Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide an update on the Programme for Government commitment to establish a new procedure for large developments where developers can engage with Uisce Éireann and Local Authority Planners to ensure that services can be delivered

Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if it will be ensured that the current rezoning project being carried out by local authorities will result in the social and affordable housing that is needed across the State; and if he will make

Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the plans for social and/or affordable housing for Arklow, County Wicklow, with projected completion dates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37477/26

Deputy Conor Sheehan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on funding for inner city regeneration projects; if he will acknowledge the need for housing regeneration to have a separate and distinct funding stream to housing delivery; and if he will make

Heritage to provide an update on when his Department will provide the funding to Donegal County Council to proceed with affordable housing projects in the county. [37484/26

whether he will visit locations (details supplied) to view conditions in these social housing complexes which are the subjects of severely delayed regeneration projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37485/26

Government and Heritage to detail the infrastructural upgrades deemed necessary to support planned housing delivery in Kildare North; the basis on which these projects have been prioritised relative to other areas; the extent to which current departmental assessments align with local authority development plans; and if he will

Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Defence whether any further helicopter procurement programme remains under consideration by the Department in relation to medium-lift capability for the Air Corps; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37031/26

asked the Minister for Transport the terms of reference, timeline and reporting arrangements for the independent review ordered into the Train Management System project; the date on which the review commenced; the expected completion date for the review; when the findings will be published; whether the review will

Authority or Irish Rail have undertaken an assessment of the contractor’s capacity to deliver the remaining phases of the Train Management System project; the contractual, financial or legal mechanisms available to the State bodies concerned to mitigate further cost exposure or recoup costs arising from delays

introduced by the National Transport Authority and Irish Rail since concerns emerged regarding delays and potential cost overruns on the Train Management System project; whether enhanced reporting arrangements are now in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36709/26

Deputy Mark Wall asked the Minister for Transport for an update regarding a roads project in County Kildare (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36924/26

Deputy Roderic O'Gorman asked the Minister for Transport for an update on the DART West project; the timelines for CPOs to be undertaken; the timelines for procurement; the estimated time for commencing works; the current timeline for the conclusion of works; and if he will make

Deputy Maeve O'Connell asked the Minister for Transport for an update on planned or proposed Luas projects in south County Dublin. [37742/26

Service Reform and Digitalisation whether a nationally defined custodial window performance standard exists for Garda detention-cell environments used in Garda station capital projects delivered by the Office of Public Works; and if he will provide details of the standards, testing methodologies, certification requirements and equivalence criteria applied